Latest / Sweat Community / Ep 17. Can Healthy, Plastic-Free Grocery Shopping Really Work? | Verity Noble, Nude Foods Market
Transcript
- Sheena: lose that. Okay, perfect. Okay. All right. Welcome to Sweat Community Podcast, where we talk with people, businesses, and leaders shaping health and wellness here in Colorado. Today we're talking about something we all do eat and grocery shop. My guest is Verity from Nude Foods Market, a Colorado-based zero-waste grocery store that's rethinking the way we shop for food, And I have a lot of questions because I think many of us want to make healthier and more sustainable choices. But we're also busy, we're on a budget, and we don't necessarily want to completely change the way we shop. we are gonna talk about whether zero waste grocery shopping is actually practical, what we're eating and consuming that we might not realize, Kough Kough Microplastics, and of course, Shark Tank. Verity, welcome to Sweat Community. Verity Noble: Hi, Sheena. Thanks so much for having me. Sheena: Hi, thank you so much for being here. I want to get into the story behind Nude Foods. Can you give us a little bit of history what inspired you to create nude foods and what problems you were trying to solve? Verity Noble: Absolutely. So personally I hate waste. I hate wasting time. I hate wasting stuff. I like to move fast and use everything as it should be. I really started to see all the plastic waste around when I traveled to Africa when I was 18. And slowly kept seeing more and more of these issues. and then I saw the movie WALLY or WALLI, I never quite know how it's pronounced. where a little robot is on Earth searching among all the trash to try and find if there's plant life still existing while the humans are all up on a spaceship in space doing whatever they're doing. and that just really filled me with horror about how potentially real that could be. if you go into one grocery store in one town, in one country and see all the single use plastic packaging that's in there. That turns over every week and there are literally thousands and thousands of these grocery stores around the world. And I'm terrified about where all that waste is going. And, before we'll say, don't worry, there's recycling. Sadly, recycling rates are super low. I mean, I think we're between nine and thirteen percent in Colorado we're good at it. plastic itself can really only be recycled a couple of times before it becomes completely useless. Sheena: that is terrifying. and yes, the movie Wally, I had that exact reaction. I feel like that could be our reality, or our children's or their children's reality. Verity Noble: Yeah. Sheena: And it is coming a lot quicker than I think people might actually think. Verity Noble: I know, I always think if we had a trash strike and no trash was collected for like a month, people would be absolutely horrified by the amount that they produce. I mean, think about it when you take a flight, right? The amount of trash that one person on that flight produces is enormous and we're all just going through the world, but trash is kinda hidden. Like we've got trash cans everywhere, we've got a really great system for removing it, but it's just hidden from sight and so I really feel that this needs addressing because we're starting to learn now that microplastics, as you alluded to earlier, are causing some really bad health problems. we're just at the tip of the iceberg, learning how bad microplastics are. And then what we're doing is we're wrapping our food in plastic and a lot of it will be heated in the plastic and that's a direct line to putting microplastics into our bodies. there's a great show Sheena: my god. Verity Noble: on Netflix actually, called The plastic detox. And it talks about how fertility has gone down well, sperm count has gone down by fifty percent in twenty years, and they're really associating it with increased microplastic consumption. Sheena: my gosh. Wow. so know. I think that the term microplastics is brought up a lot. I don't know if everybody actually really knows what that is. So can you describe what exactly are microplastics Verity Noble: So microplastics are what your plastic eventually breaks down into because plastic doesn't degrade into nothing. if you've got a banana skin, that'll just degrade into nothing eventually. Unless it's in the trash and then often they actually get preserved in Landville. but plastic just breaks down into smaller and smaller pieces, and those tiny pieces are called microplastics. and nanoplastics as well. they're so small that they're literally in the air. So if you think about like A lot of our carpets are made of plastic and particles are coming off that and we're breathing it in. a lot of our clothing is made of plastic, polyester, we're putting clothing on our bodies and every time we wash them, little pieces of plastic come off it and they go into the water, which goes into our drains, which goes into our waterways, which eventually comes back to us. We're literally breathing and drinking and eating microplastics, which is just such a gross thought. they found them at the top of Everest and they found them in the placenta of unborn babies. like, Sheena: What? Verity Noble: yeah, it's bad. Sheena: Wow, I actually I don't know if this is true, but I heard somewhere that there's so much microplastics that we have unknowingly consumed that there is about a plastic spoon size of microplastics in our brain. I have no idea if that's true, but that Verity Noble: I know I have heard the same thing and I don't know if it's true either, but I'm worried enough to avoid plastics at all costs. Like this plastic detox show, took all these couples who were having issues having babies and it got them to cut all plastic out of their lives. about ninety percent of them within a year had got pregnant. that's obviously a really small sample size, but just seeing the difference that that can make is astounding. And I think you can now have tests for microplastics. I was really intrigued to go and get a test myself because obviously I don't eat things that are plastic very often. so I was like, I wonder if I would be low or