SHOP AT THE STORE

Covid-19

What are the protection measures that Gram is taking against covid-19?

We have introduced some new measures in the shop to allow you to continue shopping at Gram and feel safe at the same time. Here is what we are doing:

• We set up a transparent separator above the till

• You will find hand sanitisers at the entrance, by the till and by the customer scale

• All scoops, spoons and tongs are "single-use". We wash them thoroughly after each use.

• We clean handles in the shop regularly

• You can pre-order or request home delivery. We will even refill for customers who don't want to enter the shop!

Gram is continuously following the recommendations from the Swedish Public Health Agency and updates the current measures accordingly.

Shopping

How does it work to shop at Gram?

If you bring your own containers with you, make sure they are clean and dry. Then follow these simple steps:

1. Weigh: put your container on the scale with the lid on, write the weight on your container

2. Fill: with whatever you like

3. Pay: take to the till

We have brown paper bags in various sizes. So if you don’t bring your own containers, you can use these for free. We also sell glass preserving jars in various sizes, bottles for liquids and cloth bags. From time to time, there are also donated second-hand jars offered for free.

What are the payment options?

Swish and card.

Is it possible to shop online and pick up my order from the shop?

Absolutely! You can order it online, pay and then pick it up at your shop at
Mäster Danielsgatan 3, 211 58 Malmö. Check our opening times here.

Why is package-free shopping important?

We’ve come to a point where consumerism and convenience rule. Unfortunately, the result of these two things is an overuse of natural and fast depleting resources, plus a deluge of trash impacting oceans and wildlife. Even in a country like Sweden, where we have an efficient waste management system and where we recycle a huge amount, there is a negative impact. Plastics are (mostly) made of fossil fuels and can’t be recycled endlessly, some can’t be recycled at all so are burnt or end up in a landfill.
We simply can’t carry on living like we are the only person on earth. There are a lot of us and we need to reflect that in our use of resources. We are creatures of habit though, so making changes to our everyday rituals (like food shopping) doesn’t come easily.

Products and suppliers

Are all your products organic? And local?

C. 95% of our products are organic.

Our guide for selecting products is that they are preferably organic and local. If it’s not organic it might be local or simply be a great thing to have in bulk, but that’s hard to find in organic and bulk (like chickpea flour). We look for products that are made as locally as possible. Many of our household products (soaps, shampoo bars, cloth coffee filters, etc.) are made in Sweden. We also sell Sweden’s quinoa, beans, and lentils. Other local products include oats, flour, honey, sweets, kombucha, oil, halloumi cheese, vegan butter etc.

Learn more about how we choose suppliers (made by Jo & Chiao) here:

How do you have your products delivered to you?

We work with a couple of big wholesalers and we buy from them just like a big restaurant kitchen does – mostly in 25kg paper sacks (for things like rice, seeds, oats, etc.)

Then we try to have as many local collaborations as possible – if we can have a relationship with the producer, we get to have a better discussion about how we want the products packaged and delivered. Some examples of these are chocolate and candy that are made in Malmö and delivered to us in boxes, which are then taken away and reused by the supplier. We have the same system for sweets, tea, halloumi cheese, eggs, and honey. We work with as many local producers as possible as eating local is also a big environmental plus.
Some of our suppliers deliver products in reusable glass bottles or jars, so the customer pays a charge (pant) for the container, which they get back when they return it. The bottle then gets sent back to the supplier for cleaning and refilling. We do this for milk, kombucha and vegan butter!

Read more about how we reduce the waste of packaging (written by Rowan) here.

Where can I find the suppliers list?

You can find the suppliers on our page.

Do you produce waste?

We actually have very little. For customers, another plus point of shopping at Gram is that you can buy as little (or as much) as you like. So, you could just buy the right amount for a recipe, and then avoid having the package leftover, which will inevitably be thrown away when you discover it at the back of the cupboard a few months later.
With dry products, we reduce the price when it reaches its best before date. If there is a product we find we can’t sell we work with food-rescue groups (like Rude Food in Malmö) who use the food as long as it is safe to eat.

Are your products cheaper?

We can’t compete with supermarket prices being a small independent store. But we always aim to be the same as, or even under good organic brands.

Do you only sell food?

No, we have a large variety of products from detergents, soaps, deodorants, and brushes to reusable bottles, menstrual cups and cloth diapers.  

Allergies & hygiene

I have a food allergy. Is it safe for me to shop in your store?

It is. However, if you prefer, you can order online and pick it up at the store (we can even give it to you outside).

What about hygiene, how does that work?

As most of our products are dry, they are at very low contamination risk. But of course, we have systems in place to ensure everything is clean and food safe. Our containers get washed between batches – i.e. each time we start to fill from a new sack we wash and change the container. We also make sure the containers are left to air dry for 24 hours before they are used to avoid food coming into contact with moisture. 
Once a sack has been opened it gets re-sealed with a clip and put in a food-grade storage box. We also make sure that any allergen products (nuts, flour, etc.) are kept separate.

How are the products stored at the shop? 

We have the same checks and regulations as any shop dealing with food, meaning that Miljöforvaltningen comes and does an annual check and give us an “ok” that we are doing everything to a high standard in terms of hygiene.

Do you have best before dates on your products?

Since we buy our products in non-consumer packaging there is no requirement under EU rules for the producer to give a best before date. So, some products come with a date, and the ones that don’t give a crop year instead (the year the product was harvested) so we can ensure it’s not old (crop years are usually 2 years before best before dates on dry products). We display a BBD if we have it.
The BBD on many of the dry products are also merely a guideline, the product is still edible after that date. So, when the date goes out we continue selling it at a reduced price.

Services

What kind of services does Gram offer?

Besides the shop, Gram offers a variety of services such as talks, workshops and consultancy. For more information and inquiries please contact us.

SHOP ONLINE

We believe we have all the answers to your questions on our Terms and Conditions here. If not, please contact us.