Good Eggs Mixes Local Food And Technology

Watch out folks, there's a new website in town! Launched on July 26th, Good Eggs introduces a little bit of technology in the otherwise organic world of local foods. Good Eggs is an online marketplace for local food growers and makers to sell their goods to the community. What's even more special about the Good Eggs site is the effort they put into creating a people connection rather than a soulless business transaction. You don't browse food in your neighborhood's marketplace page, you browse people passionate about food. The food comes second, in a rollover image and once you drilldown to the seller's Good Eggs page. The goal of Good Eggs is not only to provide tools for foodmakers, but emphasize relationships between them and the consumer.

I don't know about you but I enjoy farmers' markets exactly because they are so unplugged. As a programmer and writer, I'm on the computer all day and many nights too. So when I attend my local farmers' market, I stare at these food sellers with a forlorn sigh. Seeing tanned, fit 20-somethings unload baskets full of beautifully bright oranges from their old beat-up trucks, I start daydreaming about the simplicity of a life where I'd work outdoors keeping up my own small farm. I'd never have to worry about null pointer exceptions ever again!

I know I am romanticizing what a job in farming is really like, but it is such a grounding experience to have that weekly escape to the farmers' market. To see a part of the world where food doesn't come with bar codes. To meet food sellers who aren't just ignorant middle men. To touch food that's been grown in your very own city and picked that very same day. All of this left me thinking, is Good Eggs online really good idea? Doesn't it defeat the purpose? Won't it hurt the farmers' markets? Are we introducing technology in the last unadulterated business sector we have?

Then I remembered how many farmers' markets I missed because my toddler was in grumpy mood unfit to handle the stresses of an outing. How many did I miss because someone was sick, or because we had other plans at that date and time, or because I simply forgot to go? Again. Suddenly, a website where I can buy bread that will be baked locally and delivered to my door by bicycle no less -- well, that's starting to sound pretty darn cool!

So now I'm pumped. I'm psyched for this thing! I corresponded with Rob Spiro, co-founder of Good Eggs, about whatever concerns I had left after the excitement wiped most of them out. Specifically, I asked him whether he thought the Good Eggs' future success might cause a negative impact on farmers markets. He had this to say:

We think that Good Eggs will help farmers' markets overall. For a few reasons: first, there's generally the idea that all ships rise with the rising tide. If we can help increase awareness of local food, and convince folks that it's worth buying and eating, then all local food outlets will see an increase in sales. There's enormous room to grow, local food is still a very small minority of food sales nationwide (something below 1%, if you can believe it).

Second, and more specifically, a lot of our vendors offer pickup at the farmers' market, so that would increase traffic there.

Third, we publicize farmers' markets on our site, showing you which markets are happening near you – we'd like our users to get out and meet their producers in person!

And fourth, we're working on a 'Chef's Market Box' offering as a product that farmers' markets could offer via Good Eggs. We're piloting with the Mission Community Market, and it's going extremely well. More markets in the works. The idea is that folks can pre-order a 'recipe box' from the market, which includes a recipe from a local chef, and all the ingredients sourced from the market. They can pick up at the market, or have it delivered for an additional fee. The goal is to have some guaranteed pre-sales for the vendors at the market (to decrease inventory risk, bump sales), and also to help people who aren't as comfortable in the kitchen get started with farmers' markets.

To be thorough, what I really needed was the opinion of the food sellers. Why were they interested in doing business with Good Eggs?

Meet Michelle of Nana Joes Granola. She loved making granola and sharing it with family and friends, when her boyfriend suggested she try to sell it. What a great idea! Suggestion turned into business and Nana Joes Granola was born. Michelle's impression of Good Eggs?

I decided to work with Good Eggs because of their integrity in seeking out of smaller businesses that practice sustainability and support locally. There is a great network here in San Francisco between the farmers and the producers. Having such a love for seasonal ingredients, and the a accountability of practicing what they preach drove me to the Good Eggs team.

Meet Anna of Anda Piroshki.

Finding myself in the Country of Big Opportunities, my mind and heart lead me to the idea of connecting my Russian heritage, years of work in the food industry, and desire to create something awesome in my lifetime. Piroshki was my solution!

To my untrained eye, Piroshki look like Hot Pockets if Hot Pockets went gourmet and were, you know, made out of actual food. Why did Anna choose Piroshki? "Because it is something from my motherland, made with simple ingredients it is a hand-held meal that is hearty, warm, and filling!"

About the company, Anna had this to say. "There are really great, highly energetic folks working at Good Eggs. I am so happy to get to know them. They help me to bring my business to a different level, help to spread the news about my piroshki existing, about how good they are and make them accessible to more people."

Meet Claire of Big Dipper. She makes wholesome baby food so you won't have to resort to the bland factory-produced stuff when you can't make your own. Featuring ingredients like roasted bananas and coconut oil, that's the kind of baby food I wouldn't mind doing one-for-you-one-for-me with.

Claire explained:

Big Dipper joined Good Eggs as it was a clear solution to having a simple, succinct, approachable, and customizable online shopping option for current and new costumers. It only took one glance at a rough mock up of what my page might look like to convince me this was the 'shopping cart' I'd been looking for. And that was only the beginning. The team behind GoodEggs are uber capable, motivated, and inspired, and clearly feel that what is good for you (as a business owner) is also good for them- that we all propel each other forward. And there is this fantastic extra bonus that they clearly having savvy and contemporary marketing skills that anyone who decides to work with them have the opportunity to tap in to. I definitely feel that I'm part of a movement being on Good Eggs as this group helps connect and share hard working artisan food makers with each other and with customers. It's inspiring and energizing, and I'm really excited to watch them grow!

If there was ever a passing thought that Good Eggs was bad for moving businesses from markets to online, all you need to do is talk is to the sellers who use it. These small business owners are the brave underdogs of the food world, saving the world one wholesome meal at a time. Only now they can add one more weapon in their tool belts.

Currently Good Eggs is only available in a few Bay Area neighborhoods. But fear not! They plan to take over the world so be sure to leave your name if you're interested in having a Good Eggs near you!