ideas for those putting together a larger raw almond group buy
For those of you wanting to make some money in addition to get your own raw almonds free, I have some suggestions based on phone calls I am receiving around the U.S.:
1. Contact owners of small health food stores. (Several health food store owners have called me.) Ask if they want to get some RAW/UNPASTEURIZED almonds and/or if they want to hand out flyers to their customers for a profit split with you. Then, make up a flyer using information from your GreenSmoothieGirl.com e-letter of two days ago and/or this blog. You have to educate people about the issue–most people don’t know. I wouldn’t be surprised if some health food store owners don’t know about the fact that they aren’t getting raw almonds any more.
2. Contact someone you know who is interested in nutrition, and ask who SHE knows who is the earthy-crunchy type. Keep going like that and making phone calls to build your order and your email list.
2. Make it easier on yourself and don’t break down the 100# orders. That will make work for you–trust me, every person in your buy will create work for you, because you have to arrange for them to pick up and answer their questions, email or call them if they don’t come to pick up, etc.–but then you’ll have TONS more people buying fewer pounds of almonds. I make the 100# a minimum, but if you want, you can make 50# the minimum, because the nuts arrive in 50# boxes. If you make 100# a minimum, then someone can always go find a friend(s) to go in on the order. In my experience, this works well without killing you off, and it brings more people into your group buy list.
3. Keep track of all the email addresses you collect. Those are all people who are interested in (a) food storage, (2) nutrition, and (3) good prices. This is the beginning of your group-buy business, if you want one. You can help people, make a lot of cool new friends you have something important in common with, and get your food for free or even make money as your group grows. Do group buys only on things that they can’t get without your bulk purchasing power (raw almonds being one example of that). Stick close by GreenSmoothieGirl.com and I will let you know of things as I become aware of them. Right now people are HIGHLY MOTIVATED, for the obvious reasons, to prepare for emergencies. (Here in Utah County, for instance, NO CANNING JARS can be found, anywhere. Ball and Kerr cannot manufacture them to keep up with demand!) People are very grateful to people who organize group buys. Co-ops are a rewarding and fun space to be in.
Katie said,
October 17, 2008 @ 6:10 pm
Roybn,
Do you know of anyone in Arkansas who is putting together an order? I’ve got someone from there who wants to go in on the order.
Lala said,
October 20, 2008 @ 10:28 pm
I need to get in on a local order in UT county! I’ve been trying to find health conscious people but they aren’t anywhere…can I jump on someone’s order around Lindon for 5 to 10lbs?!!! please!!! (i could do a little more if I needed too!)
Robyn said,
October 21, 2008 @ 5:55 am
If you’re here in town, Lala, just talk to me after this is all over and I’ll get you 5-10 lbs. out of my own order. –Robyn
Michelle said,
October 21, 2008 @ 3:36 pm
Robyn,
I did contact a couple of local health food stores.
Interest level at one was sky high! She had quit selling “raw” almonds sometime back because she didn’t feel it was honest to buy almonds claiming to be “raw” when they really weren’t, and refused to sell them.
However, the biggie question came from another owner who questioned whether it was legal for them to purchase through a group buy and then resell them. Their concern is the health department coming down on them for purchasing almonds and then reselling them since they are a retailer. They said they would check into it, but I am curious as to what I should say. ???
Suggestion please….
Thanks,
Michelle
Robyn said,
October 21, 2008 @ 4:44 pm
The law is for RANCHERS. The growers cannot sell raw product to retailers (despite a long history of that raw product being entirely safe). They can, however, sell up to 100 lbs., per person, per day, to individuals. We have a third-party transaction with a rancher wherein I am taking a money order from each of you, for 100 lbs., to him through an intermediary.
No rancher I contacted would work with me. The interpretation of the law is up for grabs, but most interpret it to mean you have to go TO THE RANCH PHYSICALLY for your 100 lbs. Only two, through someone else who has relationships with them, would work with us. I will not even know the name of the ranch. (I will, however, receive a sample in advance and sprout it, to test the almonds.)
The risk is for the rancher, not anyone else. Remember it is a CALIFORNIA law.
–Robyn
Anonymous said,
October 21, 2008 @ 5:38 pm
I’ve decided to advertise on craigslist, as well.
When is the approximate date for the almonds to be shipped to us? Are the almonds being shipped to Utah and then out to the rest of the country?
I live in California, so would it be possible for the almonds to be shipped directly to me rather than going to Utah first, and then back to California?
-Ericka
Anonymous said,
October 21, 2008 @ 5:44 pm
Yet another question….
Will the almonds sprout after being frozen.
(I’m sorry if you’ve answered any of my questions elsewhere).
-Ericka
Robyn said,
October 21, 2008 @ 6:12 pm
The almonds should arrive to you mid-November (possibly sooner, but please don’t hold me to that, as when the truck can go is my limitation/bottleneck).
Unfortunately we HAVE to ship from Utah–the rancher cannot ship to you.
Yes, the almonds will sprout after being frozen. I have sprouted nuts and grains after they’ve been frozen for 4 years!
Robyn
Michelle said,
October 21, 2008 @ 7:18 pm
Thanks Robyn!
Lala said,
October 22, 2008 @ 11:02 am
sounds great Robyn—I’ll contact you after they arrive. When will this happen again? should I get more like 4 years worth if i can freeze them? THANKS!
Robyn said,
October 22, 2008 @ 11:32 am
Lala, I don’t know if/when I’ll do this again, or if the almond growers will possibly win their lawsuit and the raw-nut law could be lifted . . . I will TRY to do it again in a year, though. I wouldn’t stock 4 years’ worth–that’s freezer space that could go to something else.
Robyn
Jane Schmidt said,
October 15, 2009 @ 10:14 am
Robyn,
Is there a way to figure out how much the shipping will cost on 50# of almonds to 53034? I need to answer some questions on what the cost of shipping is. Thanks for your help!
Jane
Robyn said,
October 18, 2009 @ 10:01 pm
Jenni here, GSG Admin
Hi Jane,
Here is the shipping information from the FAQ page on the website (http://www.greensmoothiegirl.com/group-buy/faq/):
Q: How much is shipping?
A: If you order 1-599 lbs. of any items in the buy, your shipping cost will calculate at $0.75/lb. For an order of 600-1,099 lbs., shipping is $0.50/lb. And orders totaling 1,100 lbs. or more, shipping goes down to $0.25/lb. For the larger orders, we may ship by truck instead of UPS, in which case you may receive a phone call to coordinate delivery.
Have a great day!