Thrifty Foods

Smiles every day.™

Focus on Organic

At Thrifty Foods, we're committed to environmentally responsible and sustainable agriculture. Eating organic foods promotes a sustainable economy, creates balanced ecological communities, supports a healthy lifestyle and tastes great too! When it comes to the health of our families and of our environment, every bite counts.

What is organic?
Organic foods are grown without using synthetic chemical pesticides, herbicides, fungicides or fertilizers. Instead, crops are protected from pests and weeds in alternate ways. Organic farmers rely on a diverse population of soil organisms, insects and birds to keep pests in check. Weeds are controlled through crop rotation, mechanical tillage and hand weeding, as well as through cover crops, mulches and other management methods.

What does "certified organic" mean?
When something is "certified organic" it is your assurance that what you are purchasing is truly organic. "Certified organic" means that a product or company has passed the review of an independent certifying agency and has met a series of uniform standards. There are three main requirements for certification:

  • The methods and materials used in production must meet organic standards;
  • There must be clear and ongoing documentation of these methods and materials;
  • There must be a paper trail to trace a product to its production site, in order to verify the methods and materials used in its production.

Why does organic cost more?
The cost of organic food is often higher because it has to meet the strict guidelines for organic certification, which involves a much more labour and management intensive production process. When conventional farmers decide to switch to organic farming they must go through a long three-year-long transition period. As well, the industry is still quite small and cannot take advantage of the cost benefits of large-scale production, or take advantage of government subsidies like others in the mainstream farming industry. Another reason is simply supply and demand-as more farms turn to organic farming practices, prices should stabilize.

What does Thrifty Foods carry?
Thrifty Foods carries the largest selection of certified organic products-including over 70 varieties of organic fruits and vegetables-of any grocery chain in British Columbia. As well, we've been integrating our organic products into our grocery aisles for over fifteen years. Today, we carry over 400 organic grocery items throughout our stores, including a wide variety of organic cheeses. By carrying these products directly alongside conventional grocery items, we feel we can provide all our customers with a choice of what's best for them.

Reasons to Buy Organic
By purchasing organic products, we are:

  • Showing support for farmers who practice sustainable forms of farming;
  • Helping to protect our air, soil, water and food supply from toxic chemicals;
  • Conserving natural resources by recycling natural materials as compost to build healthy, fertile soil;
  • Encouraging an abundance of species living in balanced, harmonious ecosystems.

And, to learn more on organics, we encourage you to visit these websites:

Certified Organic Associations of British Columbia - www.certifiedorganic.bc.ca
Earthbound Farm Organic - www.ebfarm.com
Organic Trade Association - www.ota.com

Sources:
Canada's Healthy Living Guide (May 2002)
Certified Organic Associations of British Columbia web site (www.certifiedorganic.bc.ca)
Earthbound Farm Organic Newsletter (Volume 1, Issue 1)
Organic Trade Association Handbook

Organic Certification Legend:

  • CCOF
    - Certified California Organic Farmers
  • QAI
    - Quality Assurance International
  • SOOPA
    - Similikameen Okanagan Organic Producers Associations
  • IOPA
    - Islands Organic Producers Associations
  • Demeter
    - Biodynamic Agriculture Society of B.C.
  • COPA
    - Comox Organic Producers Association of B.C.
  • CROPS
    - Comox Regional Organic Producers Society
  • COABC
    - Certified Organic Association of BC
  • BCARA
    - B.C. Association of Regenerating Agriculture
  • Oregon Tilth
  • PROPA
    - Peace River Organic Produce Association
  • NOOA
    - North Okanagan Organic Association
  • OPACK
    - Organic Produce Association of Cawston & Keremeos
  • BCS
    - Certified by European Union Regulation