whether it's environmental enough, but these people managed to really change their health. makeup and their micro plastic levels in their bodies simply by not buying food and plastic, changing the utensils in their kitchen from plastic to wood and metal, all types of things like that. Not getting to go Sheena: Wow. Verity Noble: coffee cups, which are one of the worst. Sheena: The to go coffee cups, people think are surprising. Verity Noble: yeah. They are coded. people put them in recycling all the time and I'm like, What what are you doing? This is literally a plastic lined paper cup. and I did read a really good stat, I can't remember it now, but something like the number of microplastics you're drinking every time you get a to go cup. I mean my kids they are desperate to get Starbucks and things, and I'm like Have you got a reasonable gap with you? And they're like, No and I'm like, Well, I'm lucky. Sheena: Sorry for you. Verity Noble: Yeah. Sheena: that makes sense because when you think about it, like those cardboard cups or even when you go to I'm don't want to name a name, but like when you go to a store and you're thinking you're getting the salads or, you know, it can't just be cardboard because everything will seep through. So it makes sense it's lined with plastic. Verity Noble: It's not yeah. Yeah, exactly. Those those really sustainable looking cardboard boxes at a large Sheena: Yes. Verity Noble: grocery retailer we shall not name are absolutely Sheena: Yeah. Verity Noble: lined with plastic. And people put them in recycling and they're not recyclable. or compostable. Sheena: my gosh, I've done that too. I'm like, it's it's cardboard, it's recyclable. But I've just now Verity Noble: Well, no. Sheena: clicked to me, it's lined in plastic. Verity Noble: Yep. Sheena: Wow. my gosh. Yeah, there is so much hidden plastic that we don't know about. Like when you said the carpets and the clothing, like nobody is thinking this is full of plastic. Verity Noble: No, you don't because it's so ubiquitous. Like it's everywhere. And and plastic has done a lot of great things for the world, right? particularly in the medical field, it's made, people surviving terrible diseases possible because certain things that they have to have are made with plastic. But there is so much of it that's unnecessary. I mean, I have tween kids, Twin, by the way, not twin. and they just, Sheena: Yeah. Verity Noble: they know plastic is bad, they're really on board with the fact that plastic is bad. They try to avoid it at all costs, but even so they are constantly marketed to want plastic crap. Right? Sheena: Mm-hmm. Verity Noble: They want the little gadget and you know, I mean I do. God, it's so intoxicating, all Sheena: Yeah. Verity Noble: the, options that you can get. And I mean we've all just got to do our best. when you look out in the world you can sometimes get a little bit hopeless and be like, My God, what can I really do? We're all screwed. But there Sheena: Yeah. Verity Noble: are so many things that you can do. and obviously it helps the bigger picture in the planet, which is awesome, but most importantly it helps your health. Sheena: Mm-hmm. Can you tell Verity Noble: Mm. Sheena: me like how plastics really are bad for our health? Like what they actually do? Verity Noble: Sure. Yeah, if you think about it, they're made of chemicals, right? And we're wrapping our food in it. they're just starting to discover how bad it is. my strong belief is it's gonna be the next tobacco crisis. so Sheena: Wow. Verity Noble: they've associated it with certain cancers, with Alzheimer's, with Parkinson's, tons of different things. But yeah, just at the tip of the iceberg. So I think it's just gonna snowball from here and we're gonna realise 'Cause that's I mean, that's the biggest thing that's changed. I mean, obviously the internet, but the increase in the use of plastic over the last fifty years has been exponential. and we've seen increases in all these diseases. Sheena: Absolutely. It correlates completely. this kind of leads me into nude foods market. So can you tell me, what a zero waste grocery store actually is? And maybe what is the biggest misconception that you might hear? Verity Noble: Absolutely. and yeah, when people hear Zero Waste grocery store, they think of a place with lots of bins where you refill your products and it's a lot of work. We are not that. we have created this unique system where we pre fill the items in glass jars. it's just like shopping at a regular grocery store. You grab something off the shelf, you put it in your cart, you check out, you go home. The only difference is that instead of putting your single use plastic packaging in let's be realistic landfill when you're done with it you bring it back to us with your next shop you just pop it in these bins at the beginning of your grocery shop and then you shop again and we wash them, sanitize them and refill them so they can literally be used hundreds of times. it's a totally circular system with no waste. Plus everything that goes in the jars we're deeply researching because avoiding plastics is one thing, but also not putting other crap into your body. Like what we eat is the biggest indicator of how healthy we are. And if you're putting in loads of additives and preservatives and there's just so much stuff out there that people don't know is bad for them. so we do the job of researching every product that we stock to make sure it doesn't have any of these nasty things in it that people don't know about. or even that they do know about and so everything in there is good for people and planet. So the nice thing about that is you don't have to worry when you shop with us. You just come in and you know products are sustainable, they're good for you. If it's an animal product, we literally visit the farms where the animals are raised. they've been humanely raised and humanely treated. it's just a really worry free shopping experience. Sheena: Amazing. Amazing. the zero waste is mainly focused on the plastics. But the fact that you care so much about what is inside these jars and what you are actually selling, I think that's fantastic. you