Austrian Innovation with Boxes

I met Elmar Fischer-Weiberger of Adamah on the Czech Organic Workshop. Adamah are global innovators when it comes to box schemes. Ten years ago, the farm, located near Vienna, was transformed into an organic farm with the aim of supplying produce in a box scheme to the residents within a 20km radius. The result, is ten years later, they have a real challenge coping with the demand. Why has it been so successful? The company has an excellent flyer it uses to promote the scheme. These flyers are distributed by the company drivers to existing customers who can them pass them onto friends. Plus, flyers are distributed when the company does business functions. The boxes are segregated into small, medium and large sizes. There are boxes designed for: singles, vegetarians, breast feeding Mothers, families with small children, large families, couples. In other words boxes are designed for specific target markets. Each box has a unique recipe included inside the box, relating to one of the produce in the box. The company also sells their own branded recipe book. Every three months the company sends out a newsletter to all its customers. This newsletter contains tips, ideas and solutions on energy dewing and “green” products. Some of which can be purchased from the farm and an incentive includes free box delivery for a specified amount of time. The farm holds open day festivals for its customers. This gives the customers a chance to look at “their” food being grown. I’m told this is a major event in the community. The box scheme includes non farm products. Consumers can purchase washing powder, detergents, soaps and other green products. If you get to Vienna then this company is well worth checking out. It is the best marketed box scheme I have come across. Their Web Page is http://www.adamah.at/