A dark shadow partially covers an evil Fresh Direct truck as it heads north on Marcy delivering food to the deserving in Williamsburg and other neighborhoods that are not Bed-Stuy.
Fresh Direct has decided that many of us in Bed-Stuy are not worthy of their food. In fact they’ve decided to hand pick which buildings and blocks they will visit. My fellow Bed-Stuy blogger, Flood, the author of the new and interesting blog Lambent, Vast and Ruthless just recently found this out. Check out the blog’s post on Fresh Direct discrimination.
When I was living in Chelsea, I would order from Fresh Direct and I never assumed that they were so selective about their customers. Now that I live in Bed-Stuy, I’ve learned the harsh truth.
I went to the Fresh Direct website and tried a couple of addresses and it turns out that while they avoid most of 11206 like the plague, they DO deliver to the Mynt. That’s 756 Myrtle, and that is Bed-Stuy. Put that address into the delivery info. section and watch all of those delivery times pop up like mushrooms. LIKE WILD CHANTERELLE MUSHROOMS (which are $12.99/8 oz. pack at Fresh Direct in case you’re wondering). Now try this: put in another address in the 11206 area code (make sure it isn’t in Bushwick–they like the folks over there) and see what you get. It’s probably a “Sorry, Fresh Direct doesn’t deliver to that address.” The Bed-Stuy area of the 11206 code is on the “No Deliveries” list!
I have seriously considered ordering from Fresh Direct and giving them an address in the Mynt building. In an Elaine Benes move, I would sneak over to the building and hide in a janitor’s closet on the first floor, and when the delivery man shows up I would just walk out of the supply closet with a “Oh, I see my arugula and gouda have arrived!” Better yet, I could probably just sneak into the cold storage area and wait for my delivery there.
The question is, should we want to be customers of a business that clearly doesn’t want us as customers? I’m sure several of you are, like me, outside of the Restoration Plaza Foodtown delivery zone, and the few C-Towns, Key Foods and Pioneer grocery stores scattered about aren’t cutting it for you. We could surely use the convenience of Fresh Direct delivery, and I’m sure many folks would certainly pay any amount just to have their groceries arrive at their doors, so why has Fresh Direct chosen to discriminate against us? Why would they not serve communities that lack decent grocery stores? It seems like they would market themselves heavily to the hapless individual who moves into a neighborhood months (or years) before the first latte arrives. What can we do to get a decent grocer (Fresh Direct or otherwise) to service our area?
I have been aware of this issue as well and was hoping that it was simply a case of FD expanding and eventually bucking up to include all of us in Bed-Stuy. This post irks me because now I am aware that they actually DO deliver to Bed-Stuy, as long as you live in a building they deem worthy?????
I love Bed-Stuy but my only issue is the grocery shopping. I don’t need Citarel or Balducci’s, I’d settle for getting some decent arugula, some decent fruit, and boneless chicken breasts all in the same store. Is that too much to ask?
I hate you Fresh Direct. (shakes fist at sky)
There was grocery shopping before Fresh Direct, and its really not that dire to be a customer of theirs. To answer your question, no, I dont believe you should be hankering to be a customer of a store who clearly doesnt want your business. I agree it its a “loss” of convenience (considering you’re from another neighborhood lol), but realistically, why would you want to give them money? So, when they finally do get on the Bed-Stuy bandwagon and deem us “acceptable”, are you going to rush and be a happy customer? And then send the message that you support their MO? You live in the Stuy now. “Do or Die” is a crazy phrase but associated with our hood for a reason. Because no one wanted anything to do with the neighborhood, you literally did it yourself, or…So now its important for us to have a quality grocery store, closeby, who delivers. Now that banks have lifted the stigma associated with investing in this hood, its possible to open a store. We should be focusing on the idea of “doing it ourselves”: people starting new businesses who support this area and have a vested interest in the area..or us as the underserved getting together to start a co-op or some such group effort. In the meantime we make do,shopping a bit at a time at farmers markets, joining the Bed-Stuy CSA, or taking the cart and walking to the nearest grocery…it can be done. Forget Fresh Direct. Also, why in the name of convenience would we be willing to support a company who doesnt even pay fair wages to their employees? Who forces overtime and has a healthcare plan that their average worker can not even afford? Who doesn’t supporting local farmers? It doesnt make sense on many levels. Seems to me they’ve done us a favor. (And lets not even start on the MYNT,which is being touted by brokers as being in Clinton Hill…)
I live in the Burg and I use fresh direct because I have two boys under the age of 4 and it’s hard to go to the supermarket with them. BUT, we are looking to buy a house in Do Or Die, LOL, and I wondered if they delivered there…Thanks for writing about this issue…I am going to stop ordering from them…..
