Ottawa produce company thriving after pandemic nearly forced its closure
Posted Mar 18, 2020 09:08:00 PM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Ottawa food supply company The Produce Brothers are swamped with orders for their veggies – not something its owners imagined when restaurants started closing their doors due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The company had been in business for just a few days when Ottawa Public Health announced the first confirmed case of the coronavirus in the community on March 11.
“Not even a week ago, we were facing the reality that we may have to close our doors forever,” reads a statement posted Wednesday afternoon on The Produce Bros. Facebook page. “We had just opened up, filled the warehouse and then restaurants started closing down. Leaving us in a scary situation. If we can’t sell our produce, it goes bad, we lose everything.”
The post goes on to explain, that’s when Jessy James from Ottawa's Meatheads Grill suggested they open their doors to everyday consumers in order to cut down on social gatherings at grocery store, all while saving residents money on produce and making use of their goods.
James helped the new entrepreneurs launch their Facebook page and then used his restaurant's platform on social media to spread the word. A foodie group out of Orléans caught word of what was happening, and now The Produce Bros. are “absolutely swamped.”
The Produce Bros. Facebook post went on to thank James, as no money changed hands — it was simply an act of kindness from one business owner trying to help another in a trying time.
For more information on inventory, pricing and how to pick up orders from The Produce Bros., click here.