are saying that. There is a jar system. So people come in, they get the jars, which I'm just thinking right now, my gosh, if my pantry was just stocked with these beautiful glass jars instead of like plastic, all over the place. Right. It would just look so Verity Noble: yeah, it looks so pretty. You will love it. Sheena: clean and so organized, But to be able to just bring the jar in from the store, how easy does that make it? I love that. Verity Noble: Yeah. Absolutely. Sheena: Yeah, Verity Noble: And you and you have to take the trash out way less as well because you just you'll be amazed at how little trash you have if you shop at Need Foods. Sheena: absolutely. instead of worrying about then recycling the jar or what to do with it, you just bring it right back. Like I don't even have to wash it. I just bring it right back so it's super easy. Verity Noble: Yep. I mean we love it if people rinse it so that it doesn't go moldy in between, you know, but yeah. Sheena: for sure. Mm-hmm. Verity Noble: we do make it as hassle free as possible. You can also refill stuff there are some people who are like, I want to refill my own containers. So we do have a small refill section, particularly for things like shampoo and dishwasher detergent and things like that. But everything that we have for refill we also have pre filled. So you can choose Do I want the convenience? Or do I want something cheaper 'cause I'm doing the labour? Sheena: Mm-hmm. I get that. I feel like I am very conscious of even my dish soap, everything that I use, that I'm comfortable knowing what I clean it with. So as far as Verity Noble: Mm. Sheena: like you guys cleaning it in store, how do you sanitize it? Is it also like a natural soap or detergent? Verity Noble: Yes, absolutely. but we have a commercial dishwasher so it washes at extremely high temperatures. and we use, environmentally friendly, people friendly detergents. Sheena: Amazing. you have taken a lot of the work out of this for people to make it actually practical and easy. Do you find that people care and they're changing their habits through you and through this system? Verity Noble: Yes and no. we have something like three or four hundred five star reviews. People love what we're doing. Like our customers are amazing and so passionate about what we do. The hard piece is getting the people who really care about the environment and their health to change their habits. you wouldn't believe the number of people I meet who tell me how much they love nude foods and I ask them if they've ever been in there and they're like, I haven't made it in yet and I'm like, We've been around six years. Sheena: No Verity Noble: so so the biggest message I wanna get over to people is if you care about this and if you care about supporting local and about your health and about the environment, all you have to do is change your grocery store, but you actually have to do it. You can't just Sheena: Mm-hmm. Verity Noble: like the idea of it. Sheena: Absolutely. And I agree. I think, a lot of us can deeply care about the environment and our health. Verity Noble: Mm. Sheena: but again, to actually make that change and to step into the store and do that is a whole nother process. Verity Noble: Yeah. 'Cause grocery shopping is so ingrained in people, right? It's convenience driven, Sheena: Mm-hmm. Verity Noble: A, so people usually go to the closest store. And B, they've usually been going to the same store or set of stores. Most people shop at more than one grocery store, surprisingly. but they've usually been going to the same set for years and years and years. It's, you know, often ingrained from when they were kids. and where did their Sheena: Mm. Verity Noble: parents go to the grocery store? so Changing that and changing the location of where you go is really challenging. So we do deliver. we have a online grocery ordering system and you can get our product delivered to you, which makes it even easier. You literally go online, order it by noon on a Monday, and we deliver it on a Tuesday and you can have all your zero waste goodies and you can set it on a subscription and just forget about it and have all your staples Delivered right to your door and we pick out the empties when we drop off the new food. So it could not be more hassle free. Sheena: Yes, because convenience, that's everything. I hate driving anywhere past like my little bubble, you know? And so Verity Noble: mhm, ya Sheena: make it that convenient I feel like will help make it more sustainable for people to actually change their habits and hopefully stick with it. Verity Noble: Yeah, absolutely. And we had had people getting delivery from us when we first opened in twenty twenty and they're still getting weekly delivery from us now. So it's Sheena: Wow. Verity Noble: really yeah. It's obviously working for a lot of people 'cause still shopping here. Sheena: yes. That's so great. So something that I want to circle back on that you had brought up earlier was about the food, where you source it. where do you get the produce, the products, the meat that you were talking about? Is it all Verity Noble: Mm. Sheena: local? Do you go to these farms? Verity Noble: So almost fifty percent of our products are local. we work with the local suppliers to kind of train them in doing it in more zero waste format and either they put their products straight into our jars and deliver them to us or they deliver us their product in reusable big boxes and we jar it in our manufacturing facility. And then in terms of produce, we get a lot from local farms, especially in the summer, the farmers markets often bring us the stuff that they didn't sell that day. we have these amazing produce sales in Denver, you can fill an entire bag of produce for just fifteen dollars. The where we get that produce is from distributors or suppliers who have overstock. So, you know, like a farmer who's like, I have so many, I don't know, but nut squash and I can't sell them all. So can you take them off our hands? things that would otherwise have gone into landfill, we take them and they're perfectly good quality, but they're great quality. They just can't