i’ve long been angry at fresh direct for not delivering to bed stuy. and no, when they decide that bed stuy as a community is worthy of giving them our money, i will not patronize them. they are not worthy of my support.
I currently live in Washington Heights where there are no decent grocery stores. However, the Fairway way down in Harlem allegedly delivers up here. Does the Fairway in Red Hook deliver to Bed-Stuy? It isn’t as convenient as ordering online, but it’s better than shopping at C-Town , supporting a lame company like Fresh Direct, or hauling your food from Whole Foods and Trader Joes like I do.
Of course, FoodTown has an online delivery service. Not sure what their reach is, but they DO deliver to South Stuy.
What you smoking? you moved to bedstuy. quit complaining.
FD goes through this a lot and their stated policy is that they deliver if they get a certain volume of requests. So request delivery. Every newly gentrifying nabe assumes that FD is shunning them but I doubt that’s the case. FD just needs a sufficient volume of clients in a given area to meet their profit goals and they’ll start delivery anywhere if it’s profitable. The bad guy is capitalism not some kind of prejudice.
Totally outrageous and unacceptable behaviour from Fresh Direct.
I will never purchase from them again. like ever.
Dan, I’d buy your argument if FD wasn’t delivering to a specific building on Myrtle, but not anywhere else around that building.
If it’s any consolation, we in Crown Heights don’t get Fresh Direct either. I should take Dan’s advice and request.
Thank you for that PENETRATING INSIGHT, MyNameis.
Susanne, I did request via their website several times during my first year in Bed-Stuy and I didn’t even get an email response.
Fresh Direct just started delivering to us over in the 11226 area code (Flatbush and parts of Ditmas Park) just a few months ago.
I used to order from Fresh Direct when I was in Clinton Hill, and I wasn’t really that impressed. They made a lot of mistakes, and their food wasn’t THAT fresh. Now that I live in Bed Stuy, I’m annoyed that they don’t deliver here, but thankfully I have a car, so on a scale from 1-10, I’m only a 3 in terms of how annoyed I feel. Again, Foodtown delivers, and I have used them in the past. I found them to be professional, prompt, and honest. Just one person’s experience, I realize. And, BTW, I’m happy to petition FreshDirect, if we really agree there is a need to have them here.
The obvious problem is that there are just too many Negroes in Bed Stuy. Fresh Direct is afraid! Granted, they will come in for needy Whiteys in little Whitey oases like the Mynt, but only after months of careful clandestine observation.
Just look at their trucks: WHITE!
Cliff’s Notes:
Do or Die: SORRY! NO SLACK FOR THE BLACKS!
Whitey Enclave: HERE COMES DA TRUCKS!
Why don’t you go to your local grocers and tell them to stock your arugula? If you support your local stores they will supply you the same way FD will if there are enough customers.
They have made specific deals with specific buildings in many neighborhoods. Apts. in such buildings are sold and rented with this as a feature just like a communal gym or doorman service. The people there get their deliveries grouped together, the buildings have loading docks and walk-in fridges so all orders can be dropped off together efficiently from the same truck. That way if works for FD and the customers – but probably not for the drivers who may not get tipped if they don’t hand boxes over to each apt individually.
I live in williamsburg and don’t get fresh direct. they will deliver two blocks to the east and a few blocks to the south, but not where we live. WTF?
Fresh Direct sucks for so many reasons, why focus on this reason?
The food is outrageously overpackaged and therefore expensive, and their terrible practices as employers have already been addressed.
Here in Bay Ridge there are NO good grocery stores…at ALL! Non car owners can’t happily trudge off to Fairway or the soon to be Whole Paycheck either. I used to live in Sheepshead Bay and really miss that Stop N Shop… I guess people round here just don’t cook as there are so many restaurants.
