Archive for the ‘Store Updates’ Category
Weekly Deals – Jan 15, 2012
Think of 2013 as the year of weekly deals. Every week you can check your inbox (sign up for our mailing list!) or scope out the blog to see what deals we’ve got for you. This week we have a plethora of goodies, including Third Coast Coffee which will be on sale ($11.99 a lb, usually $13.50 a lb) all month long.
Who doesn’t love a good bargain?
Uncle Mike’s Pacific Northwest Smoked Salmon
We have our first Uncle Mike product!
One of our founders, Christopher Pepe (aka Uncle Mike), hails from Portland, Oregon and paid us a visit this week. We were happy to see him, but we were happier to see the smoked salmon he brought for the store.
This smoked salmon comes from Tony’s Fish Market, a market and cannery in Oregon City, Oregon. This market is a 5th generation family operation, being run out of the same location since 1936. It’s a beloved business in the community, and has a loyal following of seafood-loving customers.
Tony sells the best fish from local Pacific Northwest (PNW) waters, taking advantage of the variety of salmon that are native to the PNW. Tony offers wild salmon as well as some farmed salmon, grown in low density natural environments on native land in British Columbia.
The salmon is traditionally cured and smoked, which creates that amazing flavor we all love. When you think of smoked fish, you may think of nova lox, which is cold smoked and never heated above 90 degrees F, which makes it cured but not cooked. This salmon is kippered, which means it’s fully cooked, and has a crumbly texture. This fish is salty and smokey, and is great on crackers with cream cheese, and can also be used as a substitute for bacon. We have four flavors for you to choose from: pepper, lemon pepper, hot & spicy, and garlic.
No matter which one you choose or how you eat it, you’ll always wish you had more.
Uncle Mike’s Treats from Afar
When someone you know goes on a trip, the first question asked (or what you WANT to ask) when they return is, “so, what did you bring me?” For us, we love when these gifts are food. Give us some salmon from the Northwest or coffee from Hawaii, and we’re happy campers. There is a sense of joy and curiosity that comes with treats from somewhere other than home.
Our mission at in.gredients is to encourage our customers to shop as local and sustainable as possible, which is why 93% of our vendors are found in Texas. We set ourselves apart from other stores by sourcing the majority of our goods locally and seasonally. Think back to the early 1900′s when non-local produce wasn’t readily available. Back then, a crate full of oranges or avocados were considered an exotic gift – something reserved for souvenirs and fancy parties.
Shopping at conventional grocery stores nowadays allows you to get any item, from all over the world, whenever you want. That isn’t how we roll, but that doesn’t mean we don’t like exotic treats as much as the next guy – everything in moderation, as they say. We think indulging in some delectable goodies from another region now and then brings further appreciation for different local cuisine, connects us to the larger global community, and generally adds a little variety to the familiar.
So when “Uncle Mike” comes for a visit, you know he’ll have something special in store for you. Of course, Uncle Mike cares about sustainability as much as we do, so you can be sure he’ll bring treats from businesses and producers we feel good about supporting, and Uncle Mike always tells a good story, so he’ll make sure you know the whos and whys and whats. You can follow Uncle Mike and get updates on what he’s bringing into the store on Twitter.
When you’re feeling like a special treat, stop on by to see what Uncle Mike has brought us at in.gredients. Happy shopping (and happy eating)!
Weekly Deals – Jan 08, 2013
We’re starting something new for 2013. Each week we will select a diverse group of items and put them on sale. And who doesn’t love a bargain? Check out what we’ve got for you this week!
in.gredients Holiday Gift Basket
Looking for a gift this holiday season? If you’re hoping to stick with local gifts this year we have a great idea for you. Our holiday gift baskets are full of local goodies, wrapped in reusable containers, and crafted to make your holidays full of joy.
We love options, so we have a tea themed basket and a coffee themed basket. Check out the pictures below for more details.
They’re available in.store now, happy holidays!
in.gredients Coffee Holiday Basket
in.gredients Tea Holiday Basket
Support Local: Eat, Drink Local Food Box Available Dec.1-8
December 1-8 is Eat, Drink Local Week here in Austin, TX. There are events all around town celebrating local food, farms and vendors. The proceeds benefit the Sustainable Food Center and Urban Roots, two amazing organizations in Austin working for a more sustainable, just food system.
We’re celebrating the week with a bunch of different activities. Come stop by on the Urban Farm Bike Tour this Saturday, on Wednesday drink some beer and meet the fellas from Hops and Grain and on Friday we’ll be screening the documentary LOCAL, followed by a Q&A with the film maker. You can find out specifics here.
As a participating business, we’re offering up our local food box. It will be available starting tomorrow, December 1st.
Looks delicious, doesn’t it?
The box is $38, or $35 if you bring your own box! Check out what you’ll get when you purchase your local food box.
- 6 eggs from Vital Farms
- Lucky Layla Golden Butter
- 1 jar of Confituras jam
- 1 lbs of Gourmet Texas Pasta
- 1 bunch of kale from Johnson’s Backyard Garden
- 1 head of lettuce from Johnson’s Backyard Garden
- 1 head of broccoli from Johnson’s Backyard Garden
- 1 bunch of carrots from Johnson’s Backyard Garden
- 4 oranges from G&S Groves
- 2 grapefruit from G&S Groves
Familiar Faces at in.gredients
For those of you who’ve been to the store, you probably recognize Erica.
It’s hard not to notice her big smile and warm personality. Here since the store opened, Erica is excited and involved in the work she does at in.gredients. Brimming with ideas for the store, Erica is always looking for opportunities to build a community around food. Raised in Texas, she is a hometown girl. As a local east-sider, she walks to and from work every day. She embodies our ethos of keeping things local, growing food in her community garden plot and experimenting with seasonal cooking.