physically sell that many. So we do this great sale, people get a great deal on loads of healthy fruit and veg. Sheena: I love that. Verity Noble: And then you also asked about animal products. Sheena: Yes, yes. you've described as humanely raised. So where does that come from? Verity Noble: Yeah. Right. So actually used to be a hundred percent vegan as a store. but we realized that people were going elsewhere to get their meat and we were like, hmm okay, so if they go somewhere else to get their meat, they're then gonna buy other products which A are wrapped in plastic and B probably have pointless animal products in like so many chips have like skimmed milk powder. so we thought the way to actually have less animals be harmed is to stock animal products. And so we get eggs locally. We visited all the farms that we get the eggs. We have multiple local farms supplying us with eggs. the meat, a lot of it comes from Gramagrass, which is a local regenerative cattle farmer. So regenerative is really important to us. And for anyone who doesn't know what regenerative farming is, it's basically instead of extractive farming, which a lot of these big farms do, they're taking stuff out of the soil and ruining it. Regenerative farming is designed to regenerate the soil, make things healthier, it combines crops and animal grazing so that it's kind of more traditional style of farming that makes our land better and heals the earth. we have a big focus on that. And then milk, we work with an amazing local dairy called Five Freedoms. if anyone wants to be put off milk for life, watch a little video called Dairy is Scary. put me off for Sheena: Hmm. Verity Noble: because they literally take babies away from their mothers at two hours old. The Sheena: no. Verity Noble: the baby calves and the mums like cry and then they give the baby cows formula and then they take the mother's milk for humans. It's just wrong on so many levels and then the mothers get milked until they literally collapse. Anyway, it's horrible. It's all horrible. but this guy, he was a vet in the dairy industry and he found it so horrific that he went and started his own dairy farm. He keeps the babies with their mothers for five to six months, so they have that wonderful time together. He doesn't over milk them. He has them out in pasture. They are literally the happiest cows I've ever seen. we have visited them and been there. so yeah, we're really cautious about what we get. And we also have something, That probably not everyone has heard of, but invasive species is a big thing for us. wild boar are an invasive species. They're all over the US, and they really ruin the environments that they're in. they actually need to be culled because they're harming other species, they're harming the land, they're doing all these things. They have to be culled, but they live until they're killed a very free and fun life, foraging, no hormones, no antibiotics, no nothing like that. So we do also stock a lot of wild boar. we have wild boar sausages, we have wild boar ribs, wild boar jerky, breakfast burritos with wild boar so yeah, we're working on creating a market for these invasive species. Otherwise they're just killed and chucked away. for every wild boar that is eaten and used, it saves a pig from factory farming. Sheena: Absolutely. And then is wild boar, I'm just curious, more gamey or is it like pig? I mean it is a pig, but is it Verity Noble: No, it's it's it's very it's very like pork, I believe. people love it. So it's delicious. Sheena: Mm. And you say that's amazing. You say you believe because you are vegetarian or vegan, is that right? Verity Noble: yeah, I am mostly vegan. I'll occasionally Sheena: Okay. Verity Noble: need foods egg or two. Sheena: that's great. I've been hearing and reading so much about how eating plants can reduce the risk of cancer and other things. Verity Noble: Percent. Sheena: Right, right. I think it's so good for us to eat more plant based versus meat based. Verity Noble: And also, meat is one of the most environmentally unfriendly foods you can eat. Like Sheena: Yes, Verity Noble: I think by stopping eating meat would be better for the environment than stopping driving a car or something like like Sheena: Wow. Verity Noble: it's a really big impact because of all the methane, Sheena: Wow. Verity Noble: that cows produce? the factory farming. Sheena: Yeah. Verity Noble: even things like all the poop is getting like slurried into waterways it's just horrible. Sheena: it's so bad. It's so bad. So I think people very much, especially nowadays, are very worried about getting their protein goals and their protein intakes. So for someone to be vegan or vegetarian, how do you recommend they get their protein without eating meat? Verity Noble: I have over a hundred grams of protein every day and I don't eat meat. I'm obsessed with the protein powder at Nude Foods and also be warned protein powders can have heavy metals in them. So you want to get a third party tested So we have this amazing vanilla lakuma protein powder, which I love. So that gives me a ton of protein. my lunch just now was black bean papuses the beans are great. I eat a lot of nuts. and tofu is literally my favorite thing. other than my husband, my entire family loves tofu. and so you can just cook tons of things with that. Sheena: Wonderful. I've heard that the soy in tofu can be harmful? Verity Noble: from my understanding that has been debunked. I eat a lot of soy and I imagine it's probably a ploy by the meat industry to be like, Don't eat the vegetarian stuff. Sheena: Sure. Yeah, Verity Noble: it's a complete plant protein and research does not show that normal soy consumption disrupts human hormones. it's phytoestrogens behave differently from estrogen. so if you can support heart and overall health. So the only issue Sheena: Okay, that Verity Noble: is if you have a soy allergy. Sheena: Okay. that's so helpful because it stuck with me. I mean, I think I heard it probably a decade ago Verity Noble: Yeah. Sheena: that, you know, but I it still sticks with me. So I'm nervous about eating tofu just from hearing that. Verity Noble: I know, right? Sheena: