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Central NY Organic Businesses See Thanksgiving Boost Central New York Organic Farms and Stores See Thanksgiving Boost

Local Organic Food Businesses Benefit from Increase in Business

By Sierra Ryder

SIERRA RYDER: IT IS TURKEY SEASON. AND AT THE ORTENSI FARM…THE FARMERS ARE BUSY PREPPING THEIR TURKEYS FOR FEAST.

BERNADETTE ORTENSI: THIS YEAR WE HAVE 50 TURKEYS AND WE HAVE HAD ALL BUT THREE SOLD WHICH IS GREAT. AND JUST IN THE LAST THREE DAY WE HAVE HAD SEVEN COMMITMENTS.

RYDER: THE ORTENSI FARM HAS SEEN A 50 PERCENT INCREASE IN CUSTOMER INQUIRIES.

ORTENSI: OUR CUSTOMER BASE HAS GROWN IN THE LAST 6 MONTHS AND HONESTLY IN THE LAST THREE WEEKS I HAVE HAD A REALLY BIG INFLUX.

RYDER: ORTENSI SAYS SHE HAS BEEN SURPISED AND PLEASED WITH THE INCREASE OF CUSTOMERS. AND ACCORDING TO THE 2020 ORGANIC INDUSTRY SURVEY…ORGANIC FOOD SALES HAVE HIT 50 BILLION DOLLARS…THAT IS UP 4 POINT 6 PERCENT FROM THE
PREVIOUS YEAR.

ORTENSI: IT’S HEART WARMING AND IT HELPS SUPPORT A LOCAL FARM WHICH WE ARE.

RYDER: ONE NEWCOMER TO EATING ORGANIC SAYS SHE IS NOT GOING BACK.

ELIZABETH CRAWFORD: I ACTUALLY STARTED DURING COVID19 AND I DON’T THINK WE WILL DO IT ANOTHER WAY. IT’S A LOT MORE REASSURING AND IT FEELS LIKE A BETTER RELATIONSHIP THAN JUST GO BUY FROM THE GROCER STORE AND NEVER SEE THE ACTUAL FARM OR FARMER.

RYDER: LONGTIME ORGANIC CUSTOMERS ALSO BELIEVE THE UPTICK IN ORANIC EATING IS DUE TO THE PANDEMIC PLACING HEALTH ON THE FOREFRONT OF PEOPLES MIND.

MARION ROACH SMITH: WITH ALL THE ILLNESS, I THINK WE’RE JUST LOOKING FOR SOME KIND OF CONTROL, AND SOME KIND OF REASSURANCE…WITH THIS TIME AND THIS SECLUSION AND THIS TIME TOGETHER WE CAN COOK TOGETHER IN A CLEAN ORGANIC WAY.

RYDER: LOCAL FARMERS ARE NOT THE ONLY ORGANIC BUSINESSES FINDING NEW CUSTOMERS. YOU CAN ALSO COME TO THE LOCAL CO-OP TO PICK UP THOSE ORGANIC FOODS FOR YOUR TURKEY OR OTHER ORGANIC FOODS FOR YOUR FEAST.
GENERAL MANAGER OF THE SYRACUSE COOP SAYS THEY HAVE SEEN A 40
PERCENT INCREASE IN SALES SINCE MARCH…AND SIMILAR TO THE ORTENSI’S, TURKEYS ARE IN HIGH DEMAND.

JEREMY DECHARIO: WE HAVE SEEN NEW CUSTOMERS COME IN AND I THINK PART OF IT IS THE HEALTHY ORGANIC FOOD WE HAVE HAD FOR 45 YEARS…WE HAVE A LOT OF REQUESTS FOR SMALL TURKEYS.

SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) – The organic food business is seeing a boost in customers. According to the National Organic Survey organic food sales increased by 4.6% and accumulated up to $50 billion dollars in sales.

This increase in business has been felt in Central New York.  At The Ortensi Farm all but three of their 50 turkeys have been sold.  And in the past few weeks the business inquiries have been increasing as well.

“Our customer base has grown in the past six months,” said Bernadette Ortensi, owner of The Ortensi Farm.

“I have had a really big influx so it got super busy when the shut down happened, it got quiet this summer and as COVID started to increase with numbers I started to get emails via my website and phone calls,” Ortensi said .

Longtime customer of the farm, Marion Roach Smith, said that one reason she enjoys her organic meat is that it helps her live a heathier lifestyle.

“With this time and this seclusion and this time together, we can cook together and shop together in a clean organic way and appreciate each other’s company,” Smith said.

The Syracuse Coop is another local business experiencing more sales in the past months. The general manager of the store, Jeremy DeChario, says that they have seen 40-50% more sales.

“In the last couple months, we’ve seen an increase in customer counts kind of rebounding and growing over the last year,” DeChario said.

Currently organic turkeys are in high demand at The Ortensi Farm and the Syracuse Coop.

“One thing we’re seeing is a lot of folks asking for smaller turkeys,” DeChario said .

Organic customer and health coach, Elizabeth Crawford, said that she believes more people are turning to organic food due to its potential health benefits.

“People are really wanting to take extra steps to protect their health so that they can be more able to manage illness if it comes their way.  And just avoid it in general if they can through being a healthier human being,” Crawford said .

“I am not in charge of Thanksgiving dinner, but if I was I would for sure get some turkeys from the Ortensi farm,” Crawford said.

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