FRESH AND HEALTHY EATING
Sasha Conlan, founder of Sasha’s Fine Foods, reveals what it takes to be an ethical online grocer and have a carbon neutral delivery fleet while supporting local farmers.
Sasha’s Fine Foods is Singapore’s first online grocer to have a carbon neutral delivery fleet, having eliminated 90 percent of their annual carbon footprint from New Zealand shipments, with similar plans for their Australian freight. “Travel by sea contributes a much lower carbon footprint to our community, with no reduction in the quality of the product. All the goodness is delivered with zero impact to the environment. We believe that we are the first grocer, online or otherwise, who has a carbon neutral delivery fleet and has taken such large strides in reducing carbon emissions from our supply chain,” says Sasha Conlan, the powerhouse behind her eponymous ethical grocer outfit.
Originally from Newcastle in the northeast of England, the food-loving mum of three worked as a lawyer in London till 2007, and relocated to Singapore with her husband and children in 2008. “I was inspired by the vast selection of incredible food and ingredients available in Singapore, but found it very difficult to buy food staples I could trust. Despite the proliferation of supermarkets and grocers, many essentials like quality meat and seafood were of dubious origin. Few, if any, retailers were clearly labelling where these products came from, if nasties were used in their production, or how the animals and fish were raised. This lack of transparency, along with increasing reports about food scandals and safety, led me to producers in New Zealand and Australia,” shares Conlan.
What began at first as (now defunct) The Barbie Girls, has evolved into Sasha’s Fine Foods, which Conlan set up in 2011 on a mission to provide the purest food on the planet. “By sourcing food myself, I was able to get much closer to the (smaller) farmers and their produce, reinstating my trust in the food I was feeding my family. I was thrilled with my deliveries, knowing exactly from whom I was buying and understanding the farmer’s ethos around animal welfare, diet, etc. I love to support the “small guy”, the local farmer who is trying to farm in the right way and to help him avoid resorting to mass production where all his principles have to be uncomfortably buried in order to make a living,” says Conlan.
From sashimi-grade salmon fresh from Mt Cook, New Zealand to local organic chicken, Sasha’s range is free from nasties and sourced from farms Conlan has personally visited (and aspires to do so once travel is restored again). “When we say the purest food, we mean it in every sense, including our carbon footprint. Our range of ethically produced food, with no nasties, comes from farmers and suppliers that respect the food chain. I am passionate about bringing eco-friendly options to our customers and allow them to conveniently adopt a sustainable lifestyle by shopping with us, Your Ethical Grocer,” affirms Conlan.