At The Natural Grocery Company, we are proud to sell 100% organic produce.
Some may question why this matters. After all, most grocery stores (even big box ones) carry organic options at this point.
A short story about my recent neighborhood (in East Oakland) shopping trip may help illustrate what can happen when a store sells both conventional and organic produce.
A couple days ago, I had to make a quick run to a market near our house for ginger root. The place we go has both organic and conventional options. I selected the organic ginger. When I got home and looked at my receipt, I realized the price I paid was low and the line item read: ginger (not organic ginger). Perhaps I picked up a piece of conventional ginger from the organic ginger bin. But how could that happen? It’s possible some other shopper ditched their conventional ginger in the organic bin. Or perhaps the piece was improperly labeled. Mistakes happen. I understand that. But I did not want conventional ginger. It made me wonder how many times this kind of thing happens. On this occasion I paid for the lower priced ginger. But what if conventional items are mislabeled as organic and you pay the premium without getting the product?
This is all to say, that I am grateful to work (and shop for most of our groceries) in a place with 100% organic produce. There is no chance for conventional fruits, veggies or roots to accidentally end up in my cooking!