All Roads Lead To… Organic Box

Organic Box on a Tuesday morning is the environmentally conscious parallel universe of liberal dreams.

Patrons bring back their egg cartons, reusable shopping bags are par for the course and co-owners Carola Raad and Heidi Smit greet almost everyone by name as they dash hither and thither seeking bright red jalapenos or dishing out delicious spoons of raw vegan apple pie eagerly eaten at a sweet little tasting table near their shop’s modest wooden entrance at the Old Grüner Kranz complex.

Though one or two people randomly amble in out of the heat, most of Organic Box’s patrons come from the internet where they have placed their orders on the shop’s website.

Primarily an online shop teasing fresh and homemade produce ranging from good old fruit and vegetables, organic meat, chicken and eggs to more decadent dishes of gluten-free chocolate fudge cake, kefir sodas, cashew coconut ice and berry kombucha, Organic Box opens just once a week for collections and serendipitous perusal.

Inside, the vibe is jovial and friendly and the produce is eclectic and ever-changing.

Picture crisp greens such as fresh arugula, sprouts, baby cucumbers, lettuce and courgette flowers, assorted cheeses, Bellissima farm pies, a variety of uncooked spring rolls, springbok mince, organic chicken and beef, game salami, chilli oil, olive paste, grapefruit juice, oat flour, various local coffees, tahini, a selection of Organic Box’s basil pesto, lemon curd and hazelnut chocolate spread and even a pot of Namibian kimchi.

“Our tagline is organic, local and homemade,” says Raad. “The lady that does the most amazing koeksisters or the best butter cookies and the local farmer providing fresh seasonal produce. At Organic Box, we aim to encourage home industries while giving local producers a platform to market their products.”

Open just once a week yet clearly a beloved neighbourhood initiative intent on underscoring all that is local and lovely, Organic Box is a must if you like your fresh food shopping modern, friendly and easy as raw vegan apple pie.

Organic Box is situated at the Old Grüner Kranz complex on Macadam Street and is open on Tuesdays.

– martha@namibian.com.na; Martha Mukaiwa on Twitter and Instagram; marthamukaiwa.com