and clearly I've never researched it, so but Verity Noble: Yeah, it's amazing how these myths can perpetuate. and exactly, and Sheena: yes, how dangerous they can actually be to us. Verity Noble: that's I mean that's what they're designed to do, isn't it really? Sheena: Yes. So if somebody is walking into Nude Foods how can this be like a one-stop shop? I mean, I think you even have a full-time chef there so people can pick Verity Noble: We do. Sheena: up meals like that are already ready. Verity Noble: Absolutely. we have produce. I mean we don't have the kind of produce range that big, huge grocery stores have, but we have the most popular items. I am certainly able to get all my produce needs met. and we have all your baking supplies, we have snacks, a lot of local snacks and come in our jars. We have delicious chocolates, chocolate covered dates, wild monkey bars, we've even got jelly beans with no artificial food dyes. then we've got all the grains and the rice and those type of things. And then yeah, the bit that's the most exciting is the meal. We have a full time chef and he creates delicious meals and they literally go jar to table in five minutes flat. I've done a dinner party for ten people in a total of ten minutes, like a three course meal using these. it's just so easy. nutritious, delicious, made in house, no bad crap in it. it never touched plastic, So it just makes life really easy to eat healthily. Sheena: Amazing. I think that so unique you can just come in, get groceries, and leave with dinner. Like that's so cool. cool. What kind things Verity Noble: Yeah. And and we have lunch items as well. Like we have, you know, mac and cheese, noodle bowls, salads, wraps, breakfast burritos, we have smoothies, Sheena: Perfect. Verity Noble: we have fresh juices, soups is a big popular one. Sheena: Ugh, yum. yeah, It just comes back to that whole idea of convenience because you're not asking people to sacrifice convenience in order to be sustainable. Verity Noble: Yeah, exactly. Honestly, we're trying to make it even more convenient to be not Sheena: Wait, yeah. Verity Noble: only sustainable but healthy. we have a lot of people who have these meals on subscription and they get three meals a week. Sheena: delivered. Verity Noble: or get it delivered. We call it the tasty trio. and they feed four people easily. So you can last a whole week on lunches and dinners with these three meals. Maybe not a whole Sheena: I mean. Verity Noble: week, but but pretty close. Sheena: So this is kind of making me think that all of this extremely, you know, good for you food, low plastics, this has to be expensive, right? healthy food we just equate to more expensive. how do you stay affordable that people can come in every week and shop with you? Verity Noble: yeah, some things are more expensive than elsewhere. Most things are about the same. So and the things that are more expensive than elsewhere, it's not the same product. We've just found the most sustainable product, so it's maybe harder to get. but generally you can shop pretty affordably nude we take B T and SNAP, so it's accessible. we have always have a free and fifty percent off produce section. So these are things that maybe don't look quite as nice as they used to, but people can just grab them and help themselves. and also if you refill your own stuff, you know, the labor and the cross bars comes with pre filling the containers. So if you are looking to save money and it'd be slightly less convenient, then you can absolutely refill your own jars. But it's really interesting. We get such mixed feedback. Some people say, I can't believe how affordable this is. It's amazing. And others say, this is more than I want to spend. But most people who shop with us regularly feel it's affordable. it's not gonna be your Trader Joe's prices, but equally it's not wrapped in five layers of plastic. Sheena: Mm-hmm. Exactly. yeah, that surprises me too to hear that shopping is comparable to shopping at the regular grocery store down the street. Like Verity Noble: Yeah, it absolutely can be. And also, anyone who's like, this is a little bit more expensive. you're probably gonna save a lot of money on your health in future and a lot of pain because you're eating better, Sheena: hundred percent. Verity Noble: you haven't got the microplastics, et cetera, et cetera. But yeah, I mean for example, our meals are thirty two dollars. So that's eight dollars a serving for a ready made meal. I mean, where do you find that? Like nowhere. Sheena: Wow. Yeah. There's no Verity Noble: Yep. Sheena: you cannot find that anywhere. not even I don't want to name names, but not even the, Verity Noble: Yeah. Sheena: you know, the faster food places. You can't even get that for. Wow. Verity Noble: Exactly, exactly. Sheena: That's so good to hear. Because I think there is just that misconception that sustainable or organic automatically means expensive. that's very Verity Noble: Yeah, and I can understand why people feel that, because it often can. And it's it's a shame in many ways, but it's also understandable, right? and that's the real bummer is that doing things sustainably is more effort. And that's why most suppliers don't do it. And the trouble is, is that people keep buying the non sustainable stuff because it's cheaper and easier. But if there was demand for all the sustainable items, then the price would come right down. Sheena: Absolutely. Verity Noble: we have the power to make these changes as humans. Sheena: Yeah. That's that's actually so powerful for you to say that. because I think we think that like me as an individual, I do not have the power to make change. Where my husband would always say, Well, what is me? recycling or me doing this gonna have an impact or gonna do. And I keep telling him, Well, if we all collectively did it, but then he likes to always Verity Noble: Right. Sheena: say, what about the other countries like China, India? If they're not doing it, nothing's gonna change with the environment. Verity Noble: I mean if everyone yeah, if everyone said that, then no one would do anything. I mean, look at Greta Thunberg, what she's done simply