It was in 2014 that Chanel and Karl Lagerfeld made épicerie chic by transforming the Grand Palais in Paris for his fall/winter 2014-2015 show. This season, Bottega Veneta has been training its Racing Green spotlight on 12 bottegas around its home country of Italy, both celebrating craft that’s at the heart of what they do.
Coop Fresh, the stylish solution to grocery shopping that has saved many a pantry since it was launched right at the height of last year’s lockdown, shares its time-saving ethos with sister company, the fashion brand Harlan & Holden.
They have made it their mission to have the widest assortment, from kale to kangkong, from wild-caught salmon to galunggong, from watercress to ampalaya, all delivered fresh, as though you picked it yourself.
Formerly called Coop Grocer, Coop Fresh is both tech firm and online grocer, utilizing an algorithm-based and A.I.-powered online platform to make every transaction hassle-free, harnessing the latest technology to display real-time inventory and stock updates, which significantly lowers prices and eliminates human error. (I, for one, am stressed by calls in the middle of a meeting asking for last-minute substitution and delays at other online grocers. There’s none of that with Coop.)
“Phygital” is the next frontier. Their physical, brick-and-mortal store at the corner of Shangri-La at The Fort in the heart of BGC allows digital natives the real-life joy of grocery shopping while keeping it hassle-free; all in-person orders are scanned and checked out from your digital carts on the Coop website and then delivered to your doorstep so you can enjoy the rest of your “day out” without toting heavy grocery bags around.
The phygital Coop store also launches their line of Coop-branded products, all made fresh from their commissary in Pasig. I am a big fan of their sauces; their deep-roasted sesame dressing to Thai-style vinaigrette with fish sauce and lime are delicious on their own but also play well with other ingredients when tweaked, depending on my recipe. They also have their brand of Pullman loaves and house-made gelato. I was able to enjoy a plant milk substituted version of their boba teas IRL, then ordered a bottled version for my friends. Botanical cocktails are available as well as plant-based ethyl alcohol — both essentials for this season.
In the words of Coop Fresh president Eman Pineda, “At Coop, we don’t sell groceries — we sell freshness.” — Marbbie Tagabucba
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Coop Fresh’s “phygital store” is located at Shangri-La at the Fort, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig. Follow @coop.fresh on Instagram for updates.