I live in ditmas park and it took forever to get fresh direct to my house… they were delivering two blocks away for what seemed like ages before they moved up the street. Some of my neighbors still complain because the cut off is rather indiscriminate – it seems – but I suppose they have to draw the line somewhere; I wouldn’t mind at all if someone wanted to use my address and pick up their groceries from here… Maybe someone would do the same for you.
I have been going on fresh direct and requesting service to bed-stuy for four years. They said when they had 1000 requests they would deliver. Maybe it is true – who knows… but I say we keep requesting and cause a stink and it will happen. What about starting to call headquarters and suggesting we think it is a race issue and we are going to the Post – that will get them to jump.
Thats crazy– I live 5 doors from the Mynt and after reading your blog I checked and nope, Fresh Direct can’t do the distance.
is there any other service that might come to the area. I’m sure some mom and pop places might consider delivering but the selection may suffer. anyone know anything about any good foodstores in the area that might delivery and don’t close at 7:30 p.m.!
I would probably succomb to the convenience of Fresh Direct if they delivered here, so I’m actually glad that they don’t. In addition to the discrimination and unfair labor practices (which I didn’t know about), they also idle their trucks and destroy the environment with gasoline and loads of cardboard boxes. I say let’s try to improve the stores we have and encourage new ones to come in so we can buy local. I get a lot of my fruits and vegetables from the Lewis Ave. Farmer’s Market. Basically, I buy groceries in lots of different locations, whenever I have the opportunity. But for those who do want to support the FD evil empire, I heard that a woman on Bainbridge St. takes orders from people in the neighborhood and drives to their warehouse — on Long Island somewhere? — to pick up the groceries. She charges $10 a pop.
I have tried the Fresh Direct petitioning to no avail. I even used the delivery service of a woman who would pick up for me from the LIC pick-up location. It worked well and I can’t remember why I stopped. I guess I got annoyed at the unfairness of it all. What pissed me off futher was when I discovered a FD truck parked all hours of the night on Jefferson. Turned out one of the delivery guys lived in the nabe. Insult to injury.
I live in PLG and. . . surprise, surprise, Fresh Direct delivers here! Given our neighborhood demographics, I’d be reluctant to say that the nondelivery issue is race based. Plenty of us Black folks ovah here! Plus, in my experience, the FD drivers that they send here are all folk of color. Don’t recall ever even seeing a white FD driver come to our hood.
I do think FD’s delivery policy honestly does have something to do with volume of requests. (Which may also have something to do with a digital/cultural divide: in historically low income nabes of color, grocery shopping on the internet ain’t exactly the norm). I also think that one person at one address asking 50 times, is not the same as 100 people at 10/20 nearby addresses in a zip code, asking for delivery. (But I also don’t believe you need a 1000 individual requests in the nabe to get responses either). Could it be possible that the Mynt organized and flooded FD with requests for delivery –enough to make it worth it to them or respond?
Hey, thanks for this post. I thought it was just me! After trying multiple combinations of zip codes and house numbers I gave up. What’s wrong with my block, that Fresh Direct won’t deliver here!?? That really pisses me off to know it’s NOT an expansion problem – but rather and exclusion one.
~Nina
The mere fact that you bloggers are wasting your valuable times promoting Fresh Direct is ridiculous.
Been in Bed-Stuy my whole life. This community has been thriving long before a fresh direct or a sushi bar.
It’s so ridiculous, you can’t afford Clinton Hill or the Slope, so you settle for the Stuy (and no one calls it Do or Die)…stop coming in my hood (yes I said my hood) trying to negate the hard ground work that was laid for your fresh direct asses!
SideNote: No one held a sign up begging you to move to Bed-Stuy!
Um…. look around people – there aren’t only white people at the Mynt – they are everywhere in Bed-Sty – I know, I’m one of them and guess what? They don’t deliver to me EITHER!!!! Why is everyone always so quick to throw down the race card?!?!?!?!?! Besides – they are overpriced and there food often arrives not-so-fresh – (got a friend who doesn’t live “in the hood” who ordered from them once and then switched to Shop-Rite – who is much better at it and doesn’t make mistakes, alledgedly – you’ll live – so will I – plus, a bit of exercise never killed anyone… just watch where you walk!
