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Thread: Organic wholefood shop - location

  1. #1
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    Default Organic wholefood shop - location

    Hi all

    We are just starting to put together an application for a LTBV and our thoughts are on opening an organic wholefood shop - incorporating local produce, gluten free foods, organic bodycare etc etc... I am a nutritionist and my partner has run is own successful business for many years.

    I know there are some shops like this throughout NZ, but i wonder if any of you folk in NZ can offer any advice on the shops that are present in your area - good or bad, or if there isn't a shop like this where you live and you feel it would fit in well with the local community.
    We are currently looking at the top of the north island and also the top of the south island as possible sites, but obviously are open to ideas and advice at this stage.

    Also if there are products that you are looking for that you can't find easily within this sort of sector or that you can't find - this would be really interesting to hear about.

    Thanks very much, all ideas and info greatly received!
    Becs

  2. #2
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    Hi Becs, Golden Bay, in the top of the south, has an organics shop and a population, albeit a small one, who are your ideal customers. It's also got a lot of old school NZ type farmers and the two populations seem to live in relative harmony. Motueka has a similar blend of population, especially out in the river valley, but not as many shops specifically geared towards that. There was a beautiful little organic cafe that closed last year. I know the owners tried to sell it but I'm not sure if it closed due to lack of demand or due to their desire to retire. I personally would like to see something like what you are proposing in Mot as it's only 15 minutes from me. I currently drive 25 minutes to Richmond to get my produce and eggs. In general, in the wider Tasman district, we do have quite a few options for local produce, local meat etc... We have a lot of fruit/vege/farm stalls that sell local if not always organic. Nelson also has a few little markets and farmer's markets.
    In the US, I would often shop at the "wholefood shop" in order to buy grassfed beef or hormone free chicken. In NZ, that is just called beef and chicken.
    I think kiwis really do value the idea of "local" so, in my opinion, your store sounds like it's got a good chance. It's just finding the right location because I imagine there are some places that people might be more reluctant.
    I don't know the shops that well in Wairarapa but my sister-in-law lives there and it seems like another place with a good mix of population that might go for something like that.
    Hope that gives you some places to research.

  3. #3
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    We have a wonderful shop like this here in Dunedin called Taste Nature. As there wouldn't be a conflict of interest re location you might just want to get in contact with them.

    (in addition we have our Otago Farmers Market once a week with local products, though not necessarily organic ones.)

  4. #4
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    To be honest we were disappointed in the interest in and availability of organic food. In mainstream supermarkets it is really just a niche market - milk, yoghurt, not much else. Very little organic fruit and veg at all. What there is available is priced at a high premium. In Wellington there are a couple of shops similar to what you envisage called Commonsense Organics - we found it very expensive though when we first arrived.

    http://www.commonsenseorganics.co.nz/

    Organics really aren't mainstream as they were in the UK when we left 3 and a half years ago. You'd think the middle classes of Wellington would be into this, but alas they are not. I think it will come, but it's a long time in coming. Even in Moore Wilson, which is Wellington's foremost foodie outlet, there is no emphasis on organic food. 'Conventional' food is expensive enough, paying a premium for organic would be not possible for many people.
    Local? It's mostly all local - to NZ.

    Sorry this sounds negative, just our experience. (as people who grew their own fruit and veg, kept hens, bought meat from the local farmer, shopped at the farmers market and if it could be bought organic we bought organic.)

    Just done some price comparison
    Tesco - normal milk 74p per litre, organic milk 81p per litre. No real difference there.
    supermarket - 'normal milk' $1.70 per litre, organic milk $5,95 per 2 litres. So $3 a litre. Big difference there. I only just realised that recently....
    We have found that people we know here don't buy organic, whereas if they were British, they would. Just from their demographics etc. There just isn't the interest. Unfortunately. It has got better since we have been here, more free range eggs, bacon, chicken etc so awareness of how animals - pigs and hens in particular - are raised has been improving.

    All the best.

