 Beans
Beverages
Breads
Cereals+grains
Condiments
Cooking aids
Dairy+eggs
Dried Fruits
Fruit+Veg
Flours
Herbs+Teas
Oils
Macrobiotic
Nuts
Pasta+noodles
Personal care
Rices
Savoury snacks
Seeds
Soy products
Spreads
Spices
Superfoods
Sweet things
The Home
Vinegars
 Want to know what a particular product might be good for? Well, co-op member and naturopath, Rebecca Goldhurst is offering members nutritional information about the foods we stock in the co-op. Members can contact her by email. If you want to know whether a product is in stock, please check WHAT WE SELL.
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We aim to supply ethically and environmentally sound products; we’re concerned for who produces the goods, under what conditions and by what methods. Because of the damaging environmental and health effects of conventional food production, we prefer to stock goods produced by organic or biodynamic methods and also by other co-ops. As much as possible we buy Australian produce, preferably grown close to Sydney so as to maximise freshness and minimise transportation. All our organic and biodynamic products, including our fruit+veg, are certified. Sometimes, members bring in excess produce that they’ve grown organically in their home gardens. These products are clearly labelled “uncertified locally-grown organic produce.” Certified fruit+veg is always sold off the fruit+veg stand or the front window.
When the scientific community is divided over the safety of a product or ingredient, the co-op has a policy of not buying that product or ingredient. For instance, we don’t stock products that contain sodium lauryl sulphate (SLS), the foaming agent in many  soaps, shampoos, laundry and dishwashing liquids, and toothpastes. We are also concerned that our products are processed ethically. For instance, up until March 2003, the co-op didn’t stock cashews because we couldn’t be certain they were processed without causing injury to the people who work in the processing factories. We now have a supply of organic cashews that have been processed ethically.
The co-op relies on its members to suggest new products. If you think the co-op should get a new product, bring the label and supplier’s name and contact details to the Stock Coordinators. Or you can put the details in the wooden Suggestions Box next to the nut butter machines. If your product fits with co-op policy, and we have the shelf space, we can stock it. We are constantly refining the stock to replace any remaining not-organically grown and distant imported products with their organic, unpackaged, locally-sourced equivalent.
How produce is priced
Almost all the produce sold from the bins, jars and drums is priced per kilo. However, all herbs and spices and some higher-priced products are priced in 100grams. These higher-priced products have a circular label on the top of the jar lid indicating this. They are also indicated in the product categories in What We Sell.
All our fruit and vegetables are organically-grown with a seasonal focus, delivered fresh to the co-op Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Some fruit and veg is farmer-direct, which means the co-op buys directly from the farmer, and is tagged as such. Most of the produce is certified organic, however, some farmer-direct produce is uncertified and is also clearly tagged as such. Alfalfa House has visited each of the farms from whom we buy directly and is satisfied that each uncertified farmer is farming organically. All fresh produce is grown in Australia unless otherwise  stated on the price tag. We update what's available in fruit and veg each week. To view the list and specials board, please click here.
Farmer-direct
The co-op is keen to buy more of its supplies of fresh fruit and veg as well as other stock direct from farmers. Dealing direct means fairer and truer prices for farmers and consumers alike and provides farmers with real economic incentives to broaden the range of what they grow. It also gives the co-op a direct influence over quality, seasonal availability and genetic integrity – all of which helps meet the co-op's key objective to provide food over which members have some form of control. Look out for Farmer Direct on price tags.
To email a Stock Coordinator go to Fruit+Veg or Groceries. |
GROCERIES
updated 26.6.2010
 Organic Il Nutrimento vegetable stock boullion
A wet stock paste that’s vegan and yeast-free. This is an excellent cooking stock, with a strong aroma of celery when used in stews, vegetable soups etc. As it already has sea salt, no extra salt is required.
Ingredients: sea salt, carrots 19%, onion 19%, celery, parsley 5%, basil 5%, fennel. Salad Topping Mix
A blend of nuts and seeds to sprinkle on a salad straight from the packet or lightly roasted in the oven and tossed through a salad. This mixture is also perfect to sprinkle on top of homemade bread and works very well on top of roasted veggies, baked pasta and so on. Ingredients: sunflower seeds, organic raw pepitas, organic sesame seeds, pistachio kernels, organic cashew pieces, pine nuts.