Bed Stuy’s Finest, who cares if you’ve been in the Stuy your whole life? Really. Who cares? That is not relevant to this conversation, OK?
And as for your being happy without decent grocers or decent sushi, please remember that just because you’re happy living like a refugee doesn’t mean that the rest of us have to be.
agree with Bed Stuy’s Finest. chill out. before you know it you’ll be talking about how when YOU moved to bed-stuy, you couldn’t even get decent arugula. instead of sitting in your apt. blogging about fresh direct why don’t you go outside and figure out what your neighborhood does have to offer.
think…, I have gone outside and figured out all BS has to offer. Be my guest and check out the rest of my blog. Maybe you should *think* before you type.
And another thing while I’m at it. Your moniker implies that one should “think of all of the starving children who don’t have fresh direct.” That is the equivalent of making a downward social comparison. Comparing yourself to those less fortunate is good for your well-being on the one hand because it makes you feel better about yourself. The downside to this is that downward social comparisons don’t encourage you to make any improvements or strive for anything better. As long as you can say, “At least I’m better off than [INSERT PERSON TO BE PITIED HERE]” then you have no reason to want better.
Yuppie tragedies.
Does anybody rememember what it was like in this city 5 years ago?
You walked to the supermarket, got your groceries and took them home. Yuppie conveniences like getting your food dropped off at your door is not a necessity. People have been buying and cooking food in Bed Stuy for a few years now, well before you moved there. Just because you came to New York 3 years ago and suddenly discovered Bed-Stuy doesn’t mean it should follow along with your idea of all the trimmings of what fancy, elegant, exciting New York is.
Oh, but you want the cache of living in the dangerous/trendy hood don’t you now?
This is a City with more important things to deal with, stop moving into established communities and then complaining that it isn’t like a sitcom.
Grow a pair and find something productive to do.
Or move somewhere else. Then the people who’ve lived there for years don’t have to worry about being driven out by overzealous real estate agents.
And no hard feelings, if you like the neighborhood, cool. But contribute something, buy local, stop bitching that it isn’t The Upper East Side.
Fresh Direct doesn’t deliver……gimme a break.
I remember NYC 11 years ago and I used to go to several markets to get groceries. All of the markets were in my neighborhood, they were tiny and they were only a few blocks from one another. I was still in school at that time so I had a flexible schedule and could visit several places to procure food and other necessities for the week. Then a few years after I arrived the markets started renovating and making serious improvements and then a few years after that the first Whole Foods arrived in my neighborhood. I’ll admit that I got used to the new and improved grocery store with a wider selection of decent-looking food. I was happy that I didn’t have to do “the rounds” each week. One stop shopping was nice. It was like having the benefits of the suburbs without actually having to live there.
It’s really more than just being unable to get something fancy smancy, nyc1982. The fact is that sometimes you have to go to 3 different supermarkets (all of them in the hood and none of them near one another) just to get your average groceries. As some commenters have mentioned before me, with a full-time job and lots of demands, it’s really difficult to make the grocery store rounds. Unlike many Brooklynites, I don’t have a car (that’s by choice) so I can’t drive my chariot up to the Associated and then swing by the Bravo and then roll into the Foodtown in one afternoon.
When I moved here, that was one of the conveniences I gave up–and I understood this when I moved here. But I don’t think I have to give up wanting what I believe is an improvement for this area just because things weren’t like this ’round here before. I don’t understand why a few vociferous people are arguing against our wanting improvements for a neighborhood.
Spare me the NYC has more important things to deal with line. This is a quality of life issue and it is important to many people, not just in this neighborhood, but in neighborhoods in Brooklyn.
I live in Crown Heights and we can’t get delivery here. We’ve been asking for three years. It’s not because I love FD. I don’t for all the reasons stated in other posts. It’s because the Met and Key Foods in my hood sell the crappiest produce for the same price as the good supermarkets. I don’t have a car and it’s diffiuclt to travel to Brooklyn Heights or Park Slope to get decent groceries. Maybe Key Foods and the Met should smarten up and solidify a good customer base by selling decent quality food before others move in and offer it.
if it makes you all feel better — Fresh Direct also doesn’t deliver to Bronxville (but they do to other westchester locales) & it’s filled with white people.
