NU GROCERY// Two Stores in Two Years

When I lived in Ottawa in 2017, Nu Grocery opened their first store. Last fall, they opened a second location. While I haven’t seen their new store up and running, prior to opening I was treated to a sneak peek of the new location on Main street. Nu Grocery has opened two stores in a relatively short time (two years). This is notable, and is echoed by what’s happening in other cities with new package free shops popping up worldwide.

During my visit last fall, I noticed that Nu in Hintonburg had started offering shopping hours with reduced in-store lighting to make it more accessible. This is something I’ve never seen in any traditional store. One of the benefits of having socially and environmentally responsible independent businesses opening is that they can adapt, better meeting the needs of the community. This is a perfect example of a conscious business run by caring empathetic individuals making plastic-free goods accessible to more people.

The items featured in this photo are from Nu, plus two items from Herb and Spice @herbspicebank on Bank Street (item breakdown below). I used the opportunity at Nu to stock up on items that I cannot get package-free locally in Guelph. By stocking up on specific items once or twice a year when I’m in a city that has a specialty shop, I can avoid specific plastic and glass packaging at other times. Many of these products such as the Beyond burger or vegan cheese selection, were not available when Nu first opened in 2017, but have since been added to their product inventory as their business has developed.

When I moved to Ottawa in 2015, hardly anyone had heard of zero waste, there were no “package free” shops. Thanks to the folks at Nu, now there are two stores specifically dedicated to this kind of grocery shopping. I think it’s important to consciously recognize the large amount of change that’s happened in a short period of time. It's also important to celebrate the positive things people are doing in the fight against plastic pollution. It doesn't always feel like change is happening, but it is.

What is a positive change that you have noticed recently?

[Image is a flat lay of plastic-free groceries. TOP ROW: Chili oil and vegan cheese, chocolate, Oneka Elements sage shampoo, white vinegar, Equator Coffee earl grey tea. MIDDLE ROW: Two Beyond burgers, vegan chev, tofu, Equator Coffee chai tea, vegan cheese, vegan butter, two walnut scrub pads and a dish brush with a replaceable and compostable head. BOTTOM ROW: Balsamic vinegar, tamari, cacao powder and flax meal from Herb and Spice on Bank Street , two travel mugs to use as gifts.]