by going and sitting outside Parliament, Mother Teresa, all these people can make huge effects on the human race. And just because you're not famous or well known doesn't mean you can't make a massive difference. You know, humans individually, each of us produces over seventeen hundred pounds of waste a year. Sheena: A year Verity Noble: yeah. if you changed your grocery shopping you would cut that by about two thirds. Because most Sheena: Two thirds. Verity Noble: of your plastic comes from groceries, right? If you think about your trash can, it's mostly food packaging. Because Sheena: Yeah. Verity Noble: that's what you're consuming every day. You know, you're not buying clothes every day. You're not buying other gadgets every day. You're buying food every single day. And if it's all wrapped in plastic packaging, the majority of your trash. And so by changing where you shop for groceries, you cut that immediately. I mean in total we have saved over one point five million pieces of plastic from ever being used. that's Sheena: Amazing. Verity Noble: That's huge. And if there was more people shopping at Nude Foods, we'd get to five million pieces. I think people underestimate the power of their actions to influence other people. you just have this huge positive effect just by changing your actions and sharing that with people. what brings the most customers to us is word of mouth. So something Sheena: Mm-hmm. Verity Noble: like seventy four percent of our customers find us 'cause a friend has been like, You have to try this. It's amazing. Sheena: I completely believe that. So I I'm still sitting on that fact that two-thirds of our waste comes from where we shop, grocery shop. Verity Noble: Mm. Sheena: wow. So How do we make low plastic or zero waste grocery shopping the norm instead of the exception. Verity Noble: Start shopping at Need Foods because we have big Sheena: Hey. Verity Noble: plans to expand across Colorado, across the country, across the world. we wanna make this national and be the next big grocery store and to do that we need people to change where they shop, Sheena: Absolutely. what would actually have to change to make the sustainable choice the easiest choice for consumers. What is your thoughts on that? Verity Noble: I mean I think that regulations are starting to I mean, not in our current administration, but hopefully Sheena: Yeah. Verity Noble: that'll restart again in the future. But you know, there's a lot of regulation that's gonna be coming in, like the producer responsibility bill in Colorado where the companies have to pay to cover the cost of recycling or dealing with the trash that they're creating. So the combination of customer demand and a regulatory environment will make it possible for sustainable grocery shopping to really grow. Sheena: Yes. Do you think on that note, charging people for plastic bags is actually changing behavior or making a difference? Verity Noble: I actually I do. even though it's a relatively low cost, I think it just makes people think twice, like, do I need a bag? Sheena: it's making it more normal for us to bring in our own bags to fill. Verity Noble: Mm. Sheena: And that's kind of like the concept of nude foods. If we bring in our the jars, you know, Verity Noble: Absolutely. Sheena: we bring that in and just fill it there Verity Noble: Although I do think it's interesting with the reusable bag kind of phenomenon. you see signs all around these big grocery stores saying, Don't forget your reusable bag. They are putting the emphasis on the customer doing the work, right? You have to bring your reusable bag and then you're gonna fill it with all the single use plastic that they're providing you. So we're turning that on its head. Rather than saying, Hey customers, you need to do this, we're providing the option of, hey, We've done the work. You don't have to. Sheena: That's so good. Yeah. And there's so many other little changes too that we can all do like reducing the use of plastic straws, what other things can people do just everyday things that will help reduce plastic use and kind of normalize all of this? Verity Noble: Yeah, that's a great question. I actually run something called the twenty one day challenge and it's a step by step plan of how to reduce your plastic waste. on our website but just as quick things, I have a go bag with me all the time. I've got my reusable coffee cup, I've got my reusable water bottle, I have knife fork spoon, collapsible Tupperware. And when I go to a restaurant and I don't finish all my food, I just whip out my reasonable Tupperware rather than getting a plastic lined to go box. And if I am going to get takeout, I actually go and I order for bear and then I scrape it into my Tupperware. amazingly I thought my kids would be mortified I did this, but they're so Sheena: Ha ha ha. Verity Noble: y they're so used to it that they don't bat an eyelid. it's just and saying no, you won't believe how powerful it is to say, Hey, can we get our waters without straws? Or, Yeah, I'll have a coke please, but no straw. Like just being vocal and making the decision to not use things rather than just go with the norm. plants a seed in people's mind. for example, if I haven't got a reasonable coffee cup and I go to a coffee shop, I'll just have coffee Like Sheena: Mm-hmm. Verity Noble: What does it take me? Another ten minutes? It's not that long. Or I won't have coffee and then I'll make sure I remember it next time. Sheena: There you go. And I'm just so curious, like you bringing the Tupperware in, have you found resistance with it? or when you get takeout and you bring in your own containers, has anybody Verity Noble: No. Sheena: ever, questioned that or given you problems? Verity Noble: not in restaurants they all think it's really cool. They're like, that's such a good idea. the only place is if I am somewhere and I go get like fish from a big grocery store, a lot of them will put it straight into my top wear, but some of them really argue about it. I'm not allowed to do that, blah, blah, blah, blah. but often they do. so yeah, I think it's just about pushing these things. And if they say no, then, you