By blending the convenience of online shopping with direct access to local farmers, a new digital platform created by a La Jolla resident brings new meaning to the phrase “add to cart.”
Navore Market, akin to a virtual farmers market, was launched earlier this year to “provide a convenient online marketplace that connects users to fresh local produce directly from local farmers and producers,” according to founder Caroline Driehaus, who moved to La Jolla five years ago.
The business’s name comes from the old Norse prefix “na,” meaning “near,” and “vore,” meaning “one who eats.”
Thirteen local producers currently on the marketplace offer a range from seasonal produce to pantry items. Some offer delivery to communities including La Jolla.
To use Navore Market, customers enter their address on the website and find local farmers and producers who serve their area, Driehaus said. From there, they choose a farmer to order from and assemble a cart with what is available, as they would in a grocery store. Then customers can schedule delivery if offered or arrange a pickup date and location.
Some producers have order minimums, but there is no fee or subscription required to shop the platform.
“The way local farmers grow their food, they have different rounds of produce based on the season,” Driehaus said. “Produce loses nutritional value when it is stored and shipped from a long distance. The taste and quality are there [with locally sourced produce] and you can get a variety you might not find at the store.”
However, she said, most local producers are accessible only at farmers markets, so Navore Market provides a convenient alternative for people seeking one.
“I thought local foods should be more accessible and shopping for it should be more convenient and flexible,” Driehaus said. “There is such a difference when you think about shopping at a grocery store that could have come from another country compared to produce that’s grown a few miles away. This creates more convenient options to fit in your schedule.”
La Jolla resident Caroline Driehaus is the founder of Navore Market, akin to a virtual farmers market. (Navore Market)
Navore Market is in talks with “a lot more producers” about joining the platform, she said.
“I’m so excited about it. I’m excited to share it with people and share their excitement, and for the producers to find more customers,” Driehaus said. “Everyone that has been a part is enthusiastic.”
Driehaus grew up in Chicago and would frequent farmers markets in her youth. Her mother was always encouraging her and her siblings “to eat healthy,” she said.
Driehaus moved to attend the University of San Diego on a pre-med pathway.
“When I saw the amazing farmers markets here, it was inspiring for me,” she said. “But I wasn’t able to purchase their products as much as I wanted to because I was busy. I wanted a site like [Navore Market] to exist.”
But finding nothing like it, she created one.
“I took a little bit of a break before applying to med school, but all I could think about was this idea, so I got sucked into the research [and] I created the business plan,” Driehaus said.
She said her next step is to add more farmers and producers to reach more San Diego-area neighborhoods.
“We’re going to continue to do what we can to serve as many people as we can,” she said.
Find out more at navoremarket.com. ♦