General
Can I order fruit for my work place?
CERES Fair Food will soon be offering a fruit at work service called CERES Fair Fruit. Check out CERES Fair Fruit for more information regarding this service.
Can CERES food supply food for hospitality or events?
CERES Fair Food is a great way to source fresh organic produce for restaurants, cafes and events. Our flexible online shop can service larger, specific and even regular orders for hospitality businesses. If you want assistance or special solutions on large or regular orders, please contact us on phone: (03) 8673 6288.
I would like to volunteer with CERES Food?
Dedicated volunteers are valued at CERES Fair Food. Please send through your CV to us at info@ceresfairfood.org.au We will keep it on file and be in touch if a volunteer position comes up.
What are the CERES Fair Food office hours?
9am – 4.30pm Monday to Friday. We are happy to answer your calls during this time or send us an email and we will endeavor to respond to any queries you have.
Where does CERES Fair Food deliver to?
CERES Fair Food will be launched in the CBD and inner northern suburbs. The service will continue to roll out across the city based on where there is interest and willing Food Hosts (pick up locations). Registering for our newsletter is the best way to keep up to date on what areas the service extends too. Or check out our Food Host location map
CERES Fair Food produce
Can I meet any of the wonderful farmers who grow my produce?
We will be organising regular farm tours to visit our valued farmers, see their hard work and appreciate our rural landscapes. This will give everyone the opportunity to thank a farmer! Information regarding farm tours will be posted on the website and in our newsletters.
What is that strange looking vegetable (or is it a fruit) in my box?
Each week we have a variety of available seasonal fruit and vegetables. If you do not recognise a particular item in your box be brave and explore. We are currently working on a photo gallery with information about the produce. We are also working on a recipe page for cooking ideas.
Seasonal produce is fruit and vegetables that grow well in the current climatic conditions. Eating season produce helps you enjoy fresh food at its best. Local seasonal produce is usually of higher quality and nutritional value as it has not been transported long distances, placed in lengthy cold storage or artificially produced. Eating seasonal produce is better for the environmental by reducing the embodied energy associated with the methods of production and distribution needed to supply ‘out of season’ food items all year round. See our seasonal vegetable chart or our seasonal fruit chart.
Food miles is a term which refers to the distance food is transported from the time of its production until it reaches the consumer. This explains the term ‘from farm gate to consumer plate’.
What does it mean to eat locally?
Local or regional food systems present an alternative to the current global model. There are many benefits of localising the food system. This includes reducing food miles or the distance food travels from farm gate to consumer plate, thereby decreasing the energy consumption and resultant pollution associated with transport. Eating locally also increases access to fresh quality produce, supports local rural economies, and promotes the consumption of seasonal produce.
How do I know my produce is truly organic?
We source our produce only from certified organic growers or growers that are in conversion to organic. Organic certification is an accreditation process that assures products have been produced without the use of chemical pesticides and fertilisers, growth regulators, and antibiotics in the case of animal production. An organic certifier independently inspects, assesses and reviews a product in accordance with national organic production standards.” In conversion” to organic is a certification assessment during the period of transformation between conventional and organic production. These production systems have followed the organic Standards for at least one year but have not yet achieved full organic certification. A minimum period of three years must pass before a production system can achieve full organic certification.
Can I choose what is in my box?
Unfortunately this is not possible. Through our unique delivery system we are supporting a local food system that encourages eating seasonally and supporting local farmers. Therefore in your box you will receive a variety of seasonal produce that is available that week from our local farmers.
Where does the CERES Fair Food produce come from?
We source our produce from local Victorian farmers (with the exception of bananas), beginning with CERES own market garden. Our aim is to have all our produce supplied by farmers that we have a direct relationship with so we can guarantee them support and pay them a fairer price for their hard work. We are still working on establishing relationships with farmers. While we are establishing these relationships we are sourcing some of our organic produce from the Footscray wholesale market from Victorian suppliers. See our list of farmers here.