Grain Bakery bread All- organic sourdough breads baked in Alexandria. Smaller loaves (375g wet dough weight) as well as the usual 700-750g wet weight.
Types: white, panetania (rustic Italian-style loaf), linseed, seven-grain, olive and barley and rye.
Delivered Mondays, Thursdays
Organic Black Styrian pumpkin seeds Unfortunately the crop of farmer-direct Australia pepitas we usually stock were a disaster this year so we’ve decided to go with an overseas option. The Black Styrians are different to the usual pumpkin seed in that they have no outer hard shell (often removed to leave us with the ‘pepita’). The entire seed of this variety of pumpkin is edible and has been a popular snack in its home country and the Mediterranean for many years. The seed is valued for its essential fatty acid content. Ideal in trail mixes, salads and cereals. Try them roasted and lightly salted, however, the valued nutrient properties of the seeds are somewhat diminished when heated so they are best enjoyed raw, preferably activated.
Spelt lasagne pasta, organic from Victoria.
Maize flour, organic. By popular request. Made from both the germ and hull of corn, thus retaining its full nutritional value. Commonly used in cornbread, cornmeal porridge, biscuits, batters, muffins and tortillas.
Earthsource firm tofu, biodynamic from Victoria.
Apricot and Coconut Bikkie (vegan, gluten free) and Spelt Winter Spice Muffins, both sugar free treats from Bibba Baking delivered on Saturday mornings. And the Banana and Date muffins are now vegan.
Little Gems, organic fairtrade milk chocolate buttons covered in fruity crisp shells a bit like baby smarties. Coloured with fruit and plant extracts.
Contains: cane sugar, whole milk powder, cocoa butter, cocoa paste, whey powder, emulsifier (lecithin)*, corn syrup, rice starch, thickener (gummi arabicum)*, colouring: fruit+plant extracts (orange, passionfruit, mango, Chinese goldberry (gardenia), beet, elderberry)*, coatings: (beeswax, carnauba wax)*
* not organic
Honey still from Malfroys Gold but the types are changing as the bees have been moved on to follow the honeyflow. There’ll be two of Spotted Gum, Hawkesbury Iron bark, Salvation Jane and Yellow Box out in the shop depending on what week it is.
Ivyhome Quark, organic in a reusable glass jar. Great smothered on toast or as part of a cheesecake or a foundation for dip.
GROCERIES
Out of stock or in limited supply
updated 26.6.2010
Almond milk Supplier waiting on shipment due at the end of July
Brazil nuts are due back early to mid-July
Jannei fresh goats curd, blanc goats cheese and noir goats cheese have been discontinued as they are slow movers.
Organic coconut flour and organic shredded coconut The supplier is unsure when it will next be available.
Organic wholemeal couscous is hopefully due back mid-July.
Shitake mushrooms will hopefully back mid to late July.
Chocolate and sultana and muesli biscuits – discontinued by supplier but replaced by new lines (see what’s new)
Puffed amaranth, organic, and puffed quinoa, organic – hopefully back by mid-June
Oat kernels – out of stock at supplier
Organic spelt grain, puffed spelt and rolled spelt. Spelt is heavily drought-affected and so supply is likely to be sporadic or unavailable.
Spelt macroni pasta – discontinued by supplier but replaced with spelt spaghetti.
Celtic sea salt, unavailable at supplier
Organic azuki beans will be out of stock until the new harvest. We're stocking conventionally-grown beans for the time being.
Rolled rye has been discontinued by supplier. We are stocking organic Australian-grown rolled barley instead.
Olive oil, Rumi, (FT), 5-litre drum – supplier has run out and is unsure when the next shipment will be due.
Australian-grown organic roasted peanuts and peanut butter are currently unavailable – no indication yet as to when they will return.
Rolled brown rice. To read more about the global rice shortage, click here.
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