Value
Spending 25+ years in financial services as a fee based RIA( Registered Investment Advisor) stay with me here, I was occasionally challenged about our fees. The common thread centered on the cost of having me manage client’s investments when the market was going down. Like I said stay with me.
It’s hard to pay someone to manage your investments when you’re losing money in the market. Especially when that someone is paid whether you make money or not. Well the value I provided was not so much making money although that was the main objective. No it was that I kept my clients from reacting emotionally to what the market did, which was to go up and down in no predictable pattern, all the time.
Now growing and selling greens in a shipping container isn’t the world of investing. However we do get challenged on our premium prices. It’s hard, especially in these uncertain times to pay more for something than you’re used to paying from large suppliers.
But think about it. Do you regularly buy more because you know that a portion maybe even a large portion of what you order will have to be thrown out because it’s bad?
Have you calculated the amount of time prepping the produce? Washing, trimming, and tossing out the bad adds how much to the cost of a salad?
That hidden cost is the most challenging cost to control.
Except that maybe you can control that cost by paying a little more for something up front that is significantly better.
The value of those premium prices isn’t just the freshness and great taste. It’s also the fact that all of our produce is harvested within 24 hours before delivery. Plus our product has been known to last when refrigerated and stored properly 3 to 5 weeks.
There is no dirt in our farm so produce never touches dirt. Which means no washing and no E. coli contamination.
No harmful herbicides or pesticides are used.
Less pollution. Transportation is within a 15 mile radius of the farm, not across the country.
We use roughly 5 gallons of water per day. About 50% less than other forms of hydroponic farms. A head of lettuce grown in our farm uses .03 gallons of water versus industrial grown lettuces that needs 10 gallons of water.
Our electrical use is offset through the use of RCEs (Renewable Energy Certificates). This allows us to buy electricity that is wind generated.
At the end of the day you work hard to provide the best. You want people to appreciate not just the taste or presentation but your skills in pulling together locally sourced, clean and sustainable ingredients. You want to have repeat customers and referred customers.