Why is the lovely organic food so cheap?The Organic Buyers Group is able to buy produce in bulk from a wholesaler, and the benefits of this are transferred directly to members. No costs are incurred to pay for staff (we share the tasks between members) or waste (we distribute all the food we buy). The benefit to members: you pay wholesale prices for your produce. On the other side of the equation, you ‘pay’ the extra by donating your time to help the group, from tasks such as sharing out the veges, keeping the website up-to-date, sorting out accounts, and much more (just ask how you can help). Don't forget the whole group is volunteer run. We get our veges cheap because we are not paying the middle man (or woman) to do the work for us - but that means we have a little work to do ourselves. The more people help out, the less work it is for others. What is a buyers group? Is it like a co-op?A buyers group does exactly what its name suggests. It buys goods (for the Organic Buyers Group this is organic fruit & veges) and distributes the produce amongst members. Unlike a shop or co-op the Organic Buyers Group has no permanent premises so we do not keep any additional stock. Any fresh produce or groceries are ordered in advance and distributed as they are delivered. Does the group make money?The Organic Buyers Group is a not-for-profit organisation.
A very small portion of prices covers administration costs. The benefits of buying produce in bulk from the wholesaler are transferred directly to members, with no overheads. Can I trial a box before I decide to join?If you would like to trial a box please send your details (name, email address, phone number and address) to the enquiry email address of your local branch and let us know which shop date suits you. See "How to join" for more details. How do I join?Each branch has a slightly different membership sign-up details. Please see the details for joining in your local branch. See website link how to join How can I pay for my shop?Each branch has a bank account (see homepage of your local branch for details). Please make your deposits directly into the corresponding bank account, as this minimises the workload of our hard-working volunteer members. The easiest way to make a deposit is to make a funds transfer using electronic banking (eg internet banking). Your bank can help you out with the finer details. How do I get my fruit and veges? Is it delivered?The produce is delivered to the designated pick-up location of your branch. You just need to come along to the pick-up point at the designated time and help share out the produce and take it home. Check pick up location and time details on the homepage of your local branch of the Organic Buyer Group. What if I don’t want to buy every week?The Group strives to be as flexible as possible: Members can choose which weeks they would like to order a box (you are not committed to buying every shop). What is in my fruit and vege box?Your box of fruit and veges contains a range of seasonal produce. The mix of food is different each order, but is chosen following guidelines to ensure that we have a good mix of seasonal fruit and vegetables. At some branches members take it in turns to organise the order, whilst at other branches the ordering iss done centrally, with suggestions from members. Your box of fruit and veges is $30 (check details with you local branch). Can I choose what I buy?As a member you will get the opportunity to organise the order or make suggestions for the group. This is your chance to choose your favourite fruits and veges (within the recommended guidelines). But fear not, you won’t have to trudge out to the markets at 5am to shop for the others – the group’s order is placed via email via email and we have the food delivered to our pick-up location. What if I don’t like something that is ordered?We make every effort to share out the produce equitably between all the members who have placed an order. The majority of the food will be standard fare, but sometimes you may get a fruit or veges that you are not familiar with. This is a great opportunity to try something new – ask the orderer or other members for tips on how they plan to prepare the unfamiliar produce. The email groups also offers an opportunity to share recipes. It is always exciting when you discover a new favourite! If there is something in your box you really don’t like, discuss with other members if they would like to swap an item. Or get friendly with your neighbours and donate your unwanted radishes How do I know my food is organic? The wholesale suppliers we use are certified organic suppliers. The produce they sell is certified organic by one of a number of accrediting organisations.
What about food miles?Almost all of the produce available from our supplier is Australian-grown (except for some kiwifruit from New Zealand). I have contacted the Organic Buyers Group, but haven’t yet had a response?Apologies for our tardiness! Don’t forget the Organic Buyers Group is a bunch of volunteers who look after the admin side of things in their ‘spare’ time, and I’m sure you appreciate that not many of us have too much of that these days! We will get to your request as soon as we area able. Once you are a member you can volunteer your services to help out and share the load to make our job easier ;-) How can I help?The Organic Buyers Group is run entirely by members on a volunteer basis. At every shop members assume different roles (orderer, shop keeper, etc...) and help in different ways (accounting, split the goods, cleaning, etc...). We also need occasional help for things like marketing and keeping this website up-to-date.
Let us know your skills that you can share with us.
The group is as good as you put in! Not happy with how things are run?The Organic Buyers Group is run entirely by members on a volunteer basis. None of us are experts in the jobs we do for SydOrgBG. If you have some suggestions for how we can tun things more smoothly, please contact us, and volunteer your time to help us out. More questions?If you have any other questions we have not yet answered, please contact your local branch.
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