can find another route. But if I need to go and get something at a grocery store away from nude foods, I take my own container and I'm like, Hey, do you mind putting it in here? I really try not to use plastic And Sheena: Hmm. Verity Noble: they're like, Sure, no problem. Sheena: that's so good. yeah, I think a lot people are worried about what other people might think or just if that resistance that they might face, but will be surprised by people actually thinking that was a cool idea. So I think it's Verity Noble: Ya. Sheena: a great idea and I I want to start doing that as well. I love it. Verity Noble: Yeah, I just think people should apologise for themselves less, you know you're doing the right thing. Like, what does it matter what other people think? Sheena: Yeah. Yes, yes. You're helping the environment. You're helping your body. Like who cares what someone that you might never see again thinks, you know? Verity Noble: Exactly, like God you're such an asshole for not using plastic. You know, I mean no one's gonna say that. Sheena: The worst person ever. Yeah. my gosh. I think those are great tips. And I love that you have that on your site, the 21-day challenge that people can, gradually get into reducing their own plastic use. And I'm totally gonna check that out right after we finish on here. Verity Noble: Right. Sheena: Yeah. so you were mentioning about how you want to expand and scale, and that's how this is going to really get out there. and you've proven that this model can work, Do you envision opening a lot more nude food stores, or do you see this model being incorporated into existing stores, Verity Noble: Both those things. So centralized manufacturing and distribution centre, which serves five to six stores within an hour's drive. those will be main stores, and then expanding through doing store within a store we just opened a store within a store at Moxie Bakery in North Boulder. they had a room at the back of their bakery and said, Hey, would you guys like to bring nude foods in here? And so our plan is to expand through both those routes. Sheena: That's so exciting. I'm thrilled for you guys to continue to expand. I love Verity Noble: Thank you. Sheena: Yes, it's amazing. And speaking of scaling and expanding, you had the opportunity to take nude foods to one of the biggest business stages in the country, Shark Tank. can you take me back to that moment when you found out that you were going to be on Shark Tank and how that came about? Verity Noble: Yeah, actually they contacted us about Sheena: Well. Verity Noble: applying and honestly I was a bit like, really, I just don't think we're very shark tanky kind of company. You know, we're Sheena: Yeah. Verity Noble: very geographically limited in our kind of reach and we're really focused on Boulder and Denver. I almost didn't bother applying 'cause it's a really huge application. But then I was like, you know what, I'll just do it and see what happens. and so I did the application. We did a really funny video where we're basically nude apart from vegetables. in strategic places. they emailed us and was like, Hey, can we set up a meeting in two weeks? And we were like, Great. We thought this is like the next stage of the interview process. And we got on the phone with them and they were like, Can you come to LA on June the whatever fifteenth? And we're like, yeah. So Sheena: Wow. Verity Noble: that was really exciting. it's a amazing process. they looked after us so well. And they were so nice. you practice your pitch like three thousand times and you have to do it on Zoom like a two and a half hour legal call to hear what you can and can't say on screen, you can't share with anyone that you're gonna be on Shark Deck. you get fined a ton of money. and then we had to pitch in front of like sixty people giving us feedback. then we flew out to LA, went on the show, which was just incredible. we had so much fun. just had real banter with them. It was really fun. Rachel and I don't get particularly nervous, so it wasn't a scary experience. and we got two offers. and it was a huge hit, but we had to wait until the following March before it aired so we couldn't really tell anyone. Sheena: Well. Verity Noble: which was excruciating. it is a long time. yeah, the Sheena: Yeah. It's a long time. Yeah. Verity Noble: the airing on Shark Tank has just been a great promotion for us. Sheena: Absolutely. And then you ultimately decided not to make the deal. So what went into that and what did you learn from that experience? Verity Noble: So yeah, it was kind of a mutual decision. We just realized what they could offer us A, they wanted a lot of equity for not much money. and B, they're really placed well to help, companies that are selling a thing online that can immediately scale up production and sell a million items because, you know, they've got a national reach. Whereas for us we're looking for very localized, Boulder and Denver people to shop at Nude Foods. So it just what they could bring didn't really align with how much we're having to give away. So ultimately we both decided it wasn't the best thing for the business. Sheena: Sure. Sure. I see that. you mentioned, expanding in Denver and Boulder. Do you see yourself Verity Noble: Mm. Sheena: coming to the South Denver area for some Verity Noble: Yes. Yes. That is actually next on our list. Sheena: that's so exciting. I'm like hint, hint Highlands Ranch. Verity Noble: Yeah, but that's exactly where we're looking. Sheena: Wow, that's very, very exciting. I hope that new foods expands everywhere because I think this is so, huge in protecting our environment. another reason why I was so excited to have you here isn't just because of the sustainability piece, but it's because of the community that you're building around nude foods. what does community mean to you when you think about nude foods market? Verity Noble: for us community is everything. our community is what has made this whole thing possible. for people when they go into nude foods, it feels really different. Like it feels like a personal experience. You'll get to know our staff. You know, usually Sheena: Mm-hmm. Verity