As an urban food retailer, FreshDirect is making itself at home with a growing number of wellness-minded New Yorkers. The company has distinguished itself with healthful and sustainable initiatives that cover everything from better-for-you meals to better fuel for delivery trucks.
Expanding and promoting its selection of nutritious foods has been a particular focus over the past year. FreshDirect recently introduced a vegetarian line. And every week, the retailer offers its Healthy Mondays promotion, which spotlights a particular healthy food item and sells it at a discount. The choices can lean toward the obscure, according to corporate dietitian Eileen Vider, who has chosen kale, collard greens and pluots in the past. But that seems to be part of the draw for customers.
“We always see a really nice boost in sales for that product, somewhere around 300%,” said Vider.
FreshDirect is also making sustainability a big part of its business plan. In April, the retailer began delivering its meals inside boxes made of 100% post-consumer recycled paper. Not only is this an eco-friendly move, but it also saves the company money because of discounts from local box suppliers, according to Leitha Matz, FreshDirect's environmental initiatives leader.
With its reliance on a large fleet of delivery trucks, FreshDirect is constantly working toward efficient transportation as well. Among other initiatives, the retailer has a one-of-a-kind deal with a local biodiesel firm to turn excess kitchen grease into fuel.
“It's been an interesting adventure pioneering this new technology,” said Matz.
