Live Sales: A Better, Healthier Model
The way we grow food isn’t the only thing that needs to be changed.
Almost anyone can tell you a story they’ve heard about how traditional agricultural practices are unsustainable – using ever-more land, over applying pesticides, and the like.
It’s no secret that we need a few a new type of farming method.
But see, its not just conventional farm production that is unsustainable. Marketing can make or break a farm business. And, frankly, traditional sales methods are doing little to improve anything.
Between 38 and 50% of harvested produce is lost to spoilage. It never even makes it to the customer.
And let’s not even think about the energy wasted on refrigerating that food until it’s disposed of.
Incorporating sustainability from start to finish.
We’ve covered how ZipGrow towers…
Their production-improving abilities are clear.
But the revolutionary changes don’t stop at the greenhouse door.
ZipGrow towers make Live Sales possible.
What is Live Sales, you ask?
The Live Sales model is a revolutionary new way of delivering incredibly fresh produce to consumers, pioneered by Bright Agrotech and Upstart Farmers.
By using ZipGrow technology, farmers can deliver towers filled with still-living herbs and greens directly to any retail location.
Consumers harvest exactly what they want from the live display.
Harvest. Bag. Pay.
It’s that simple.
Why use Live Sales?
Live Sales with ZipGrow towers drastically reduce traditional harvest waste.
- Theres no shrinkage.
- Almost no spoilage.
- Local transportation costs are minimal.
- And since live produce doesn’t require refrigeration, energy use is reduced by 97%.
Live sales reduce costs for producers, retailers, and consumers.
Since consumers harvest their own, packaging waste is decreased.
By eliminating most post-harvest work, labor costs are reduced to just 15% of total costs.
But will customers buy it?
100% of sampled respondents prefer live produce to cut. 97% prefer live produce to organic.
Farmers win. Grocers win. Consumers win.
Frankly, there’s no reason not to use live sales.
Live Sales in Action
Recently, we caught up with Fresh with Edge, an Upstart Farm run by Chris Lukenbill.
Chris is a live sales pioneer, taking his fresher-than-ever towers to local restaurants and grocery stores.
“At the co-op, customers are supplied with clamshells that they fill,” Chris explains to Urban Ag Products. “We supply four different varieties of herbs, such as basil, parsley, mint, and chives.”
He’s even started a Live CSA, where home customers sign up to have a new tower delivered every couple of weeks. Towers stay fresh in an in-home Spring System, and customers slowly harvest what they need until the next tower arrives.
We’re not the only ones to take note of Fresh with Edge’s extraordinary live sales models. They took the cover of Urban Ag Products’ October issue, their second major spotlight in the last month.
