September 21, 2018
New to our Bulk Section: Stonewall’s Jerquee, a perfect portable vegan snack for San Franciscans on the go. In Original Mild or spicy Wild.
OA is the only store in the Bay to carry this classic vegan jerky in bulk!
September 21, 2018
Combining the best of all three, the peocotum is a true delight in the produce section. So juicy and tart with a burst of sweetness.
We get ours at OA from Blossom Bluff Orchards, a four-generational CCOF-certified organic farm in the San Joaquin Valley growing exceptional stone fruit since 1931.
Be sure to try a Blossom Bluff peocotum and other stone fruit delicacies while the season lasts!
September 21, 2018
It’s creamy with a kick. Mild yet complex. This rich and creamy brie has a smooth, flower-shaped body and soft white mold exterior. A velvety milk taste is underlined by sweet and buttery flavors of mushrooms or truffles and almonds. Wild grasses and flowers flavored the milk, packing pungent flavor that keeps coming back—bite after bite.
Comeback Cow is a tasteful, artisanal brie best savored as part of your favorite cheese board, although it does lend itself to sandwiches and quiches if you’re after an oozy melt. Pair it with croissants, soft rolls, melons or grapes. It’s always ready for a party, silky in texture and nutty, it’s whipped-cream.
September 21, 2018
Diaspora Co. Turmeric is *fresh*, single source, and fairly traded straight from India.
We are a queer, woman-of-color owned business that moves forth in the spirit of radical community, matriarchy, and social justice, intending on truly creating change through food systems.
We are here to put money, equity and power in the hands of Indian farmers, and to disrupt and decolonize a colonial, outdated commodity spice trading system that profits only the trader.
Find out more here and find it at OA in Aisle 6.
September 21, 2018
For the young and young at heart, we’ve got stickers of cupcakes, stickers of planes, of balloons, of sea creatures and oh so much more! Find them as you enter the store in the Gifts section.
September 21, 2018
It’s a low-glycemic index sweetener to replace refined sugar, agave, honey, or maple syrup in your coffee, tea, breakfast, and dessert. Find it in Aisle 6 near the maple syrup!
September 21, 2018
All you Gluten-Free Queens, there’s a new bread at OA.
Young Kobras Bread is the brainchild of local SF vegan baker Geoff, who serves up fresh, nutritious, gluten-free bread like you’ve never tasted before.
September 21, 2018
Husband-wife team, Anjan and Emily Mitra, owners of DOSA, share a passion for South Indian cuisine and culture that is part of the experience they’ve created at their restaurants. They also shop at OA- shout out to Anjan!
Now you can enjoy their delicious cuisine in the comfort of your own home. Don’t miss the samosas- they are the perfect afternoon snack on a foggy day.
September 21, 2018
You may be in need of Ethereal Visions. Every detailed image in this 80-card tarot deck is hand drawn and colored, taking inspiration from Art Nouveau. Each card is also illuminated with gold foil stamping to elegant effect.
Find this and other exquisite tarot decks in our Dark Arts corner, over by the apples and the cacti in the window.
September 21, 2018
By Emily Huston, aka Bulk Mistress of Ye Olde Co-op
To reduce your plastic footprint, start with your shopping basket. Shop in bulk and bring your own containers from home. Mother Earth will thank you, as will our turtle pals in the Pacific just a few blocks west.
At Other Avenues, “Healthy Planet” is key to our mission and we strive to avoid as much unnecessary packaging on our shelves—and on the planet—as possible. We offer organic produce, grains, beans, dairy, eggs, bread, snacks, coffee, tea, body care: all the good stuff, and all available with little to no superfluous plastic.
Look for me in Aisle 5, the Bulk alley, shoveling organic oats into a hefty Ziploc the width and height of a baby. Even if you don’t consume oats with as much fervor as I, you too can discover a love for bulk foods and the ease of a plastic-free lifestyle.
It all starts with a bag… or two or three.
There’s no need to necessarily buy new for any of the above. Imagine the word recycle in a literal sense and you get the idea. Food jars can be washed and reused, old plastic bags ditto, and olive oil can be topped up in its depleted container.
Once you have your stash, think about what you normally buy and if it can be replaced with a low-plastic or bulk alternative. The idea here is not about perfection, but doing what you can, when you can! We have jars, bags, and compostable plastic containers for sale if you forget yours.
First, weigh your container/bag on the scale provided—in bulk speak, tare it– so that we can deduct that weight from the cost of purchase. Record the tare weight on a sticker, a notepad, or your phone. If you need help, ask us for assistance.
Whatever you choose, fill up your container and record the 4-digit number noted on the bin. Some folks use their phone to snap a photo, while others out-smart the phone and memorize. I prefer to use scrap paper, but there are stickers and ties available as well.
Let myself, or another friendly cashier, do the rest! For every bulk jar or container brought from home, we’ll knock off 5 cents for your efforts. Save the planet, save some cash.
Without dipping to much into hyperbole, our Bulk section is one of the finest resources for plastic-free living in San Francisco.
Beans, flours, chocolates, dried fruits, seeds, nuts, tortilla chips, coconut flakes, and more are available for your pleasure. Might I add: nut butters, olive oil, and a slew of other cooking liquids.
Of course our Produce, Bread, Chill, and Bodycare sections are also amenable to plastic-free living.
Normally buy peanut butter in a jar? Take your own and fill ‘er up with the bulk stuff. Love sandwich bread in a plastic bag? Indulge in the exquisite fresh baked loaves from Marla Bakery, Rosalind Bakery, or Semifreddi’s- all baked fresh and sold in a paper bag. Buy milk in a Straus glass container and return it next time for a $2.00 refund.
It’s all about those easy changes that form the foundation of the plastic-free revolution.
Don’t let perfect be the enemy of the good. Start where you are, and have fun doing it.
