Abel and Cole organic veg boxes - reviews?

andygb

Has anyone tried the organic veg/fruit box dekiveries from Abel and Cole, as we have just received theirm flyer through the door? I have looked on the net for reviews, but they seem to be either damning or ecstatic - no in between - very strange.
Like all these things, is this just a matter of paying over the odds, for a product which will be perceived as being good for yuou?

hotcookie101

We used to use them, I liked that you could sub stuff you didn't like, but found the quality to be lacking generally
I now use riverford (don't seem to have a local independent to use unfortunately) and although you can't sub, the quality is much better. It's cheaper (and more variety) than organic from supermarket, but not cheaper than normal, so it depends if organic is something you care about.

bekkki1

I found the quality has gone down hill, only lasted a day or two after delivery.

did use them for a couple of years but now use a local company.

snozberry

I used to use them but stopped because I felt that the cost didn't reflect the quality. I then had to endure their constant cold calling and persuasive sales techniques - they really don't understand the words 'no thanks'. Because of that I wouldn't recommend them at all.

CCP

I really like A&C - they are more expensive than buying from the supermarket but I find it worth paying for the convenience of not having to lug bags of veg around. (Yep, I'm lazy! ) I find the quality is very good and, on the rare occasion I've had a problem, their customer service is excellent and they'll refund for any dodgy produce with no quibbles. I really like the fact that you can choose not to receive certain veggies, which means no more yucky cauliflowers contaminating my kitchen! :rotfl:

They have also proved very reliable - when we had all that heavy snow last year and nearly every company stopped delivering, the A&C van made its way down my snow and ice-covered road and the delivery driver carried the box down the slippery drive to hand it over to me. :T

I was previously with Riverford and found their quality very poor - nearly every box I received had one or more mouldy or otherwise unusable items - and their policy of replacing in the next order rather than refunding meant that I'd have some weeks with hardly any veg then, the next week, more than I could use. This was a few years ago, though, so things might well have changed by now.

Kathy535

I had a couple of boxes but found them overpriced. The quality of the goods wasn't great and there wasn't really enough of anything to do much with the fruit and veg. It's a shame as I really wanted to like them.

alfsmum

I've had the odd box in the past and the content was OK-ish but nothing special.

I was tempted to restart this week after yet another mail shot, but the recent bad reviews have put me off. The marketing phone calls in the evening have also put me off.

Broomstick

I echo what CCP said. I've used them on and off for years. I think that quality slips a bit in winter months - but it does for most fresh food - and maybe the quality isn't overall quite what it was a few years ago, but I love the fact that they allow you preferences and that you can get some very different things in season eg samphire. Most of the food tastes better than supermarket organics.

Organic veg has been our one luxury apart from running a car (which we have to have for work and I'm trying to economise more and more on the journeys we have to make). However, I'm having to look at cutting back our other spending even more and I've currently stopped my Abel & Cole order. I'm trying out more local food so that, if it can't be organic veg, then at least I can try to keep the food miles down. We have been on our local allotment waiting list for three years and are now at fifty somethingth... There's a limit to what we can grow in pots and an allotment would be an ideal solution really.

I've never had any cold-calling from A&C, their customer service has been second to none with no quibble refunds which I always asked for if any food was not up to scratch, and they have always managed to keep deliveries going through foul weather (which might be the only thing that would make me reinstate my order if the weather goes bad again).

My elderly parents also buy from them and the driver walks a really long way with their order to get to their flat, carries it into the kitchen for them and makes sure they are ok. I don't know if they've just got a good bloke or if there's a company policy to do that.

Why don't you try just one box and see what you think?

B x

Rainbow82

I've used them on and off for about four years and love them, especially in the autumn, spring and summer when I like finding something new in my box that I never would have thought to try. I don't think the mixed boxes or fruit boxes are really worth the money any more but the veg boxes are good and I've only had ropy looking veg once but like a lot if other people have said the their customer service on that occasion was great. They usually send recipe cards etc with unusual veg which is nice as well.

Tony1234_2

We are talking about organic food. I am running from food which can stay in perfect condition for days and weeks this indicate that vegetables are well pumped up with nonorganic substances. If they cannot survive a few days – that is good. Where did you see home grown tomato staying without refrigeration for a few days in the same condition as you left it? I definitely would avoid it and would definitely not call it a quality.
However, I just received the first box from the guys for £19. A 3 tomatoes a 3 corns and a 15 potatoes… in other words … not much. It is a box almost the size of bear box for £17. The quantity for “Middle size” £19 box is really low. Again how much are they organic? The vegetables are well looking, fresh potatoes without a signature of soil. So they been washed well. That means liquid on you vegetables. How would you know the quality of the water? Were preservants and other stuff sprayed on them? I would suggest to guys instead of recipes, send the knowledge how the vegetable travels from the field to your box. I mean this what really stands out and important. This is what makes people buying this type of vegetables. What really hides (real meaning) behind the label ORGANIC. If I pay premium price for 3 tomatoes I wish I better know (for sure) how it’s been grown.

Tony1234_2

To be fair and more positive I must say that there were more vegetables in the box than I mentioned above and the box is a bit bigger than a beer (I apologise for above spelling) box. Additionally with the list of vegetables I would much like to see it in weight so you know what to expect.