Bulk Herbs, Spices, Teas and Coffee
Oregano, Lavender, Oolong and More
This is the department to visit if you want bold flavor for your stews, a steaming cuppa', or something to soothe a sore throat. The bulk herbs, spices, teas and coffee section has it all: Medicinal herbs like nettle and eucalyptus; Strong, flavorful coffee blends; Black, green, white, red and herbal teas. Our spices area is designed with chefs in mind and we have many hard-to-find selections and multiple varieties of staples like cinnamon, pepper and curry.
Fair Trade, Local and Organic!
We source our products from suppliers committed to organic standards and good labor practices. You'll see jars labelled "fair trade and organic" throughout our section. It would be a challenge (or impossible) to find locally grown English Breakfast Tea or Sumatran coffee or Himalayan sea salt, but we do try to bring you locally sourced items as well. Useful Weeds in Andover, CT provides us with blended herbal teas that are organically grown or ethically wild crafted. We are open to suggestions of more local suppliers!
Why Buy Bulk?
Because it is economical-- take tea, for example: a pound of tea is an investment (especially one of the pricier blends), but you get hundreds of cups of tea (it takes about .05 ounce of tea to make a cup) for your money and it is fresher and better quality that most bagged tea.
Here are a few comparisons:
We could go on, but you get the picture.
But bulk is not just good for your wallet. When you buy bulk you can buy as much or as little as you like, making it is easy and risk-free to try new flavors and textures and colors like a little bit of berbere (an Ethiopian spice mixture) or few pink pepper berries. Buying bulk, you buy more of the product and less of the packaging.
Here are a few comparisons:
- Numi Gunpowder Green is $6.75 for a 1.27oz package of bagged teas which totals out to $78.74 a pound, while bulk Gunpowder Green is $25.42 a pound.
- Milkthistle from Celebration Herbals will cost you $7.95 for 2.11ozs or $60.28 a pound, compared to bulk Milkthistle, which sells for $20.10 a pound.
- Two Leaves and a Bud Assam is $6.79 for a 1.33oz box of bagged teas, or $81.68 a pound. Bulk Assam tea will run you $18.50 a pound.
We could go on, but you get the picture.
But bulk is not just good for your wallet. When you buy bulk you can buy as much or as little as you like, making it is easy and risk-free to try new flavors and textures and colors like a little bit of berbere (an Ethiopian spice mixture) or few pink pepper berries. Buying bulk, you buy more of the product and less of the packaging.
How to Buy Bulk Herbs, Spices, Tea and Coffee
For first time buyers, our bulk herbs, spices, tea and coffee area can be a little intimidating. So here we break it down into a few easy steps. Coffee is the simplest: get a bag, fill it with coffee, label it with the price per pound, grind or not and you are good to go.
For all our jarred items, here is the run down:
1) Grab a bag (we have large and small plastic bags and paper bags)
2) Pick up a clean scoop from the clean scoop container
3) Scoop your desired amount into the bag and seal/fold it up
4) Discard your used scoop (even if it doesn't look dirty) into the used scoop tub. Don't worry, we don't throw them away. We wash and reuse them
5) Put a label on the bag and write your price per pound on the label
6) Take it to the register
Troubleshooting: If the clean scoop buckets are empty, there are usually more stored on top of the spice shelf. Its also a good idea to write the name of the herb or spice or tea on the label so you don't end up putting marjoram in your tea cup or goldenseal in your curried soup.
For all our jarred items, here is the run down:
1) Grab a bag (we have large and small plastic bags and paper bags)
2) Pick up a clean scoop from the clean scoop container
3) Scoop your desired amount into the bag and seal/fold it up
4) Discard your used scoop (even if it doesn't look dirty) into the used scoop tub. Don't worry, we don't throw them away. We wash and reuse them
5) Put a label on the bag and write your price per pound on the label
6) Take it to the register
Troubleshooting: If the clean scoop buckets are empty, there are usually more stored on top of the spice shelf. Its also a good idea to write the name of the herb or spice or tea on the label so you don't end up putting marjoram in your tea cup or goldenseal in your curried soup.
Who Are Your Buyers?
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Frida Berrigan buys loose teas and medicinal herbs. Carol Booth buys herbs and spices and seeds for sprouting. Ellen Anthony buys coffee. |
