Local and organic food sales have tripled in parts of Spain during the Covid-19 crisis, reports the Spanish newspaper La Vanguardia.
In a series of reports on organic producers, distributors and retailers across Catalonia, the Barcelona-based daily finds that switching to home delivery has been a way for businesses to find valuable new customers, as traditional outlets have closed or seen a sharp decline in demand.
One member of La Rural de Sant Cugat del Vallès organic growers cooperative tells the newspaper that with the overnight closure of markets, restaurants and schools “we had to reinvent ourselves in a few days…our world was falling apart”.
Direct-to-home sales has proved to be a crucial lifeline over the last few weeks. But cooperative members believe the crisis is revealing something else just as important – the vital role that local production plays in guaranteeing food security.
Another local organic producer, Parc Agroecològic de l’Empordà, in Albons, says that it has tripled home delivery sales. The farm tells La Vanguardia it has been able to make the switch to home delivery fairly seamlessly, just needing to add masks, gloves and other protection to ensure a safe ‘contactless’ exchange with customers.
Anton Granell, who runs an organic supermarket called Viu l’Ecològic in the town of Reus, also tells of his new experience with home delivery. Thinking quickly on his feet, Granell and his store team swiftly set up a set up a home delivery service with different payment options to avoid physical contact with customers. He says he’s been surprised at the number of new customers the store has been able to reach. He’s confident he’ll be able to keep many of them as customers after the crisis is over. “They’re not just buying from us because they can do it from the comfort and safety of their own home, but because the crisis is making them think about eating more healthily.”