Old-fashioned service
A company that cares
During Lockdown, I became a reluctant online order user, and different companies delivered good, bad and indifferent produce – often bad – especially fruit and veg. I must be getting really old, because I can remember the delights of buying ripe plums that tasted delicious; apples that gave a satisfying sweet crunch when you bit in to them; and all the other delights of fresh produce.
Then I started to get plastic-wrapped fruit and veg, in online deliveries, and I found these had been ‘treated’ with CO² gas, which gave a ‘pop when I pierced the plastic. As soon as I opened the package, the contents started to go off – and often half a package had to be thrown away. Not very reluctantly, as it was often picked too early and hadn’t ripened properly.
So I thought of ordering organic boxes, and when Abel and Cole’s vans were to be seen in the village, I went online and started to place an order for a box of Tropical Fruit. Feeling in need of TLC, I bypassed the local, British boxes and decided on an unashamedly exotic selection (Pineapples, figs, mangoes, etc).
But, when it came to paying, I saw that I would have to place a.weekly order, so stopped. However, somehow I must have ordered, because shortly after, up popped a confirmation email, and at the same time came a knock on the door – I’d just had a delivery.
What next
Living on my own, a box-full was enough for a couple of weeks, so I phoned to say “please stop”. Immediately I was answered by Julia, who was charming and offered a refund immediately;, I assured her I would keep the fruit, but no more until I was ready!
This immediate offer of a refund caught me on the hop; I had been prepared to fight my cause, or even go through to my hank for help/ Instead, I was met by courtesy, charm and genuine helpfulness.
So I went back to their website, and had a fascinating time reading about their suppliers (see some on the left\). They supply Booja Bouja chocolates, plus all sorts of useful things like giant bottles of Eco-friendly detergent.
And the quality? My box contained a large and properly-ripe Pineapple (the leaves came out cleanly, unlike a certain Supermarket’s which, two weeks after I had ordered it, was sour when I finally ate it). The Mangoes look perfect, the figs were deliciously ripe, etc.
Cost? Yes, it was top-of-the-range, but you get what you pay for.
“That’s a low price” does NOT guarantee the product is worth it.