Edible Food Finds: B-Organic
For every 10 pounds of food purchased in the United States, four are wasted. Per U.S. Department of Agriculture data, that equated to 133 billion pounds in 2010 and the problem has only grown in the near decade since.
While the U.S. government wants to halve that figure by 2030, a Worcester woman hopes to do so sooner—one organic cotton reusable bag at a time.
B-Organic was born out of Cathy DiPilato’s misfortune. Laid off at the start of 2018, her food budget was a fraction of what it had been and she needed to make fresh produce last longer.
This twofold mission—eliminating food waste and expanding her family’s food budget—is the driving force behind her now-2-year-old home-based company.
By May 2018, five months in, Cathy was happy selling 25 bags each month. By October 2019, she estimated her sales at 4,000 bags each month. Now, if you open Cathy’s fridge on any given day you’ll find a dozen or so bags filled with fruits and vegetables.
Hand sewn out of beige organic cotton imported from India, the B-Organic bags are sold in small, medium and large sizes running $6, $7 and $8 respectively. Each B-Organic pouch is printed with one of 71 unique designs. These fruit- and vegetable-oil based prints are hand-drawn by Cathy and range from images of fruits and vegetables to a rabbit-adorned best-seller called “Bunny Greens,” bags dedicated to breads and seeds and climate-forward reduce/ reuse/recycle themes.
“If I keep my prices really low, the average household will be able to use them—if they make a lot of money or a little money,” she said. Now her fulltime work, Cathy beams about the progress: “It’s so exciting, it’s growing like a weed. Everywhere I go, so many people come back and give me a thumbs-up.”
In addition to her website, Cathy sells B-Organic bags across the region. In less than two years, she’s secured contracts with Brothers Marketplace and Davidian Farms in Northborough; as well as multiple Central Massachusetts farmers and crafts markets including the Sturbridge Farmers Market, the Canal District Farmers Market, the Eastern States Exposition, the Auburn Holiday Craft Fair and the Apple Country Fair in Brookfield, among many others.
The quantity at which she produces bags has also drawn interest from fundraisers. Multiple nonprofits—including the Center for Women and Enterprise and the Trustees of Reservations—have contracted with B-Organic to give away bags for their events.
Cathy knew she had found a sustainable market for her bags when she recognized repeat customers, fulfilled orders from as far away as Texas and received local recognition from farms and food brands thanking her for encouraging the reduction of food waste.
Many of us go to farmers markets to meet up with friends and fill our fridge for the coming week. As a vendor, Cathy never knows who will walk up to her booth—and, to her, that’s half the adventure. Among her connections she counts nearly every demographic and the feedback is nothing but positive. Why? She helps people save money by demonstrating that personal food management is not a Herculean task.
Groups with which she has had the most impact are grade schools, elderly people on fixed incomes, veterans, people with physical disabilities and those receiving government food aid.
While California and Oregon were added to her online sales footprint in late 2019, Cathy is excited for new opportunities in 2020. She plans to open a booth at the Boston Public Market, partner with health-conscious corporations, expand her fundraising to local schools and continue her presence at the many environmental festivals and farmers markets where she made her start.
This story appeared in the Winter 2020 issue.
