Guide To Buying Organic Produce in Beijing

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Want to go organic without the hassle of finding a different farmer for all your produce needs? Well, it’s actually a lot easier than you’d think! About a year ago our editor Anna Pellegrin Hartley wrote about three WeChat mini-programs that’ll deliver organic produce right to your door.

However, our latest discovery is an app called 春播 Chunbo that’ll provide same-day delivery services on a wide range of certified organic products. What’s more, they differentiate themselves from other grocery delivery platforms with their quality control stamps, and even organize their products according to the ranking of these rigorously-attained stamps.

On the homepage, you’ll see five stamps:

01

Chunbo BEST (the gold standard established by the company itself)

02

China’s national organic certification

03

Chunbo fair-trade alliance

04

Food traceability

05

Locally produced

How to order: Search for 春播 in your app store and follow the basic steps to log in. Frankly, the app is no different from JD.com, Taobao, Meituan, or basically any other delivery app.

Now let’s take a stroll down memory lane and revisit the organic produce WeChat mini-programs we previously introduced.

Farm Fresh Plus

Farm Fresh Plus is a certified organic farm in Tianjin, which delivers to customers in Beijing every Wednesday, and is known for the level of attention that Australian-born owner Daniel D’urso pays to his customers. The foreigner-friendly English app makes ordering a breeze, and the range of produce available changes according to the seasons, so all you have to do is choose between a vegetarian box (including salad greens and eggs), vegan box (no eggs), or salad greens only box. Then pay, and await delivery. There is also a mini 3kg version of each box, which is especially good for smaller households. It’s an opt-in service, so each week, you’ll get a prompt via WeChat asking you if you wish to re-order for the following week.

Farm Fresh Plus is committed to reducing waste, and all produce comes in cotton bags that can – along with the egg containers – be returned to the courier upon the next delivery, who will take them back to the farm to be washed and reused. FFP guarantees a 24-hour farm-to-door turnaround and is also collaborating with Beijing’s International Center for Veterinary Services (ICVS) to donate RMB 40 from the first order of all new members who are referred by an existing customer.

How to order: Search Farm Fresh Plus on WeChat under Official Accounts, and select EAT from the menu bar to set up your order. Or, scan the QR code above. The app is in English.

Shared Harvest 分享收获农场

Shared Harvest sells a wide range of farm products grown on their Pinggu District farm, including organic and antibiotic-free meat and seasonal fruit and vegetables. You can choose to buy a membership, which affords you privileged access to low-stock produce, or just order à la carte from the app.

As Shared Harvest operates under the Community Supported Agriculture structure, a national network of small-scale farmers, they have access to an extensive shop including health and beauty products and homeware which are all available on the app. Loyal customers appreciate the farm’s commitment to sustainability, as the farm frequently delivers in recycled containers and never uses plastic.

How to order: Search 分享收获农场 fēnxiǎng shōuhuò nóngchǎng on WeChat under Official Accounts, and select SHOP from the menu bar. The app is in Chinese with some English.

Gingko Farm

Gingko Farm takes its name from the 135-year-old golden ginkgo trees that grow on their grounds, an organic farm in Lizhuang Village, Chaoyang District. As well as fresh fruit and veggies, the farm also sells a range of other items such as cornmeal, preserves, dried chili, and hand-pulled noodles.

If you order before 11pm, they will pick and deliver the produce to you the following morning. Fans appreciate their speedy delivery, and also the fact that they will go out of their way to minimize plastic if you request it.

How to order: Search 银杏农庄 on WeChat under Official Accounts, and select 微商城 at the top to go to the store. The app is in Chinese only.

Images: Shared Harvest, Farm Fresh Plus, Ginkgo Farm

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