Got questions about bulk?

We have the answer!

Q. If there is no package, how can I determine the ingredients and nutritional value in a product?

A. The “Nutrition Facts” of bulk food products are generally displayed on the dispensers of those products so you can readily tell what’s in the product.

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Q. It often seems like bulk foods are more expensive, but you say they are less expensive. Why is that?

A. Remember when a “pound” of coffee actually weighed a pound? The trend in packaged foods is to reduce the amount of food in the package. Of course, the size of the package isn’t reducing as rapidly as the amount of food that’s in it. So using coffee as an example, let’s say premium Columbian whole bean can be found for $8 a pound in bulk (or 50¢ an ounce). The equivalent-quality packaged product will likely cost you $7 for 13 ounces (or 54¢ an ounce). That’s an 8% higher price. Almost always the unit price (price per ounce, per liter, etc.) of bulk foods is lower than that of packaged foods.

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Q. Bulk foods still have to go into some kind of a container for me to purchase them and carry them home. So aren’t all foods packaged, even bulk ones?

A. Good question. The bags and packages provided for bulk foods are seldom printed and often made of low-grade, recycled paper or plastic. The manufacture of bulk foods “packages” has far less impact on the environment than, say, a typical cereal box. Also, many stores allow (some even encourage) you to bring your own jars and other storage items into the store for “fill up” of bulk foods.

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Q. But how many people have touched or handled bulk foods before they are purchased?

A. Most bulk foods have been handled (by equipment and/or people) less than packaged foods. And with bulk foods, you can always see what you are buying so you can quickly get an idea of its purity and quality.

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Q. With packaged foods, there is a date on the package that helps me determine freshness. How can I determine the freshness of bulk foods?

A. Packaged foods are now dated because for years freshness (or lack of it) was a huge problem. Still, if your grocer doesn’t constantly rearrange his merchandise to manage freshness, older product can easily land in your shopping basket. Meanwhile, a typical gravity-fed bulk food dispensing system always and automatically rotates product so that fresh food is constantly available. And remember, with bulk foods you can always see what you are buying so you can quickly get an idea of its purity and quality. Besides, many bulk foods retailers have "sellby" dates posted on their bulk dispensers.

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Q. But what about brands? I have some favorite brands and I don’t see them in bulk foods sections.

A. There are indeed many, many brands devoted exclusively to bulk foods and/or natural foods. Do you see them advertising on TV or in national magazines? Not usually, because they rely on the quality, price, taste and overall value of their products for sales. Big brands advertise in big ways. The consumer ultimately pays for that advertising in product price. But advertising never has been a real assurance of quality.

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