  5. #5
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    Hi Kiwieagle
    Thanks for the information - we were in the process of purchasing the shop in Golden Bay last year - but our circumstances couldn't see it through at the time.... so now we are looking at opening our own, as its been sold.
    Motueka is a location we were thinking of and i know of the place you are talking about that closed down. It would be interesting to know from you - as you are there - apparently there is a new shop that has opened in February.... Arcadia Organics, as far as i can see they are a cafe, but with some organic 'foods' for sale.... would be really useful if you could see if you can find out anymore information as there doesn't seem to be much on the internet. Anything you see or find out would be greatly appreciated!
    I will look into the Wairarapa area... as from our previous visits to NZ it is really to do with the community around the area, on whether this sort of place will work or not.
    Thanks so much for all the info and anything that you want to add!
    Becs

  6. #6
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    Hi Ralf-NZ - I have heard the shop in Dunedin was good... will drop them a line and see what they say!

    Hi Girlwithanewf - I understand that there is a price difference with organics there and there isn't so much interest yet - but i see it as a growing industry, so lets keep hoping the more people are interested, the better the prices become!
    Thanks for your input - good or bad, i appreciate you replying!
    Becs

  7. #7
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    http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post...ood-mainstream

    A very topical article from the Wellington newspaper. There is a poll too.

    Would be interested to hear the point of view of supermarket chains too. I shop in the New World closest to Peter Jackson's film studios and Weta Digital, so a mixed customer base and there is very little organic stuff on sale. It is how it was in the UK 10 years old at least. Separate sections for 'health food' and a bit of organic dairy produce.

    I saw a couple of advertising posters for organic wine in that supermarket recently. In both adverts, the word organic was spelt wrong, in two different ways. That kind of summed up the lack of awareness in the mainstream industry.

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by becs View Post
    Motueka is a location we were thinking of and i know of the place you are talking about that closed down. It would be interesting to know from you - as you are there - apparently there is a new shop that has opened in February.... Arcadia Organics, as far as i can see they are a cafe, but with some organic 'foods' for sale.... would be really useful if you could see if you can find out anymore information as there doesn't seem to be much on the internet.
    Arcadia Cafe and Organics is the shop that closed down, they were on high street in the CBD. Perhaps they've reopened somewhere but I don't know. Toad Hall is a cafe and organic shop also on high street but right at the beginning of town. They make beautiful gourmet pies that cost a lot ($7ish). I can't say why Arcadia closed but perhaps they couldn't compete in the CBD because Motueka has at least 6 bakeries (that I can think of off the top of my head) all as good as each other. Motueka has a plethora of yummy pies. Toad Hall is more of a destination place because it's on a lovely little section, has a garden on site, and a beautiful play area for children.

    I do think the Tasman district is the ideal spot for someone wanting to start a business centred around organics. There is the Riverside Commune in Lower Moutere, Chadrakiriti Meditation Centre in Upper Moutere, organic orchards, and a lot of people that strive for independent, sustainable living in the Mot Valley, Moutere Hills and Ruby Coast as well as Golden Bay which has the reputation for that kind of thing.

    Have you heard of Bin Inn? They are a national chain that have organic options in store. It's where I buy all of my beans, seeds and such.

    When it comes to organics, I don't think it's necessarily that Kiwis aren't open to it, it's that local has priority over organic. Also, it's not always easy or cost effective for farmers to make the switch to organics. Milk is one of those areas where it's difficult for farmers to justify the benefit to cost to make the switch. My husband is an ex dairy farmer from this region and the majority of dairy farms in this area still farm in the "old fashioned" way. Even in the Canterbury plains where there are mega farms, you don't see the factory dairy farms that they have in the UK and the USA. With the Fonterra conglomerate, it is even harder for farmers to offer alternatives and compete. I buy raw milk from a local farm that has 15 cows and sells it from a vending machine. It's not certified organic but the difference is so slight when it comes to dairying in this region that it's hard to justify the cost of organics. http://www.villagemilk.co.nz/our-milk/real-milk/ Riverside Community also offers vending machine milk and I'm not sure if they are certified organic. What I'm trying to say is that it's not a resistance to organics, per se, it's just that sometimes certification is too costly for the farmer and they do try to do the next best thing. New Zealanders are very pragmatic, at least in this area and to my experience, so a shop that had a philosophy of selling the best and safest local produce without being too hung up on labels might succeed where a strictly organic shop that had to rely on expensive imports might struggle.

    Another thought, I don't know if this matches up, but a good fair trade selection would be a draw for me.

    Best of luck to you!

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