I caught her in the in.gredients kitchen and we chatted about all things food and sustainability.
How did you find out about in.gredients?
I found out about the store through Facebook, and was excited to see that it was going to be down the street from where I live. I volunteered when they were digging the garden beds out front and met everyone involved. From there I got hired on as a team member, and started working right before the store opened. It was neat to see the store empty and be a part of filling it up.
Why is sustainability important to you?
As a single mom with limited funds I am always looking for ways to make my life more sustainable. I want to teach my son Torin about self-sustainability and how it’s possible to live simply and be healthy and happy. We look for ways to be sustainable and build community by growing our own food, going to food swaps and bartering. If there ever was an apocalypse, I want to know I could survive! My ultimate goal is to be able to go to the store and only need five ingredients, growing and making the rest. Right now I am able to get all my food from in.gredients and my garden plot, which means that all my food is within walking distance.
What do you love about working here?
I love how much I’m learning about seasonal eating, and how that improves our diet. I love how shopping here creates a relationship with food, instilling a love of food and a deeper connection with your own body. It’s great to have a tactile experience with the food you eat, especially when you know it came fresh from a nearby farm. I also love that this store creates a space where the east side can take pride and power over their community. Before in.gredients you couldn’t get organic food in this neighborhood without traveling past the highway. I think this is a great venue for people to get back to healthy, local organic food. I also love my co-workers. We all come from different backgrounds but we have the same vision and want to be a part of something big.
What is your favorite recipe of all time?
I would have to say kale chips. Kale is a great go-to green, and making kale chips is fast and easy. Mainly it’s my favorite because it is the way I got my son to eat kale. Now he will even eat it raw!
If you were reincarnated as a vegetable, what would you be?
I would say okra. It’s beautiful and durable. It thrives in harsh conditions, it’s a survivor. It was the vegetable that made the local food system click in my head, southern food (okra, watermelon, collards) are all things that grow well down here. Also, the flowers on it are beautiful. Basically, I am mesmerized by okra.
Whether she’s helping out customers, whipping up salad or re-stocking bins, Erica is a joy to be around. She’s a great person to chat about food with, and don’t be surprised if 30 minutes go by and you’re still talking about amazing recipes you’ve tried.
Come in and meet her for yourself, you’ll be charmed, I’m sure.
in.gredients now accepts SNAP Lone Star Cards
in.gredients will now be accepting SNAP (supplemental nutrition assistance program) benefits. This will allow Lone Star card holders to buy eligible food at in.gredients.
Foods that you can buy using SNAP include:
- Breads and cereals
- Fruits and vegetables
- Meat, fish, and poultry
- Dairy products
- Seeds and plants intended to grow food
Items that you can’t buy using SNAP include:
- Beer, wine, liquor, tobacco or cigarettes
- Foods that are hot at the point of sale
- Food to be eaten in the store
- Vitamins or medicine
- Pet foods
- Nonfood items such as tissue, soap, cosmetics, or other household goods
We’re on TV!
Our co-founder, Christian Lane, got invited onto KVUE Austin to talk about in.gredients and winning Austin Chronicle 2012′s Best New Local Business.
You can check out the video here.
Thanks again to all the Austin Chronicle reader’s that voted for us, our fantastic vendors and our loyal customers.
We’ve Been Named Austin Chronicle’s Best New Local Business!
What a wonderful thing to wake up to on this Thursday morning.
The reader’s of the Austin Chronicle (AC) have spoken and have selected in.gredients as Austin’s Best New Local Business for 2012. We’re honored (and beyond ecstatic) about being selected, and want to send out a big thank you to our amazing customers, vendors and Austin Chronicle readers who gave us their vote.
We love to be recognized as a place where people can gather around local food. Whether it’s stocking up your pantry and fridge or enjoying local beer (or coffee, or kombucha) on our porch, we’re all about keeping things local.
The Austin Chronicle’s write up about our business made us blush, and we’re tickled at the idea of changing people’s grocery store experience when they head to our store.
“It’s easy to forget that In.gredients is a grocery store. We’re so used to seeing representations of food so spritzed and prepped, dressed and resined, that we sometimes lose the sense that we’ve come to fortify our bodies, hearts, and souls. When confronted with humble bins of foodstuffs – farm-fresh produce, varieties of granola, cocoa-dusted almonds, quinoa – as well as local favorites – Miles of Chocolate, Eastside Pie pizza slices, and pineapple/basil paletas from Mom & Pops – it’s a little jarring (Mason pun intended). If we feel “Grrrrreat!” it’s not due to the ubiquitous presence of some cartoon corporate mascot; it’s because we feel good about filling our jugs with Austin-brewed beer and local honey. And when they threw in a free sprig of basil on our last visit, well, that made us happier than a decoder ring. Therein lies the prize.“
Thanks AC, you can fill up your growlers and mason jars at in.gredients any time.
A big shout out to our vendor’s, Johnson’s Backyard Garden, Baby Zach’s, 512 Brewery and Wunder-Pilz for making the list. We love supporting local vendors like y’all. Congratulations to the other East Side food-based businesses – Blue Dahlia, HOPE farmers market, Eater Austin, and East Side King, we’re lucky to have such an abundance of amazing places to get, talk, and think about food.
To celebrate this awesome title, we want to thank our customers. Bring in your copy of the Austin Chronicle and get a $1 off your favorite beer, or take home a sprig of basil, it is, after all, what makes the people happy.
You – our customers and vendors – make us happy, thanks for all your support and for voting us Austin’s best new local business!
