Essential services like grocery stores remain open in Collingwood, but it's not exactly business as usual in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Local grocers have made quick changes to adapt and accommodate public health measures like physical distancing and protective barriers when a 2-metre distance can't be maintained.
But there are still those who cannot go to a grocery store, whether they are self-isolating due to symptoms or they are protecting high-risk individuals or themselves.
Local markets have experienced an increase in demand, but they have learned to adapt as well.
“We’re a little market, and we’re used to a slower, easier pace,” said Maria Sanfilippo-Dickey, owner of the Collingwood Real Food Market. “We know all of our customers, and I initially thought those would be the people we would be taking care of, but there are a lot of new people as well.”
“It’s so great, we're just adapting to it,” Sanfilippo-Dickey continued.
The small market focuses on fresh, organic and local products and when the pandemic started, Sanfilippo-Dickey didn’t like the idea of people flooding the store and touching all the products. She decided to close to foot traffic and stick to orders for pick up and delivery.
“It’s working well,” she said.
The Collingwood Real Food Market is open five days a week, Monday to Friday, in order to allow the now full-time staff to have a break on weekends. Orders can be submitted online or over the phone, and one of the staff members will confirm a pickup time. Delivery is free in town with a $40 purchase, and is available for a fee to locations outside of town.
Sanfilippo-Dickey said the biggest learning curve has been keeping the online ordering form accurate and with up-to-date prices.
“I have been working furiously to get all of the products online. We never needed that before,” said Sanfilippo-Dickey. “I kind of like the idea of a virtual market though, once I fine-tune the lists and ordering process.”
A&D Birdseed Country Store, a family run business in Stayner, is doing its best to adjust to a different shopping system as well.
“We posted a brief description of what is available on our Facebook page, but people will have to call in for availability because we may be low on some things or waiting for a restock,” said Cayleigh Jago, the owner’s niece.
Orders can be placed over the phone, on A&D Birdseed’s Facebook page or by email.
“Pretty much any way they can communicate with us,” laughed Jago.
Located in Stayner, the family-run country store is known for its birdseed, with a small market offering the farm’s meat and other local meat products, eggs, dairy and homemade jams, jellies and desserts.
“Since all of this craziness has started it has gotten very busy,” said Jago. “Our market is definitely a lot busier compared to everything else.”
The market is closed to the public as well, offering curbside pickup instead. Jago said orders are typically ready to be picked up within the hour.
“We are taking it day by day,” she said. “We’re hoping that when all this is said and done, people are going to continue shopping with us.”
Other alternative grocery stores, such as Gather Grocery in Thornbury, have adopted a comprehensive online ordering system.
“We decided early on to get everything online because our store is not very big,” said Cassidy Holt, owner of Gather Grocery. “It’s been amazing so far. It’s overwhelming. It’s busy.”
Gather Grocery prides itself on featuring quality goods with zero to minimal packaging. The near-zero waste mandate made adapting to an online system slightly more difficult when it came to bulk items, but Holt said otherwise the transition has been smooth.
“It seems to be working. People are enjoying it, so I think we will just keep rocking and rolling,” said Holt.
Customers can find detailed instructions on how the process works and what products are available on Gather Grocery’s new online ordering form. Holt said because she sources the majority of her food in Canada, she hasn’t had a problem keeping the store fully stocked, except for meat.
“One thing this has taught us is that the Canadian food system is so strong,” said Holt. “I think it’s really important for people to realize that by keeping their food local it means in crises like this, there will never be a shortage.”
Much like the rest of the world, the food retail industry is taking it day by day. Sanfilippo-Dickey said the most important thing is that people in the community attempt to adapt as well. If they run out of a certain item, Sanfilippo-Dickey said she is sure to replace it with something of similar quality.
“Some people have really hardcore beliefs and ideas about their food and their diet, and that is just not sustainable in a pandemic,” said Sanfilippo-Dickey. “I think it will come naturally, but people need to realize they need to be flexible. Everything is responsible here, I don’t buy it if I wouldn’t eat it myself.”
Jago agreed.
“It’s opened a lot of people’s eyes to realizing what is actually available,” said Jago, who enjoys explaining to A&D customers where the food comes from, what it has eaten and how it has been raised.
“There are only two breasts on a chicken, but there are legs and wings and drumsticks,” said Jago. “When we’re out of certain cuts it just gives customers an opportunity to try something that they normally wouldn’t, and they usually end up falling in love with it.”
All three grocers said they are thankful for the support from the community.
“Everybody is working around it, and we are figuring it out,” said Jago. “It’s great that people are shopping local.”
Elsewhere in Collingwood, Loblaws continues to offer its Click and Collect program with an online ordering system for pick up or delivery.
Other delivery services available in Collingwood include Sobeys, which accepts orders over the phone or by email on Mondays and Wednesdays until noon for next day delivery, as well as Mrs. Grocery and Instacart, which are companies that grocery shop for you for a fee.
