Archive for March, 2020

Earl’s Organic Buyer’s Notes March 29, 2020

March 30, 2020 | Susan

BriarPatch Coop and Earl’s donate 2,501 pounds of fresh produce to Interfaith Food Ministry.

Grass Valley March 24, 2020 – In an effort to feed Western Nevada County’s hungry during COVID-19, BriarPatch Food Co-op and Earl’s Organic Produce teamed up to donate four pallets totaling 2,501 pounds of fresh produce to Interfaith Food Ministry (IFM).

“The Co-op has been a lifeline for so many people during this challenging time and we’re grateful we can support them. But we know there are community members really struggling right now. We wanted to give back to families who lost their jobs or are staying home with their kids without much to eat,” said BriarPatch Marketing Manager Rebecca Torpie. “Earl’s Organic wants to do our part to help people in need during this time of health safety. We are happy to partner with our long-time customer BriarPatch Food Co-op to donate organic produce to IFM, an organization they support throughout the year,” said Susan Simitz, marketing manager. Read the full story in our latest buyer’s notes. Download the buyer’s notes each week.

Rhubarb

March 29, 2020 | Susan

Beautiful red stalks of rhubarb have arrived at Earl’s signaling the beginning of spring. Often thought of as a fruit, rhubarb is actually a vegetable.

How to buy
Look for bright red stalks which have a sweet rich flavor. The size of the stalk is not an indicator of tenderness!

Fun Fact

Rhubarb is 95% water and high in potassium and vitamin c.

Storage and Cooking
Wrap loosely in plastic and store in the coldest part of your refrigerator. Do not keep for more than a few days or it will start to dry out. Place the stalks in cold water for about an hour to refresh them before cooking.

Rhubarb is very tart and acidic and will make your mouth pucker up if you eat it out of hand. Just add honey or sugar to transform it into a delicious dessert or savory dish. We like pairing rhubarb with strawberries in a pie or making a compote to top yogurt or vanilla ice cream. My favorite recipe is a refreshing rhubarb shake topped with chopped pistachios.

Earl’s Organic Buyer’s Notes March 22, 2020

March 23, 2020 | Susan

Earl’s Organic is now the exclusive marketing agent for Sun Valley Farms in the Pajaro Valley. Watch the youtube video for a seasonal update from the Ponce Family. Download the buyer’s notes.

Supply Chain Remains Strong

March 17, 2020 | Susan

A message from our purchasing director

Dear Friends,

Our multiple teams here at Earl’s want to get information out to you, our customers, regarding the next few weeks.

Presently Earl’s Organic Produce is operating more or less as normal. We are continuing to do what we do best–sourcing the highest quality organic produce from this nation’s best growers and providing the excellent customer service we are known for.

The supply chain, though presently strong, will continue to see disruptions. In a normal year, late storms during times of growing region changes (moving out of California deserts and up the state) would disrupt supply and raise prices. Response to the coronavirus has produced an unprecedented demand for fruits and vegetables that in combination with this current weather event has resulted in what we are all seeing right now–rising prices and sporadic supply. California feeds the nation so this demand is huge. Some of our vendors are limiting the quantities we can buy on any given day. For example, bagged carrots are being limited to whatever our average needs have been historically. For certain items please expect that you will be prorated based on our daily availability.

As always we will continue to inform you of any changes in this situation.

We are all in this together – please reach out to me or your salesperson with any thoughts or questions.

Robert Lichtenberg , Director of Purchasing

A Message About Our Response To The Coronavirus

March 16, 2020 | Susan

To Our Valued Customers:

If you are like us at Earl’s Organic, your email inbox is flooded with communication from companies talking about their response to the coronavirus (COVID-19). Before we share our plan, we want you all to know that nothing comes before the safety of our customers, our team, our loved ones, our community and our product. While all of us currently find ourselves having to process our way through uncertainty, our focus remains on keeping everyone we touch safe.

Our leadership team is meeting daily to stay informed and ensure we are following guidelines set forth by the WHO and CDC, along with Federal, State and local governments. As of 3/14/20, here are a few of the important steps we are taking to ensure the health and safety of our team and our customers:

• All employees who are sick are asked to stay home. We have encouraged our team to communicate with us if they or someone around them is sick.

• We are being vigilant with personal sanitation (20 second minimum hand washing, hand sanitizers, gloves, and more). We have increased our supply of essential sanitation products.

• We have increased warehouse cleaning and sanitation practices. High touch and high traffic areas are being cleaned every two hours during business operations.

• We have postponed warehouse tours and large group meetings. We are limiting visitors at our facility unless they directly impact our essential business needs.

• We are continuing to stay informed and discussing the situation often to make the best possible decisions for everyone involved.

• We are continuing to be diligent while safely providing fresh, quality, organic produce to everyone we serve.

Please take any opportunity to share with us your thoughts or ideas. We value your perspective as this situation continues to evolve. You can reach us at HR@earlsorganic.com.

We are grateful for our continued partnership with each of you and look forward to navigating these uncharted waters together.

The Earl’s Organic Produce Team