Rise Mrkt is an online dry market looking to make composting as simple as returning an Amazon package. The main goal of the start-up, currently in its crowd-funding stages, is to sell dry pantry goods shipped directly to your door packaged in 100% compostable pouches.
“The name is a call to action for a populist movement towards more sustainable practices, seeing as large corporations and the government, in general, do not seem to be taking the necessary action to address the issues the food system is causing our environment,” said Rise Mrkt founder Jordyn Gatti.
Rise Mrkt’s packaging is minimalist and sleek. Designed in house by Gatti himself and made entirely from plant material-meaning it can’t contain any toxic material like plastic-the pouches break down at a composting facility within 180 days. They’re also backyard compostable, but degradation time varies depending on environmental factors. Corn, soy and sugarcane stalk fibers make up the pouches, and even the “zipper” comes from plant material.
The commitment to sustainability goes beyond convenience for the rising brand. If you don’t live near a composting facility? Rise Mrkt will send you a free return label to send your old packaging to, and they’ll handle the rest.
“The branding and representation needed to be minimal to represent the idea of ‘reducing waste’ by essentially reducing our ‘branding waste,’” said Gatti. “This also plays out practically in that, with minimal branding, there is less to print, less ink used, and less energy required to create a single package. So, in a literal way, we are reducing waste by keeping the branding minimum.”
At launch, the company will offer 100 dry grocery items like quinoa, lentils, rice, black beans, corn, chickpeas, almonds, and even gluten-free flours, sugars, and spices. For other things on your shopping list, Rise Mrkt will continue to encourage consumers to purchase wet foods, meats, and other produce locally as they are environmentally costly to ship.
The standards Rise Mrkt will use to source their products is another thing that sets this startup apart. Currently, Rise Mrkt works solely with family-run farms that care about the integrity of the environment as much as they care about the integrity of their products. This can mean that the farms are certified organic farms or fully observe organic practices, but can also mean they use crop-rotating to replenish the soil naturally.
They also have hard lines, as they refuse to sell anything with GMOs or that use Monsanto seeds, ensuring that everything they sell is fair-trade and non-exploitative to the populations where the products grow, something paramount to the company.
Gatti’s commitment to sustainability also transcends the income-divide gatekeeping associated with sustainable food items in recent years.
“Anyone who wants to reduce their environmental impact should be able to do so without blowing up their grocery budget,” Gatti says. Making better options accessible on a large scale is the only path to overhaul the systemic issues with our food system.”
It’s the kind of strong statement that makes you believe Rise Mrkt will do just what its namesake promises.
