A Covey Rise produce box, now available for pickup at restaurants around town | Covey Rise Farms/Facebook
As many avoid the grocery store, alternatives for fresh produce pop up around New Orleans
With New Orleanians bracing for what could be the worst week yet in the local coronavirus crisis, local restaurants, farmers, and produce wholesalers are offering alternatives to grocery store shopping with pivots to retail, pickups, and delivery.
The current pause on farmers markets (no word yet on the next Crescent City Farmers Market pop-up drive-thru) and temporary closure of many top New Orleans restaurants coincides with a busy growing season, says Cheryl Nunes of local farm River Queen Greens. Nunes opted out of farmers markets before operations were suspended, and instantly shifted to increasing the farm’s capacity by partnering with other local growers.
After quickly quadrupling their farm share capacity through partnerships, “we tweaked our pickup system so that members only touch their own shares, and we offer home delivery to high-risk and/or quarantined members,” Nunes told Growing for Market. While farm share memberships are currently sold out, it has added one-off produce pickups (follow here).
One of River Queen Green’s partners is Covey Rise Farms, a preferred source for some of New Orleans’s top chefs and restaurants. Covey Rise has added more direct-to-consumer sales with a schedule of pickups around town at Thalia, Capulet, Gnarly Barley Brewing, and more. The large bags of fresh-harvested produce go for $30, estimated to be enough for 2 to 3 meals for a family of 4 to 5.
A larger local provider has shifted even further for the time being, moving entirely to personal home delivery after hearing about an older couple fearful of entering a grocery store. 70-year old produce wholesaler Mistretta’s Produce, which says it typically supplies 100 restaurants in the New Orleans area, is now offering four produce box options for free delivery local delivery.
Produce is also now available for pickup or delivery at Fat Boy Pantry, the LGD cafe and juice bar that typically sticks to high-quality sandwiches, coffee drinks, and ice cream. It was an early restaurant-turned-grocer, adding fresh produce to a new online ordering system weeks ago. The wide range of fruit and vegetables can be ordered by 8 p.m. for pickup or delivery the next day, Monday through Saturday.
Check back with Eater for updates on produce pickups, delivery, and New Orleans restaurants-turned-suppliers, and let us know of local spots now selling groceries or wholesale suppliers selling directly to consumers.
- Louisiana Coronavirus Updates: Now 512 deaths, 14,867 cases statewide [WWL]
- Drive-Thru Farmers Market Popping Up at Parkway Bakery This Weekend [ENOLA]
- Top New Orleans Restaurants Cease Takeout as Local Coronavirus Cases Continue to Rise [ENOLA]
- New Orleans seafood and produce wholesalers deliver to homes to make ends meet [WWL]
Source: Eater New Orleans - All
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