Noble: you don't think of community when you think of grocery shopping, do you? Sheena: Right. Verity Noble: It's just a convenience thing. But this is something that people are proud to do and they meet people through it Sheena: Yeah, and I think the reason it it has made such a community is because I think there's a lot of very like-minded people that shop there that are environmentally and health conscious and I feel like everybody feels like they're coming together here and they're making an impact, which is really cool. So what impact do you think nude foods has had on the Colorado community besides simply reducing plastic waste? Verity Noble: think it's really brought together food makers and the people who eat it. we're very into introducing makers to the community. that has really been a highlight for me. Bringing bringing people Sheena: All right. Verity Noble: closer to their food. Sheena: And I think it makes people Like when I buy healthier foods or, that's more sustainable or meat that's humanely raised, I just feel better I think there's just there's something to it. Absolutely. Okay. Now we're gonna move on to some rapid fire, which is fun little section, little more lighthearted, quick questions, first thing that comes to mind, are you ready? All Verity Noble: I'm ready. Sheena: right. what is your favorite food? Verity Noble: Serial. Sheena: Cereal. my gosh. Do you have a favorite brand? Verity Noble: En fin. Sheena: Perfect. I Verity Noble: Nature is complex, vayame. Sheena: my gosh, I didn't even think of cereal at Nude Foods. You really have it all. It's great. Favorite Colorado food spot. Aside from Nude Foods. Verity Noble: True truth is. Sheena: True Foods. Okay, that's good. favorite nude foods product. Verity Noble: this is so hard. Everyone asks me this. I think the the protein powder, I love it so much. The vanilla protein Sheena: I Verity Noble: powder. Sheena: amazing, amazing. what is one food that you could never give up? Verity Noble: I could never go up. there is one thing that my husband and I are totally addicted to but it's packaged so I'm kinda embarrassed. I'm trying Sheena: no, no, you gotta share it. Verity Noble: to give it okay, it's the cookie dough true bars. We're freaking obsessed with them, like I mean it's really bad. But we do Sheena: Ha ha ha. Verity Noble: then put the packaging into Ridwell, which is like they actually properly recycle it. But even so I'm still embarrassed. But we're trying to give them up. But they're so good. It's chocolate. Sheena: my gosh. Thank you for your honesty. Verity Noble: Right. Sheena: one sustainability habit that you do every single day? Or most days? Verity Noble: Bike. Sheena: Bike. very good. Verity Noble: Yeah, I bike I have I have three or four bikes, including a big electric cargo bike, and I do my grocery shopping on my bike. I do most of my travelling by bike. I love biking so much. Sheena: so good. And on the other side, what is one sustainability habit you wish you were better Verity Noble: Not eating these damn true bars. Sheena: Ha ha ha. Verity Noble: But at least they are seed oil free. Sheena: There you go. and then what is something people would be surprised to learn about you? Verity Noble: Mm. I can wolf whistle really loudly. I'm kind of a small human and people are always like, Is that you? And I'm like, Yeah Sheena: That came from you? That came from your lungs? Nice. Verity Noble: Yeah. Sheena: And then last rapid fire what made you sweat this week? It could be anything physical, mental, Verity Noble: I did a four hour bike ride which was my biggest ride that I've ever done and that definitely made me sweat and made me really angry. Sheena: Wow. wow. Verity Noble: it was amazing. I was in the middle of nowhere. was really cool. Sheena: Good for you. All right, I'm gonna let you off the hot seat. If someone listening wants to make healthier, more sustainable choices, but doesn't want to completely overhaul their life, what is one thing that they can start doing this week? Verity Noble: Just shop at Nude Foods. That's it. That's all you gotta do. instead of Sheena: That's like Verity Noble: going to one other grocery store, just go to Nude Foods or order online. And Sheena: Yeah. perfect. perfect. Verity Noble: And I have a little gift for your listeners for ten dollars off their first shop at Nude Foods, it works online or in store. They just need to go and fill in their details at nudefoodsmarket dot com and let us know that they heard about us through you, that would be awesome. Sheena: Amazing. Thank you so much for offering that. I appreciate it. And that $10 off to either go into your store or online, I think is fantastic and cannot wait for people to try you. So speaking of that, where can people find you? Where are your stores? And where can they learn more about Nude Foods Market? Verity Noble: So look online at newTweedsmarket dot com. the store in Denver is at forty fourth and Lowell, so near Tennyson. in Boulder we're at thirty third and walnut and in North Boulder we are on North Broadway at Moxie Bredco. Sheena: Fantastic. And then hopefully expanding to more areas in the near future. Verity Noble: I'm sorry. Sheena: It's awesome. Cannot wait. Well, thank you, Verity, so much for being on Sweat Community Podcast. I learned so much just chatting with you today and I so appreciate you being on here. Verity Noble: My pleasure. thanks for having me. Sheena: Thank you so much for joining me, Verity. I loved getting a behind-the-scenes look at Nude Foods Market and learning about how we can make healthier and more sustainable choices a little easier in our everyday lives. And if you want to check out Nude Foods for yourself, You can get $10 off you shop online or visit them in the store. mention that you heard about nude foods from Sweat Community, I will have the URL in the show notes. And if you enjoyed this conversation, make sure to subscribe to sweatcommunity.com. where you can stay in the know about new podcast episodes, local events and the people and businesses shaping our Colorado community. And as always, I want to know what made you sweat this week. Until next time, bye.