If people in Bed-Stuy or Crown Heights or whereever continue to request their service they will begin delivering there. As for FD’s decision to deliver to the Mynt — to me it sounds like a smart business move — you all have to remember that the grocery business operates on extremely low margins and that it’s a business not some socialist entitity out to serve the greater good. They actually have to make money in order to continue their business.
But then I guess most people on this blog business is considered evil — I’m sure the gov’t could to a swell job delivering fresh groceries in an efficient manner.
Viva Fresh Direct — I think they’re awesome!
Wait, some of you actually think Fresh Direct has some kind of race- or income-based policy? You think they’d prefer to miss out on customers rather than serve certain buildings?
I am SURE there’s a better explanation as to what’s going on and I would be SHOCKED if FD was actively missing out on potential customers because of some kind of geographic bias.
If I were to subscribe to the arguments put forth by folks like nyc1982 and Bed Stuy’s Finest then there should be absolutely no change and the neighborhood stays exactly as it is/was and the idea of promoting well-stocked grocery stores (not simply Fresh Direct, just in general) is somehow a threat to the integrity of Bed-Stuy? I disagree and I don’t see it as “yuppifying” or whiney, quite the opposite in fact. It’s recognizing a need and creating room for it to grow. Take Fresh Direct out of the equation… is a big grocery store with a good selection and fair prices a bad thing? Would the community not benefit from it? Black, white, brown, yellow, purple? Will Bed-Stuy have gone down the proverbial crapper if that happens?
If you’re happy with wilted lettuce, potatoes with eyes all over them, and a trek just to get all of the necessary ingredients for dinner so be it. Just because that’s the way it is doesn’t mean that’s the way it has to be. I don’t think that anybody is asking for Starbucks or Whole Foods to move in, you can relax. Your neighborhood is still safe.
Changeling, are you calling the people who live in Bedford Stuyvesant for years refugees?
The fact that I am proud of this rich community and what is has to offer, I’m being attacked (pity)
My comment was totally relevant to the conversation. Waste time with Fresh Direct all week long (all year for that matter). I could care less. This blog saddens me at times. I only check in occasionally to see the ignorant comments and an occasional rant from the editor. Call the neighborhood want you like but you must respect the past prior to achieving your future “Fresh Direct Dream”.
rather than blog all day, attend community board meetings, community precinct council meetings, block association meetings. Visit your elected officials and vent there.
Well, they do have the right to not deliver to an area if there are not enough customers to make it profitable. They are not OBLIGATED to deliver somewhere because of a lack of grocery stores. I honestly don’t think it’s a race issue – although it is a class one, which one could argue can’t really be separated from a race issue… hmm, I guess I just defeated my own defense of FD.
Let us campaign for Fresh Direct having fuel efficient eco friendly trucks, so our need for groceries on an individual basis, doesn’t destroy the planet prematurely. 100,000 people getting delivery by a toxin emmitting machine is not the same for the enviroment as us riding our bikes to the PSFC and getting groceries, and exercise in the bargain. Progress is good, but forsight with progress is better.
We should expect more in our neighborhood. Times are changing, and people not just the newcomers might appreciate having FD in the area. But yes, they need to know they will get enough orders, and hopefully they will take all the requests seriously especially those that have been requesting for over 4 years.
Instead, can we please talk about all the good places we have to get food. Where is shop rite. Foodtown is good, and has anyone ever been to the African people’s market. Good stuff there.
Okay, okay, I’m dizzy from reading this argument. FD doesn’t deliver here; got that. Just because someone is disappointed shouldn’t make them a target for the “Yuppie Convenience” crap. Am I a Young Urban Professional living in here? YEA. Do I support local business and this community – young and old? Um, yea. Can I afford the Slope or Hill? H*LL YEA. So if my hard working community advocate a** wants some bell peppers and unspoiled tomatoes to cook dinner in my own home (instead of dining in Manhattan) in Bed-Stuy, then I should have it.
I pump my money into this place just like any other hard working neighbor here. I’m sure they would also enjoy some fresh veggies without a 2 hours trek somewhere else.
It’s nice to talk about struggles of years past, but without progression, what’s the fricken point?
