Riverford - anyone else having a problem with customer services?

My delivery arrives every thursday morning. They had a problem a few weeks ago and were a few hours late but they informed me earlier

Deliveries can be one-off, mine have been one-offs when my previous allotment was in full production

The owner transferred the whole business to its employees and producers, they are now also invested in recipe boxes and smaller kits such as brownies, marmalade etc and they sometimes have guest chefs

Try Greendale Farm a few miles to the east of Riverford!🍆🍎🥦

I don’t shop in supermarkets for many reasons: the way they strangle competition from small business; the way they screw farmers on price; the way almost everything comes wrapped in plastic; proven and documented cruel farming practices; excessive CEO pay etc etc

I buy in markets and farm shops and ethnic independents. I used Abel & Cole during the pandemic and was happy with them. Their slogan is: No pointless plastic. No harmful pesticides. Farmers paid fairly.

I haven’t tried Riverford but I’m guessing they work in a similar way. Abel & Cole has a set date for deliveries based on area.

Riverford should, at the very least, have explained why its delivery was early although from what you have written it sounds like they have disputed that. It may not seem a major thing for them but for the customer it could be inconvenient in terms of storage, menu planning and budgeting.

Do you know how often Riverford deliver to your area? I'm wondering if they have consolidated deliveries in some way to reduce costs. This was reported a year ago:

... the company said that trading conditions and cost pressures this year and next could be some of the worst in its 36-year history after profits dived 56% to £5.2m.

Wolwol

Thanks, not in favour of flown-in stuff all year round.

I do click and collect, but will specifically look for samphire

Will just have to work a bit harder to eat seasonally

Seasonal veg is not flown in! It’s the stuff we grow here!

X’ed posts with karmalady. It took me longer to type!

I’ve have had deliveries from Riverford for a long time, after I found it difficult to buy organic fruit and vegetables when we moved. I don’t order a box if we won’t eat all the contents, but you can order individual items. I’ve always found customer services good on the occasions when I wasn’t happy with deliveries or where they had made errors and they refund for items I am not happy with. I’ve had no trouble cancelling orders or pausing deliveries. The range of organic items in supermarkets in our area is limited. I’ve also found Riverford meat is excellent, although it is expensive. I really like their ethos and wish others followed similar.

I have been with them for 20+ years. Still very good in all ways and I have moved twice since I started. Customer service is excellent with beautiful fresh vegetables

I tend to buy individual veg varieties these days as most boxes contain potatoes or peppers and I eat neither. I arranged via website, for various items to be delivered weekly, 2 weekly, 3 weekly whatever I needed

It is very easy to cancel or change box delivery via their website. I have never had a problem

I stopped having them as I found them expensive and the vegetables were substandard.

Thanks, not in favour of flown-in stuff all year round.

I do click and collect, but will specifically look for samphire

Will just have to work a bit harder to eat seasonally

You can buy seasonal veg, including samphire, in supermarkets.

Thanks all.

I did like the seasonal and unusual stuff - samphire etc.

I do support their ethos, but for a polite email from me to getting me annoyed enough to leave after 4 years is quite an achievement for their customer services - I don't annoy easily...

That’s what puts me off these veg box companies. I plan my meals ahead of shopping and don’t want to be presented with some surprise stuff to have to work around. I really don’t see the point - if you don’t live near a greengrocer all supermarkets have a good range of fresh fruit and veg to choose from, probably cheaper than these boxes.

Hi- my son has been with them for years. Since he came to live with me he still orders from them from time to time but I'm not impressed. You can't pick what they bring and it doesn't seem much for the money. He says he's tried to cancel but they still keep delivering. That's my experience for what its worth.