Freshfully

Freshfully was a retailer of locally-grown produce and foods. It was founded in November 2011 by Jen Barnett and Sam Brasseale and initially operated as an internet-based business from offices at 529 Beacon Parkway West. Its launch was supported by seed funding, website development, and office space from winning the inaugural incubate!(bang) competition in 2011.

Through Freshfully's website, consumers could access a database of local food providers and place orders or subscribe to weekly packages of fresh produce and other foods. Producers received 86% of retail sales, with another 1% reserved to support healthier lunch offerings at area schools. Freshfully's website included detailed profiles of all suppliers, as well as articles and recipes.

On May 1, 2012 Freshfully opened a retail store at 200 41st Street South in Avondale after winning the "Occupy Avondale" competition sponsored by the Avondale Brewing Company and Main Street Birmingham. In the store's first month, it was reported that area farmers earned $36,000 in sales of produce, including nearly two tons of local tomatoes, by far the store's most popular product.

The store was expanded and renovated in January 2013. It began serving sandwiches and salads for lunch in July of that year. In October 2013 Barnett opened a second location, shared with retailer Harold & MOD, on the ground floor of the Burger-Phillips building at 1914 3rd Avenue North.

With thin margins and stocks threatened by hard freezes statewide, Freshfully closed on January 29, 2014.

References

• "incubate!(bang) Announces Winner of Inaugural New Business Competition" (September 12, 2011) press release
• Stone, Zak (December 14, 2011) "Local Food, Y'all? Freshfully Brings a Locavore's eBay to the Deep South" Good
• Agliata, Kate (February 13, 2012) "Freshfully makes it easy to buy local any time, any season." My Green Birmingham
• Shunnarah, Mandy (March 29, 2012) "Occupy Avondale gets Freshfully with free rent; business to open food market in May" Magic City Post
• Donlon, Charlotte (May 1, 2012) "Freshfully Now Open in Avondale" The35212
• McWhorter, Andy (May 27, 2012) "More than food: Freshfully in Avondale has new business model". Weld for Birmingham
• Swant, Martin (June 27, 2012) "Freshfully boosts farmers with Avondale store." The Birmingham News
• Diel, Stan (July 23, 2013) "Avondale's Freshfully market opens an in-store cafe." The Birmingham News
• Max, Sarah (August 27, 2013) "A Foodie Startup Nixes Web for Brick-and-Mortar Shop" Entrepreneur.
• Diel, Stan (October 24, 2013) "Pop-up project pays dividends: Temporary Birmingham stores to become permanent." The Birmingham News
• Chapman, Michelle (February 2, 2014) "Freshfully closes." Weld for Birmingham

External links

• Freshfully website
• Freshfully on facebook.com