A New Chapter For Crop Drop
Sadly, we have made the tough decision to cease trading as a veg bag scheme at the end of August. It's not a decision we've made lightly. We've had 9 wonderful years of building a community together around good food, but unfortunately, it's become too difficult for the veg scheme to continue in its current form.
This July we were served notice to leave our base and veg-packing space Grow Tottenham. When we moved to Grow in January we knew the space was awaiting redevelopment but we and the rest of the tenants were told we had at least a year, possibly more before work took place. However, this has all changed rather abruptly and we've been asked to vacate by mid-August.
The news came as a big shock to the team and it has proven difficult to find a space that suits our needs and budget. But it's not the only challenge we've faced this year. The current economic climate, changing shopping habits and the cost of living crisis has contributed to shrinking order numbers which has made our effort to bring you local seasonal organic food financially unviable.
In these rapidly changing times, it’s also made us rethink what Crop Drop is and could be, which brings us to some good news.
We believe we've arrived at the best option for our Crop Droppers while still continuing the fight for a fairer food system. So, without further ado, we're excited to announce that our friends at Growing Communities will be taking over the operation of our veg scheme from September onwards.
Growing Communities are another brilliant veg scheme that has been flying the flag for a better food system since 1993. Crop Drop was initially set up through a Growing Communities start-up programme, so rest assured their ethics and values align with our own. The transition means your veg bag subscription can continue to support sustainable farmers with even more local variety coming from GC's Patchwork Farms in Hackney and Dagenham.
Why we think you'll love Growing Communities
- Like us, GC sources food as locally, seasonally and directly as possible
- They support a network of local growers as well as many of the farms you'll recognise from your time with Crop Drop
- They work with certified organic growers who farm in an ecological way which is kinder to soil, people + planet
- They offer the equivalent sizes of fruit & veg bags, at a slightly cheaper price
- More than just a veg scheme, GC runs roganic growing sites in London, trains growers, holds a weekly market and has been working hard to drive policy change
How does this affect my veg bag subscription?
Please read this welcome message from Growing Communities which includes some extra info, a timeline for the transition and some minor differences to be aware of.
10th and 1th August: Your last veg bag deliveries operated by Crop Drop
17th-31st August: Growing Communities will deliver your veg bags but you shouldn't notice any change to your service. The only thing that will be different during this period is where your veg is packed.
From September onwards: You continue to get fresh, seasonal, organic fruit and veggies from Growing Communities, who will take on the full operation and management of our veg scheme. We will manage this process so there’s no need to do anything to your account.
GDPR update: In order for your service to continue without disruption, we need to transfer your data to Growing Communities and we have updated our privacy policy to reflect this. You can of course opt out from your data being transferred by dropping us an email. However, opting out will end your veg bag subscription. Look out for a reminder on this in your weekly newsletter at the end of August.
What next for Crop Drop?
It's not quite goodbye from Crop Drop. We are going to take some much needed rest while we reflect on how else we can further the good food movement.
We are just so grateful to every one of you for supporting a better food system and we hope you are able to join us on the next chapter of the Crop Drop journey - whatever that may look like.
We'll be publishing another blog very soon that includes some important info on the transition to Growing Communities, in the meantime, don't hesitate to reach out to us at veg@cropdrop.co.uk if you have any queries.