FD not delivering here is only part of the issue. The other question I think many of us are asking is WHAT does it take for these chain stores to find a neighborhood worthy. Worthy to be targeted or worthy to considered – two different things in my book. I would hate for grocers not be able to support themselves in our blocks because we all shop outside of it. But at the same time – the bar has been raised. Some of you might think it’s because of the “yuppies” moving in. All I have to say to that is – WHATEVER. There is nothing wrong with wanting better quality. I’m sure there are plenty of folks that have lived here for decades that would LOVE options. They may struggle and troop it because there was no other choice. I’m a believer in choice. SO THERE!
And yes, it goes beyond race. My neighborhood alone is a United Colours of Bennetton commercial. So that aint it!
If FD never delivers here, the hell with em’. I’m still going to want healthy food choices. And that by far IS the issue.
Cheers folks.
Nina
You people really don’t think that it matters if Bed Stuy Finest has been in the neighborhood his entire life? You are probably the same fools who moved in from Wisconsin and are complaining about how the new Stadium will ruin the area. You are the gentrifiers. GO HOME.
Nina, what exactly made you want to move to this area, if you could afford other areas for the SAME type of housing. Did you move to a place close to the few conveniences bedstuy has to offer?
We moved to Bed Stuy because it was a mid point to many things that we love to do, including the ‘A’ train for work. Since alot of our friends lived in park slope and prospect park, these were the first places we looked. The N R Q and B trains were not appealing for a morning commute. And there was nothing new about the neighborhoods. No culture, knew everyone from the bars… bored. Plus I personally LOVED bed-stuy’s brownstones and rich history. I was also fascinated by how much it had changed in a 5-7 year period. I saw Atlantic terminal while driving along Atlantic avenue to the address I got on Craig’s List and said to myself “SOLD!” Then we met a contractor that gave us a sweet deal on a place and we’ve been here ever since.
I love the diversity. I love the culture. I love the people. I love watching the kids go to church on Sundays while I drink my morning coffee. I love the unpretentiousness that I get when walking by to catch a train, pet a dog, and the store. It’s just good peoples. Since we’re planning on having a family soon, this was the best fit. Now I’m part of our block association.
Yea, the Slopes are cute with shops and preppy things to do….but there’s not enough culture or diversity for either one of us. It’s just preppy. Just because I’m technically a “yuppie” doesn’t mean I live like one. I would be bored of myself. LOL
Nina
Nina, thanks for sharing your story. This is very inspiratonal to me. I’m glad you admitted you are a yuppy but didn’t want to live in that type of neighbor. I’m sure you may have received some slack from people in the slope wondering why you moved there and how you could ever think of raising your kids there.
I’m slightly confused, you were driving along Atlantic and then fell in love, looked on craigs list for a house, and found a handy man special (i.e. like these haunted houses? LOL), bought it from a contractor who did the work, and now it one sweet home sweet home?
i went on the house tour this year, and fell in love with the diversity too, and how people take pride in their homes. which part of bedsty are you in. i especially like being close to the a train too either by utica which i know is stuy heights and expensive, or by the a at nostrand. there are some lovely homes around there on halsey and such.
thank you for the comment about those other train lines N,R,Q,B. I’m not sure they are as good as the A and I like a nice easy commute to work to. I’m sure your neighbors are lucky to have someone like you. Did you buy a multi family house I assume (most generally are). what was the renovation like. Some of these haunted houses are tempted to buy if the price is right but a heard horror stories about fixing them up.
thanks again for sharing, it’s great to know that someone who could afford other places is choosing to live here not just because it’s the cheapest place to live.
I am a native NYC’er and I own a home in the neighborhood.
The race baiters need to leave this site.
If you have so little self-respect that you accept that your neighborhood is poorly served by supermarkets, banks, restaurants, et al and you actually enjoy doing business via plexiglass, there is nothing anyone can do to help you.
You need to leave because you are the reason the neighborhood suffered for so long and it won’t get better till you leave.
Get out. You are not wanted. Leave. You make it worse for all of us who want to make things better.
As for contacting local politicians, that is a joke, as they are a joke. They have held offices for decades and hand-pick their relatives and friends to replace them. They could care less about the long-time residents and are only interested in getting as much camera time for themselves for their future political ambitions and changing the names of every street instead of working for true change.