The Local Harvest Collective

Is this the future of grocery shopping? A sack that arrives to your door (or that you pick up from Potts Point on a Saturday morning), filled with everything you need to cook your way through a week’s worth of delicious, organic meals. Think chemical-free, high-quality, locally sourced fruit and vegetables, sourdough loaves, handmade toasted muesli, locally roasted fair trade coffee beans and a bunch of flowers. No fuss and no stress-ridden trips to supermarkets – just exquisitely fresh produce and the chance to get creative with food.

“[We are] like a mini farmers’ market but with a much more direct approach,” says founder Talia Smith.

After more than a decade working in both the fashion industry and as a cook (most recently at Single Origin Roasters and Bondi’s Shop and Wine Bar), Smith saw an opportunity to start a business that both celebrated and facilitated the use of organic produce. She takes a hands-on approach with the business, handpicking her suppliers and fostering long-term relationships with each one. Smith personally makes several of the wholesome items that arrive in the food sacks, such as the toasted muesli and the sea-salt flecked butter.

“After seven years as a cook in Sydney, I felt I had experienced a myriad of atmospheres…but I still wanted to learn and share my knowledge about food, not just in the kitchen,” Smith says. “I want to make a positive difference in people's lives and the community; not just feed people to satisfy their hunger.”

This is only the beginning. Smith hopes to grow The Local Harvest Collective with other related initiatives including rooftop gardens, wellness retreats and a self-sufficient farm. The idea is to provide not just food but an education. She wants to nourish and nurture, one food sack at a time.

Prices and information can be found at thelocalharvestcollective.tumblr.com.