Ooooby (Out Of Our Own Backyards), a New Zealand fruit and vegetable home delivery service that allows customers to order fresh local produce, has finalised a deal that will see the Kiwi grown business model take off in Australia.
Last week, the acquisition of Australian food delivery brand, Food Connect Sydney, was confirmed, a deal that will allow Ooooby, which already has a presence in the city, to gain an even stronger foothold.
“We launched Ooooby into Sydney early last year and have been steadily expanding our customer base. Taking on Food Connect Sydney, which was founded in 2010 and is already very well established, will help push us to that next level,” explains Ooooby founder, Pete Russell. “Food Connect comes with 400 customers on the database and a great network of producers, with massive potential for growth.”
Founded in Auckland four years ago, Ooooby has grown to 16 part-time staff and a base of 40 growers, who ensure around 400 New Zealand households and 450 Australians get a box of fresh produce once a week. All produce is sourced as locally as possible. There is also a large selection of organic produce.
In New Zealand, Ooooby currently only caters for Aucklanders. The plan this year is to double the number of subscribers and begin exploring expansion into other New Zealand city centres, including Hamilton and Wellington. They are also having conversations with potential partners in the United States, with plans to finalise agreements within the year.
“We have developed a model that can be used anywhere in the world – a model that makes local food more accessible and affordable using technology,” says Pete. “For years, New Zealand has been recognised for exporting quality food and raw produce. While this will continue, we believe that innovative New Zealand designed F&B business models are the next big export. Home delivery of fresh, seasonal, socially and environmentally sustainable food is becoming an increasingly significant market internationally. We believe we’re in a fantastic position to help New Zealand lead that movement forward.”
Ooooby works by cutting out the middleman, which results in a better deal for both the grower and the customer. Growers deliver freshly picked, seasonal produce to a depot in Mt Wellington every Tuesday morning, where the boxes are packed to order and sent out in the afternoon. Customers order online and can choose from a variety of boxes, ranging in price from $33 for the 'Original Box' to $58 for the 'Organic Family Box'. The ordering process is flexible, with the ability to swap out particular fruits and vegetables in order to tailor the order to particular needs and preferences. A range of extras, from artisan bread and honey, to milk, free-range eggs and coffee can also be added to any box.
www.ooooby.org.
