Relay Foods Delivers Local Produce, Artisan Goods, Grocery Staples Despite Storm

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va., Oct. 31, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Relay Foods, the company that makes shopping online for local and organic foods, gourmet items, artisan baked goods and pantry staples quick and easy, recently expanded its operations from Charlottesville, Virginia into the Baltimore, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. markets. This week, all areas of the company's expanded operations were affected by Hurricane Sandy, but the Relay Foods team was able to complete its delivery schedule despite stormy conditions. 

Typically, local authorities advise residents in areas facing an imminent weather threat to stock up on food and supplies before the storm arrives, which often triggers an intense scramble for supplies at local supermarkets. For Relay Foods customers who used the company's online marketplace to order locally produced items and select grocery staples before Hurricane Sandy came ashore, facing crowds at the supermarket wasn't necessary.

"Our mission at Relay Foods is to support local economies and advance a sustainable approach to eating while giving our customers more time to do what they love," said Zach Buckner, Relay Foods founder and CEO. "We're not specifically in the storm-related food supplies delivery business, but we're happy we could help our customers out while they were at home gearing up to face Hurricane Sandy."

Buckner, who was inspired to found the company when he noticed how much time he was spending driving all over town to find nutritious food from local farmers, bakers and specialty food producers, says that his company expects to make all its schedule deliveries in the aftermath of the storm, even while many supermarkets are running low on supplies.

"One of our strengths as a company is that we don't warehouse vast amounts of aging items like traditional stores, but we do have supplies of staples as well as access to locally produced fresh items that we deliver to our customers," said Buckner. "In the storm's aftermath, we can continue making deliveries while stores that have massive, nationwide supply chain issues might find it a challenge to keep their shelves stocked."

Relay Foods is changing the way people approach eating by offering a sustainable, time-saving way to access local goods and obtain staples. The company's delivery model may have the potential to change the way people stock up on supplies prior to and after a storm as well. Find out more about Relay Foods at www.relayfoods.com.

About RelayFoods.com

The mission of RelayFoods.com is to make eating quality, healthy and sustainable food simple. Relay will accomplish its mission by educating individuals and families about the food they eat, creating connections between producers and end consumers and bringing food to easily accessible locations. Learn more at www.relayfoods.com.

SOURCE Relay Foods