Home Delivery System for Organic Produce Growing in SF & Los Angeles

San Francisco Chronicle
The (Organic Vegetable) Box
By Joseph Connelly, Special to SF Gate
June 9, 2004

The (Organic Vegetable) Box

Though Paul Johnson isn't a farmer, he knows his vegetables. And he has
3,500 families around the Bay Area who can vouch for him.

In the '80s and '90s, Johnson was a member of numerous CSAs. A CSA, or
community supported agriculture, is a mutually beneficial relationship
between consumers and small organic farms. Various types of CSAs exist, but
the basic concept involves members ponying up some cash in advance of the
growing season to help farmers cover their production costs. In return, the
members receive a weekly share of the harvest.

Although he remains supportive of the concept, Johnson was frustrated with
the arrangement. He found that farmers, overworked and not used to dealing
directly with retail customers, didn't pay enough attention to the needs of
the "C" in "CSA." And for customers, picking up one's weekly share at a
designated location at a specific time was often inconvenient, and the
produce wasn't as fresh as it could be. Johnson looked around for a more
consumer-friendly arrangement in which he could still get high-quality
organic fruits and veggies directly from the source, but he had no luck. So,
in 1995, he took matters into his own hands and started his own service in
his Mission District garage.

"The first week, I had seven customers, mostly friends," reminisces
Johnson. "For the first six months, I was the only employee. I'd buy the
produce early in the morning, bring it back to the garage, sort it out and
make deliveries between 9 and 5. From 5 to 9, I'd do paperwork, then go to
bed and do it all over again the next day." And so began Northern
California's first organic home-delivery service, known simply as the Box.

What makes the Box stand out? "Home delivery is a big plus for folks," says
Johnson, noting that the convenience factor adds great value to the service.
"And freshness is what we focus on. Our produce is fresher than you can find
in the store or open-air markets." That is true because no inventory sits
around waiting to be purchased. By cultivating direct grower relationships
for nearly a decade, Johnson has guaranteed that the Box delivers virtually
all the local produce less than 24 hours after it is picked. The Box also
differs from conventional CSAs by allowing members to customize their orders
instead of receiving a plethora of what's in season at one farm. With the
Box, members get to select from hundreds of available items and can order as
late as 4 pm the day prior to delivery. And, finally, unlike CSAs, the Box
requires no membership commitment; you can place just one order or set up an
ongoing weekly delivery.

The "Box" in the company name is an acronym of sorts for Bay Area Organic
Express, but, in 2002, Johnson expanded into Los Angeles and subsequently
dropped "Bay Area" from the name. So, which is correct: the Box, or Organic
Express? "I don't care what you call us," says Johnson, "as long as you call
us." To learn more about the company, visit its customer-friendly Web site.

Organic Express
POBox 460411
San Francisco, CA 94146-0411
Voice (415) ORGANIC (674-2642)
http://www.organicexpress.com/

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