The Next Green Grocery Frontier: Zero Waste?
Austin, the birthplace of the largest chain of health food stores in the world, could be growing even greener.
The city already has eco-friendly organic food giant Whole Foods Market, along with the local Wheatsville Food Co-op and Colorado transplant Natural Grocers. Now a trio of brothers and their business partner are hoping to plant their own seed with in.gredients, the first “zero-waste, package-free” grocery store in the nation that will sell all of its goods in bulk.
In other words, don’t forget your Tupperware or empty jam jars.
In return, Christian, Joseph and Patrick Lane — the Brothers ...

Comments (12)
Melissa Williams Perner via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Why is there so much air in a bag of chips?
Brandon Cooper via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Melissa, there is so much "air" because the chips are packed with nitrogen. This not only keeps them fresh, but also keeps them from becoming smushed during shipping. You pay for products by weight, not volume.
Kim Possible via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Next? I remember buying generic cereals in large size (bulk) bags at my local grocers before they started packaging them as 'Store Brand' products. Not a new concept, more like a recycled concept.
Kim Possible via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Oh, and that was in the 1980's, not early 1900's. ;)
Mac Mcclure via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Abe Lincoln said "you can fool some of the people some of the time, you can even fool some of the people all of the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time"
James McClure via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Why does cereal come in a box? Because it's easier to take home that way. There was a time when everything was sold in bulk---before the 20th century---then someone came along and said "there's got to be a better way" and that's why cereal comes in boxes and jelly comes in a jar etc. But if these guys want to open a store more power to them.
Liz Rainey via Texas Tribune on Facebook
I grew up overseas where you always bring your own bags and shopped in bulk. I was flabbergasted when I saw how everything is packed over here. I just wish I was closer to Austin ... I would shop in such a store preferably.
Enedelia Obregon via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Comedian Lily Tomlln once joked about the absurdity of buying a trash can, having it put into a bag at the store, and then putting the bag in the can once you got home.
Mac Mcclure via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Codex Almentarius- "If you control the food supply, you control the people" - Henry Kissinger
Jaynna Sims
I think this is a lovely idea but so far, I've not heard that they are selling something in bulk that you can't get at other stores in bulk. It makes me think they are just not going to sell those things that the other stores with bulk sections sell outside of the bulk section. I have heard they will sell beer and milk but if you look, you can go to place to get that somewhere with your own container. So, does anyone know if my information is incomplete?
Frances Stone via Texas Tribune on Facebook
i was just pondering this last night in trying to open the plastic casing for my universal remote control - just sell the items as is. no more packaging. takes up space which takes up gas which takes up arthritic hands that takes up life. simple.
Sonora Hartley via Texas Tribune on Facebook
My cereal comes in a bag.