Two sisters from Coquitlam are turning their own “eco-anxiety” into a business opportunity.
Lori Crump and Pam McEwin are preparing to launch Fulfill Shoppe, a zero-waste refill and delivery service for dry pantry goods such as pasta, chips and crackers, as well as cleaning supplies and beauty products.
The idea sprang from watching one too many documentaries on TV about the perils and consequences of climate change, Crump said. That led to a family conversation about the steps they could take to cut down on their own use of single-use packaging that goes into recycling — or, worse, landfills — and comes with a carbon cost both to be produced and reprocessed.
Crump said the effort to buy in bulk and reuse containers didn’t prove as daunting as she’d initially feared, especially once she got her kids on board.
And she knew she was having success when her trips to drag the recycling bin to the curb diminished.
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“Small changes can make a big impact,” she said.
It was while sharing her experiences with other moms during school pick-ups and drop-offs that the idea for Fulfill Shoppe really took shape, Crump said. Essentially they’re fusing the old-time concept of home milk delivery with the modern convenience of online shopping.
And to ensure their carbon impact stays as small as possible, the women are even using an electric vehicle to make their twice-weekly delivery runs throughout the Tri-Cities.
Crump said it can be relatively easy to evolve changes in shopping for dry goods from bringing your own bags to the store to eliminating waste from packaging altogether.
“You just have to get people to realize the changes they make are small, and they can be easy and convenient,” she said, adding bringing zero-emission home delivery into the equation makes it a no-brainer.
“You create your own momentum,” Crump said.
Here’s how the service works:
Orders are placed online at fulfillshoppe.com. Food products include various types of organic rice, flour, quinoa, crackers, pastas, nuts, granolas, coffee and even gummy bears. There are also cleaning products such as hand soaps, laundry detergent and dishwasher powder as well as beauty products such as shampoo, body wash, conditioner and bar soaps.
The products are packed in reusable jars of various sizes at a commissary kitchen in Port Coquitlam, where everything is stored and returned, and containers are cleaned and sanitized. The filled jars and containers are then placed into a small wooden crate for delivery to your doorstep on designated days — when empty containers are also picked up so the cycle can continue.
Crump said the duo has been test-driving their concept with a circle of friends and family over the past two months to work out the kinks like navigating deliveries to condo buildings and fine-tuning their product offerings. She said the company is trying to use local sources and eco-conscious suppliers, like Carina Organics and PoCo Soap Co., as much as possible so individual efforts to effect change can reverberate as far as possible.
• Fulfill Shoppe is having a launch party/pop-up shop March 29, noon to 4 p.m., at Moody Ales (2601 Murray St.) in Port Moody.
