produce box salsa

People who run produce box schemes are typically bloody practical and grounded.  You have to be to believe in local food systems, organise all those producers and people receiving the goodies on the day they expect them.  

What we might forget to focus on is the people in the middle — the ones handle and pack the produce and the conditions in which they do it.

Sure if you have a big factory with sheds, trucks, forklifts and logistics and distribution software, no doubt that makes it simpler.

If you work out of your paddock, farm, or someone’s else’s place, then you have to be really organised, efficient, well serviced by your equipment, tools and people. Let alone what the boxes look like, handle like and what they are made from. 

Here I share some observations from successful small operators I have worked with and other bits and pieces that I have seen or heard about:

Design principles & Setting it up

• There are plenty of successful local produce schemes to learn from. You don’t need to start from scratch. It’s too easy to reinvent the wheel with a produce box scheme — most of the design and workflow is the same wherever you are in the world.  

• Ask, find, beg, borrow or steal nicely the ideas of schemes around you. Start with small trials and tailor what works for your situation or context.
• What principles (not rules) are your guiding the boundaries or touchstones?  e.g. low/no waste, recycled or recyclable packing; inclusive and fair work conditions
• What is the engagement level with your customers — what do they expect? what is your offer? e.g. customisation, pack your own or delivery models? added recipes and eating tips for produce. ‘At risk’ or supplemental subscriptions.
• Range of produce — is there anything you won’t source or include? e.g. a zone limit to your bioregion, animal products from questionable practices?
• Resilience
• If things change on the day (due to weather, failed delivery from producers, not enough packers), how quick is it to change the pack lists and communicate to customers?
• Ordering systems 
• Find and use a good spreadsheet/order software that gives you lists of what to pack and quantities for order /customer types.
• Can anyone understand & use the system and is there enough redundancy or back ups (people and software)? Otherwise it might become a single point of failure.
• Pack lists — place items in order of ‘hardness &hardiness’ first for packing first in the boxes; print large -at least 16 font size -if putting up lists on the wall or clipboard for packers to read. Use pictures of produce and clear numbers or buddy systems if your team has low language or numeracy literacy.

• Inputs – work with the local producers on how they agree to present their goods so that best meets your needs (if flexible) e.g.-pre package by weight, loose, bagged? This will be important to your team for time of handling, produce quality and waste management for damaged produce and packaging.
• Packers – a lead packer can really help others be accurate for pack order, quantity and demonstrate how to pack a box well.
• Process & workflow — design the line…the process should aim to transform the bulk items into a produce box ready for a customer.  The workflow supports how this is done.   
• How will the produce be moved, handled and packaged from input/delivery to pick up /delivery to customer?
  • Make the flow logical for the work environment or space you have (avoid wasted movement, repeated handling, crossing paths). Remember to use vertical space and storage options for tools, packaging produce and reference information (except for really heavy items)
  • Who does what and how, in what order? 
  • What cues or lists or check points do you need? E.g. an example weighed bag of beans; or a photo of the quality or quantity can make it easier for the packer to reference. 
  • What gets packed first in the box — items may get squished or moved around a lot as you squeeze other bits in — try hard stuff first then softer and fragile last. Your pack lists should be in the same order.

Produce or box movements – count how many movements an item or box goes through int he process/flow during a full pack — are they all adding value (or creating a change in the state of the box e.g. adding another item or moving closer to another station).  Any movement just for movements sake is wasted effort — adjust the layout to reduce the need to make the move; and then the behaviour of the team.

If you have a pack your own scheme, what layout and movement for customers do you want? What do they want?  Single line, mingle points, places to rest the box as it gets heavier filled with produce. The social benefit is just as important as the right amount of items being taken. – Signage and systems suited to the space so that everyone can understand and easily do the right thing.

Safe environment — watch out for:

• slips trips and falls-usually the ground is uneven, wet or there are steps into cool rooms or blind corners
• Crossing movements (people running into each other in the area)
• Manual handling — wasted effort and too much effort when a trolley could do the work or lifting is not really required. Remember to include fun stretch and warmup activities. It will help everyone work well and the time/ benefit is worth it.
• suitable weather shelter for humans and the produce

This is a reflection piece and may change as I discover more magic with people who create local produce boxes

Any comments or tips from those who run a produce scheme now?