 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 2.3.2010
 Arnica cream and arnica massage oil from Weleda for helping ease those bruises, aches and pains.
Organic crocodile pops (little puffed balls of rice and corn), gluten-free and a much healthier kid-friendly alternative to rice bubbles.
Organic, Fairtrade drinking chocolate made from Loving Earth’s raw dark chocolate shavings, cacao powder and rapadura sugar
Organic kamut bread from Bills Organic Bread delivered Mondays
Wasabi powder made from pure, true wasabi from New Zealand
Raw sour cherry dark chocolate – a new flavour from Loving Earth, organic, Fairtrade
Sour cherries, organic, Fairtrade
Whole red lentils, organic, Canada
Ginger beer, organic, from Phoenix
Superfood balls, raw, all organic, made locally. Ingredients: goji berries, cacao nibs, chlorella, spirulina, pepitas, sunflower seeds, mixed raw nuts, sesame seeds, sultanas, cranberries, desiccated coconut, raw honey.
Spelt macaroni pasta, organic, replaces the wholemeal spaghetti pasta – deleted by the supplier.
Almond milk, organic
ABC nut mix is now all organic and Alfalfa-made
Lunettes (menstrual cups). We’ve switched from stocking the Keepers to these TGA*-approved silicon-based ones to get around the problem of latex allergies or intolerances. The cups live behind the till, so please ask shop staff if you’d like one. All Moonpads and Nice Knickers cloth pads range are back in stock too.
(*Therapeutic Goods Association)
GROCERIES
Out of stock or in limited supply
updated 2.3.2010
Organic walnuts – hopefully back sometime this month
Organic black mission figs – also hopefully back sometime in March
Organic puffed amaranth – supplier is waiting on a new shipment, due in April. We do have crododile pops (puffed rice and corn balls) as another gluten-free puff option.
Natto miso – a new shipment is expected by the supplier in April
Bonsoy – subject to a federal government recall and unavailable until further notice. See News. Still no news on if and when it might be back.
Chia seeds – I’m following up on a new organic, Australian source.
Organic puffed spelt and rolled spelt. Spelt is heavily drought-affected and so supply is likely to be sporadic.
Celtic sea salt, unavailable at supplier
Azuki beans will be out of stock until the new harvest.
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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