by, Angela Pohlman, General Merchandise Category Manager
You may have noticed that we are missing some of your favorite products in our Bulk aisles. There are a few reasons for that—primarily national out-of-stocks and shortages. Our primary bulk supplier, Frontier Co-op has been hit hard with this. They source products all over the world, often from smaller family farms. Depending on the region, these areas may have been hit hard by the virus, which can delay harvesting, processing, packaging and shipping. Our stores have been working to compensate on missing these items by:
• Working with alternative suppliers to fill holes.
• Looking for prepackaged versions of the products you love.
• Working with suppliers to source loose product in smaller packages— like 4 oz. bags of loose leaf tea, for example.
Our Grocery departments have been able to re-open some portions of their Bulk aisles, adding extra sanitizing of surfaces to their schedules. Our General Merchandise departments—which provide bulk teas and medicinal herbs—are primarily focusing on smaller, prepacked quantities, either packed by our teams or from the supplier. For example, we have 4 oz. bags of loose tea from Rishi Tea, and we’re working with Mountain Rose Herbs to source more herbs and teas.
While some parts of our Bulk departments are open, we unfortunately cannot allow used containers to be filled in the stores. Please use a provided container or purchase an empty one. As usual, please don’t hesitate to ask staff to help you find products that you used to be able to find in bulk—our selection is changing daily!
Also, let us know what you think. Are you still interested in purchasing in bulk, or do you feel safer grabbing the prepackaged products?