My local bulk food store

This is my local bulk food store in Melbourne.

It's not your typical, new one. It does not have everything I need either. But it has the essentials. The space is small and smells like roasted nuts.

My local bulk food store

Not much is organic, but it's mostly Australian and very affordable. Everything sits in the bags they are delivered in. Beans, lentils, nuts, dried fruit, flours, salt, grains, popcorn, ...really just about anything dry is available. The only thing wet is peanut butter and olives.

It was the first bulk food store I discovered.



The place has been in its location for over 20 years, originally part of a big market in Moonee Ponds, of which is now a desolate parking lot (soon to be apartments). Ray's Top Nuts is one of the few survivors of the old market and is still run by the same man all that time. My boyfriends Teta and Jeddo (grandma and granddad) shopped there, then his parents and now him. I kinda like that this place and its owner, have served generations of my boyfriends family.

They never bat an eye when we first brought in our bags or jars, commenting that some of the older customers use cloth bags.

And that is my local bulk food store in Melbourne.





17 comments:

  1. This is so awesome! I love this little place. I wish there was something like this near me. I love that they use the big bags. It's not even necessary to dump it into this plastic bulk buffets we have in NoCal.

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    1. Thanks :) I am glad you liked my little local bulk food store. They got to appear on national TV recently for an interview I did, and they thought it was the best thing since sliced bread haha.

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  2. Anonymous1/09/2016

    Hello Erin,

    I live in Melbourne city centre which is a very nice place where to find bulk stores, although I have a problem with drinks: do you know of any place where you can bring your own bottle to fill it, for example, with juice, or vegetable milk?
    The only thing I can do right now is to buy only drinks in glass bottles, but what can I do eventually with the bottles if there are no places where I can refill them?

    I really appreciate what you do, especially because I suppose we're about the same age and I'm going Zero Waste as well!

    Clarissa


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    1. Hi Clarissa, I have seen pear juice at Friends of the Earth in Collingwood. I am not a big juice drinker myself, so I have not kept my eye out for it. Sometimes, we have filled up orange juice at farmers markets. I have not heard of vegetable milk either. The best I can suggest is to call around, ask questions and people might be able to point you in the right direction.

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  3. What a gem of a place! Thanks for sharing, Erin :)

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  4. What a gem of a place! Thanks for sharing, Erin :)

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  5. Thanks for sharing Erin, I'll definitely be checking it out as I'm in Footscray so nice and local. I've been going to places like Ceres and Organic Wholefoods but it's so expensive and unfortunately I can't afford to buy organic all the time. I also love supporting small, local businesses so this ticks lots of boxes :) I might see you there one day!

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    1. Yay! Tell Ray that Erin (the red haired lady) told you about it. He will love it. I have been meaning to visit Footscray to see if there is anything similar there.

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  6. Perth readers could discover the delights of Kakulis Bros and Kakulis Sisters is in Frememntle...their range is huge
    xx

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  7. This is wonderful! All the bulk food places in my area are fab but they are new, modern, and sell the idea of bulk food as a 'luxury'. Which is a shame because quite often my budget get's blown out by trying to buy packaging free rice and pasta. There is no need for the HUGE price tag for a product that has less packaging and processing costs.

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    1. Haha yes bulk pasta is weirdly expensive. Make your own! It is so yummy and you will find it hard to go back.

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  8. Thanks so much for this Erin! I've been trying to find an affordable bulk food store, as buying all organic is currently out of my budget, and this sounds perfect. I live in the country, but fortunately my sister-in-law has just moved to Moonee Ponds, so I'll definitely drop by when we visit! Do you know if they sell jasmine rice??

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    1. That's lucky! Ray is so nice. I am not sure about Jasmine rice in particular. I know they do sell rice but unsure what kind. We don't really buy rice.

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  9. Thanks so much for this Erin! I've been trying to find an affordable bulk food store, as buying all organic is currently out of my budget, and this sounds perfect. I live in the country, but fortunately my sister-in-law has just moved to Moonee Ponds, so I'll definitely drop by when we visit! Do you know if they sell jasmine rice??

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  10. Anonymous10/07/2017

    Hey there, do you know of any other places closer to mornington peninsula south east suburbs ?

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    1. If you are on Facebook, I suggest joining Zero Waste Victoria and looking at the directory list for stores closer to you. Here is the link to the group:

      www.facebook.com/groups/ZeroWasteVictoria/

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