COVID-19: Business, Precautions, and Safety

As a company rooted in community, the safety of our customers, suppliers, and team members is our utmost concern.

truLOCAL was built on the trust and support of our community, and during difficult times like this we are 100% committed to working around the clock to support the community that has supported us for the past 4 years.

We’ve already worked with our network of local farmers and suppliers to ensure that we have as much inventory as possible to continue servicing all of our customers with our core products. We have also been working around the clock, not only to pack boxes but also to vet and onboard new suppliers to keep up with the surge in demand. If you notice some different packaging in your next truLOCAL box, rest assured, it’s from a quality local producer that fits the high standards truLOCAL has set. While there may be some substitutions as certain products run low, we are doing everything in our power to make sure your box is delivered. As usual, our priority will be to service our existing customers with active subscriptions.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:

• We are still operating and have no plans to change our commitments.
• Regardless of demand, our commitment is that our pricing will remain the same for all our box options
• All of our orders are still being delivered with overnight shipping, and they’re left at your doorstep for you to retrieve at your convenience.
• With the influx of orders coming in, we are experiencing shipping delays. Your box will arrive up to 7 days after you place your order. You can use your tracking number to confirm your shipment.
• If your employer has announced a WFH (work from home) policy, remember to change your shipping address before your order renews

What is the current impact of COVID-19 on truLOCAL?

• We remain extra cautious of employee health, hygiene, and sanitation. All employees with remote capability are working from home.
• Our fulfillment centres are operational, and we are encouraging frequent handwashing, and for employees who feel unwell to stay home. We continue to monitor for updates and follow recommended precautions outlined by Health Canada.
• We have reviewed safety measures with our suppliers, and maintain frequent contact with them to ensure recommended precautions take place.
• But most important, is that we ask for your kindness and understanding. As an online food provider, our team is showing incredible courage and commitment to make sure that all of our customers are taken care of. We understand that tensions are high but we ask that you respect and show kindness to our customer service staff and fulfillment team who are working around the clock.

We are as committed as ever to providing an essential product with home delivery involving as minimal contact as possible. If you’re looking to minimize social contact, you can stock up on our frozen products, which are shipped on dry ice and left at your door.

Once again we feel it’s important to reiterate, we are not experiencing nor expecting any major disruption to our business as our community takes precautionary measures. While we have seen a surge in orders in recent days, we are currently adequately stocked on core products to fulfill incoming orders and continue to receive regular inventory from our local suppliers. As product inventory fluctuates, some substitutions may occur, and affected customers will be notified. Boxes may arrive up to 7 days after placing an order. We are doing everything we can to pack and ship as many boxes as we can each day to make sure you and your family have what you need.

Our focus, as always, is on the wellness of our community. We will continue to monitor the Government of Canada’s official updates. We encourage our customers to continue to do the same.

A message from our founder: Our commitment to supporting small businesses

I know a lot of us are scared, there’s no doubt that this is an event that we have never encountered before. Everybody has been somehow affected by this pandemic, whether it be personally through friends or family, financially through job loss or layoffs, or being a victim of consequence like panic buying at the grocery store and travel bans. As a business that has grown through the support of our friends, family and customers, we will be doing our part to support the community as much as possible. As a business owner, I know how painful and hopeless it can feel to have your business affected by something outside of your control. Based on our business model of working with local suppliers and conducting business online we have been fortunate that our team and business have not been negatively affected by COVID-19 thus far…However the same cannot be said for my fellow business owners in the fitness, restaurant, service, travel and retail spaces. For this reason, truLOCAL will be gearing its support efforts towards supporting the small businesses who are struggling during this time. We’ll be announcing our initiatives later this week in a following blog post, in the meantime, if you have any small businesses that you know are struggling or would like to see supported, please email them to us at info@trulocal.ca

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Posted on March 16th, 2020