Ordering and payments
What if I am not happy with my order?
If you are dissatisfied with your produce contact CERES Fair Food by phone or email within 24 hours of receipt of your produce so we can discuss an appropriate resolution with you. Please have a look at our terms and conditions for further information regarding our product satisfaction and returns policy.
Can I order extra products without getting a box?
You can order extra products without ordering a food box.
How do I order extra products?
Once you have logged in as a member you can order a range of extra products including eggs, honey and soy milk along with your food box. You can do this by going to the extras page under products and choose what items you would like by adding them to your shopping cart.
You do not have to order each week, our service is flexible. If you do not want the bother of logging onto the website each week to place and order you can make orders in advance by nominating the number of weeks ahead you would like a delivery. You can do this by increasing the number of deliveries when you go through the ordering process.
How do I choose the correct size box for my needs?
This depends on your particular household and food requirements. Things to consider include how many people you need to feed, if you are a vegetarian, how often you eat out, or if you grow some of your own produce. There are indications under each food box description giving you an idea of how many people we believe each box will feed.
Is it safe to use my credit card to purchase my order online?
Yes! We use an internet payment gateway through NAB which will process credit card payments securely. We are also Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure (HTTPS) which provides website security testing.
Can I pay without a credit card?
At this stage only credit or debit cards are accepted. If you are not a credit card user and want to avoid using a credit card altogether, consider the option of using a debit card. A debit card provides an alternative payment method to a credit card which withdraws funds directly from either your bank account or from the remaining balance on the card. This is a great option because you can only use money you already have and it eliminates interest rates and application nightmares. Contact your personal bank for further details and how to apply for a debit card.
You can make payments via our online shop with your credit or debit card.
Can I place an order over the phone instead of online?
The easiest way to place an order is to jump online. Unfortunately we do not offer an over the phone order service. However if you are having troubles with the online order system please contact us.
Orders are placed online. Once you have logged in as a member using your login details go to the products page to order your boxes and other items from the extras page. When finished shopping, go to the checkout and pay using your credit or debit card.
Please join by registering with a nominated username and password at our members page. You will then be sent a confirmation link. You must click on this link to confirm your registration.
Collecting your produce
Email us at info@ceresfairfood.org.au providing details of your location and a brief description of why you would like to be a CERES Food Host and we will be in touch.
What if there are no Food Hosts in my area?
You can always choose a Food Host that is on your way home from work or close to your children’s school or somewhere you frequently visit. If there is still not a Food Host in a convenient location for you, keep checking our newsletters and the CERES Fair Food website for new Food Hosts opening up.
What if my box is not there or there are any other problems?
Firstly you will need to address this with your Food Host, if they cannot resolve the problem contact our Food Host Coordinator. Contact details for our Food Host coordinator will be available once you have registered as a member.
What if I cannot pick up my order on the allocated day?
Arrangements will need to be made directly with your Food Host. Once you have registered and joined a specific Food Host a welcome email will be sent to you outlining instructions and other important information including the contact details for your Food Host location. For all other queries please contact the Ceres Food office directly.
What do I do when I arrive at my Food Host?
This will depend on your Food Host. Once you have registered and joined a specific Food Host a welcome email will be sent to you outlining pick up time and location and if there are any essential instructions and other important details. . This information will also be available on your invoice and in your personal profile.
This will depend on your Food Host location. Once you have registered as a member and joined a specific Food Host a welcome email will be sent to you outlining instructions and other important details. This information will also be available on your invoice and in your personal profile.
You should choose a Food Host that is a convenient location for you, either near your house or work place or your children’s school. When you register as a member you will be able to choose your Food Host location. This can be changed if necessary or a more convenient location becomes available.
Where are the Food Host Locations?
Please check out our Food Host location map for up to date information.
Please pick up your order from the Food Host location you selected when joining as a member. Once you have registered as a member and joined a specific Food Host a welcome email will be sent to you outlining location, instructions and other important details.
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