San Diego-based GreenChoice is a unique and empowering online food shopping experience. In addition to being a marketplace for grocery shopping, they offer several benefits for the health and sustainability-minded consumer, and caters specifically to those with dietary restrictions.
GreenChoice’s mission is to make grocery shopping quick and easy while providing reliable product information. The expansive offerings can be sorted using over 90 dietary filters. Some examples include gluten free, wheat free, peanut free, vegan, vegetarian and dairy free.
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Once customers identify products that fall within their dietary criteria, the real benefits kick in. At the heart of what GreenChoice does is copious quantities of research about each and every product on the marketplace. The result is a rating system that provides a nearly-instant snapshot of the nutritional and environmental components of the product.
GreenChoice explained, “Navigating food allergies and sensitivities, comparing nutrition labels, avoiding harmful ingredients, fact-checking claims and making sustainable, climate-friendly choices, all while managing a budget — it’s too much for any one person. Yet, 52% of 18 to 34 year olds are trying to do at least a few of these things every time they shop for groceries in the U.S.”
The health and climate ratings, called GreenScore, are color coded for ease of reference. Furthermore, the database contains more than 360,000 individual food ratings. The products are easily available for purchase in both traditional and bulk sizes and are shipped directly to your door. However, no purchase or membership is required to take advantage of the provided GreenScore ratings.
Moreover, the company reflects the founders’ frustrations in finding quality food they could feel good about without compromising environmental concerns. Inasmuch, sustainability is at the core of the company’s values. In response, the estimated carbon footprint is calculated for all aspects of each order, from the products to the packaging and the shipping. The company then offsets double that amount through donations to Gold Standard, UN-certified clean energy projects.
The rating system is based on data from over 100 public sources, including the USDA, U.S. Food and Drug Administration and National Institute of Health. The result is an exceedingly easy-to-use platform that clearly outlines each food’s impact on health and climate. GreenChoice also identifies criteria such as nutritional value, the level of processing, the presence of toxins and the risk of pesticide exposure. There is even the product’s estimated carbon footprint.
“We’re on a mission to help filter through the noise to choose the best products for [customers’] health and the planet — with a personalized online grocery marketplace that supports each customer’s unique dietary needs and values, and unbiased health and climate ratings that guide you to make healthy, climate-friendly choices,” said Founder and CEO Galen Karlan-Mason.
Images via GreenChoice
