As Lifestyles Evolve, Grocery Home Delivery Takes Off

Urban Living, Urban Eating: How Canadians Are Living, Shopping, And Eating Differently

Not so long ago, grocery shopping in North America was different. Instead of making a single trip to a supermarket and stocking up on everything they needed, shoppers would go to their local bakery for bread, visit the greengrocer’s for produce, and stop by the butcher for a fresh cut of meat. This kind of shopping was a natural outgrowth of how the food industry operated — the baker specialized in bread, the greengrocer in vegetables, and the butcher in meat — and it fit peoples’ lifestyles because most of them didn’t have cars, and lived within walking distance of their local shops.

All of that changed in the mid-twentieth century when the post-war boom made it possible for most North Americans to buy cars. Because it was now possible to transport large amounts of food at one time, and because people now had large refrigerators to keep their food fresh in, consumers started to gravitate toward larger shops offering a greater range of products. The rise of the supermarket was tied to the fact that shoppers wanted to be able to get everything they needed in a single place. Over time suburbanization reinforced these shopping habits: it was now difficult for those living in new housing developments to simply walk to their local grocery store, and because supermarkets offered greater choice than smaller, more specialized stores, one-stop shopping became harder to justify.

The way people lived — the way their neighbourhoods were designed, the hours they worked, the distance they travelled in their daily commute, and the vehicle they drove in — led to a seismic change in how and where they bought food.

In the 21^st century, we are seeing another seismic shift in how North Americans live. Where the downtowns of major Canadian cities were once organized around parking lots and office towers, they are now filled with new condo developments, gyms, transit stops and bike lanes. In Ontario’s largest city, Toronto, less than 40% of residents live in a single detached home, and young people especially are being drawn to high-rise apartment buildings that are closer to the downtown core. Where millions of Ontarians once started their day by driving into the city, working an eight-hour day, and picking up groceries at the supermarket on their way home to the suburbs, younger generations are choosing to live closer to work, and are opting for more flexible, self-directed work as consultants, freelancers, and contractors.

This is the context in which fresh meat delivery services from truLOCAL are operating, and one of the reasons truLOCAL’s innovative delivery system is proving so popular is because it meets two distinct modern needs. Because it allows urbanites of all ages to purchase high-quality ingredients for home delivery, it offers a way to more easily fit shopping into their busy schedules. And because it provides high-quality, locally raised sustainable meat, it gives them a chance to shop for food they can feel good about. Just as suburbanization led to the rise of the supermarket, urban renewal (and the improved communications technology that has gone alongside it) has sparked a new interest in independent providers who can offer convenient access to high quality, specialized products.

Like traditional butcher shops, we offer lots of meat and can provide you with anything from fresh steaks and nitrate-free bacon to bison burgers and wild-caught fish, all at extremely competitive prices. Like traditional butcher shops, our product is carefully prepared, locally sourced, and of the highest quality. But we’re also a butcher shop for the 21^st century: instead of having to make a special trip to a particular location, with truLOCAL you can order a box of meat direct from our website and have it delivered the very next day. You can also set your order up to be repeated on a monthly basis, which means you’ll always have your favourite meats on hand. If you want to the quality and care of a traditional butcher with the convenience and flexibility of online meat delivery, truLOCAL is the way to go.

If you think truLOCAL’s blend of convenience and quality would fit your shopping habits well, you can start customizing your box today. You can choose between the Starter box, which contains up to eighteen individual portions of meat, or the Family box that contains up to forty. Next, you select the cuts and portions you want through an easy-to-use points system. The simplest products, like ground beef, are worth fewer points than premium products like striploin steaks, so the number of items you select for your box will depend on which particular meats you want to mix and match. You can also choose a pre-selected box containing a hand-picked selection of our most popular products. Once you have chosen the meat you want, simply choose your payment method and wait for delivery.

While many customers want their boxes delivered directly to their home, this is not the only option. It can be delivered to your place of work or gym as well, and it can even be shipped to your cottage if you need fresh steaks for a summer barbeque up north. The versatility of the service is one of the reasons it has become so popular amidst the busyness of modern urban life. Unlike in earlier times, when people had more reliable work schedules and life followed a more regular rhythm, most city-dwellers need to be flexible and able to adapt to rapid changes. So it only makes sense that people’s shopping habits are also changing to suit a faster, more irregular pace of life.

As the cities we live in change, the way people live is changing as well. As it becomes less common for people to work a regular 9-5 job, businesses need to adapt their service models to meet the requirements of changing lifestyles and changing needs. With fresh meat delivery from truLOCAL, Ontarians have access to the food they love in a way that fits their lifestyle.

Posted on June 20th, 2022