Cincinnati-based startup Food Forest is reimagining the grocery delivery game -- and helping other small and local businesses grow in the process -- by thinking smaller.
Since going live in mid-2019, Food Forest has partnered with Incubator Kitchen Collective, which gets local food-based startups off the ground, to bring its products to the marketplace.
And a partnership with Cincy institution Findlay Market has connected the market’s dozens of independent vendors (and its fresh, locally sourced foods) to Food Forest’s shoppers. Both partnerships were made possible by a grant from Main Street Ventures.
The Food Forest philosophy is simple: getting the freshest foods at the best prices to all people, with free next-day grocery delivery to locations throughout Cincinnati via its easy-to-use app.
While major grocers can offer same-day delivery (for a fee), this slower approach promotes sustainability and reduces waste by keeping inventory in check.
It also gives Food Forest the time to source items from multiple small and specialty businesses whose products can’t be found at chain supermarkets or big-box retailers, or who may have barriers to getting items in a brick-and-mortar space.
Shoppers can get more of the products they love in their carts with less time wasted (and often at better prices), and local businesses can reach more customers than with foot or web traffic alone by skipping the shelves and cutting out the grocery store middleman.
Food Forest is always looking for new partners and new items to offer its growing customer base. If you’d like your product on Food Forest’s virtual shelves, email info@foodforest.co.
And to schedule your next grocery delivery and learn more about how Food Forest is making grocery delivery more accessible and affordable, download the Food Forest app on iOS or Android or the Findlay Market Online Shopping app (powered by Food Forest) for the full Findlay Market Experience.
Here is a list of the homegrown businesses available through the app along with thousands of your other favorite supermarket items.