At Vejo, we’re fueled by simplifying our connection and access to clean, nutritious food. When we set off to start our company, we knew that we needed to go directly to the farmers to eliminate the significant downfalls associated with grocery store produce.
Real talk. The food supply system in our country is flawed in many ways. Meeting supply demands means that most of our produce is harvested in mass and out of season. Unless you’re shopping solely at local farmer’s markets, it’s highly likely that your fruits and vegetables are not fresh or packed with flavor as they should be. To showcase this, we’re matching a few fruits and vegetables to their average store-bought timeline.
Here’s how long it takes for these items to end up in your cart:
-
Apples: 9-14 months
-
Spinach: 3-6 weeks
-
Bananas: 2-4 weeks
-
Carrots: 1-9 months
-
Potatoes: 12+ months
Shocked? We were too. Fruits and vegetables aren’t naturally shelf-stable, so how do they last so long? Store-bought produce is harvested before it ripens, and that means that we’re missing out on natural flavor from the start. From there, fruits and vegetables are typically covered in chemical preservatives to ensure they keep until they reach the grocery store. The most common chemicals used on fruit are ethylene gas and calcium carbide, both artificial ripeners with harmful effects. Calcium carbide contains traces of heavy metals, arsenic, and phosphorus, substances that should not be on our food! These chemicals are also known to break down micronutrients, making the food less nutritious by the time it hits our mouths.
There’s no winning with store-bought produce! With that in mind, we’ve deeply valued our direct connection to the farms growing produce for our organic Vejo blends. Vejo prioritizes fruits and vegetables grown with sustainable farming practices and zero preservatives. We believe in letting fresh produce shine by only harvesting during peak season for flavor and optimal nutrients. Good for you and better for the environment!
Interested in learning more about our fresh ingredients and sustainability practices? Check out our sustainability page. Still have questions? Chat with a Vejo Rep or support@vejo.com
Miner, Karen. “The Disturbing Truth of Your Grocery Store’s Produce Department.”
Mashed, 16 May. 2019, https://www.mashed.com/153068/the-disturbing-truth-of-your-grocery-stores-produce-department/
Campbell, Jeff. “How Do Supermarkets Store Fruit.”
The Grocery Store Guy, https://thegrocerystoreguy.com/how-do-supermarkets-store-fruit/
Agrawal, Renu. “Dangers of Artificial Ripening of Fruits and Vegetables.”
DowntoEarth, 16 September. 2019,
https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/food/dangers-of-artificial-ripening-of-fruits-and-vegetables-66753