FAQ's
Ok I'm new, how do I sign up?
Please choose the tab on the top right corner of any page and select 'sign-up'. Alternatively you will be prompted to do so if you try place an order and proceed to your shopping cart.
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You may view the website and produce offerings without signing up, however if you'd like to place an order, you must first sign-up. This creates your account and streamlines the process for your next visit. It also provides us with the necessary information should we need to get in contact with you about your order.
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Once active you may view your cart, add and subtract items as you would on any shopping cart.
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Happy ordering!
Do you deliver?
No, we do not currently deliver or ship any item on this website. We currently offer pick-up options from our Rusty's Market stall.
This ensures we keep our costs at an absolute minimum.
Are memberships required?
No.
We really appreciate volunteer help with our order sorting and packing up our retail stall each week. If you like to get involved then please sign up on our volunteer register here.
Do I need to volunteer my time?
No, however we love when members get involved and help out the co-op by volunteering their time. This time is spent mostly sorting weekly produce orders on Thursday (1pm - 6pm) at our pick-up location (Rusty's Market, 56-89 Grafton St, Cairns QLD 4870 - Sheridan Street side along side wall near cark park ramp entrance).
Volunteering outside of these times is also welcomed and may include website design, community outreach, social media promotion and so on.
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Please get in touch if you'd like to get involved or register on our online booking system. Remember, you don't have to be a member or be purchasing to support the move to a sustainable organic food model for the community of Cairns.
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Is the produce Australian or local only?
We prioritise our produce in the following order:
1. ORGANIC
2. QUALITY
3. SELECTION/RANGE
3. LOCAL
4. AUSTRALIAN
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We want the best possible organic experience for the community so we prioritise organic produce and will never supply conventional produce.
We also want you to experience the best produce available. Therefore, we will source produce from wherever has the best. If this means Israeli Dates or NZ blueberries over Aussie produce because of seasonal availabilities and/or quality then we will source the best.
We also value our local farmers and will source produce locally wherever possible. This is more likely during our winter months when weather conditions are favourable to sourcing more produce locally. During our summer most produce comes from Brisbane Wholesale Organic Produce Market. Some of this produce may have been grown nearby. This will vary with the produce in question (i.e. tropical fruit varieties thrive in our Summer).
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We will always do our best to prioritise all of these important elements in our weekly offerings.
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I really want a particular item. Do you stock it?
Our weekly produce offerings are updated online each week before orders open. Everything we have access to will be shown on the website. Due to the nature of ordering we may have access to new or additional produce after orders close that week that we will order and have available for purchase on the day of pick-up at our retail stall.
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I'd like to supply to the co-op. How do I do this?
We accept produce from growers & suppliers who currently hold the following certifications.
We also allow growers, who are not certified, to sign a Statutory Declaration (legal document) to verify they grow by organic or biodynamic means and do not use any artificial chemicals at any stage of the growing process.
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If you would like to enquire about supplying organically grown produce to the co-op, please get in touch via email to team@theorganiccollective.org where we will send you a copy of the pro-forma statutory declaration for you to complete, have witnessed, sign and return to us via email and our P.O. Box.
What happens if I don't like what I receive, want a refund or have to cancel my order?
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Please familiarise yourself with our Privacy Policy, Collections Policy and our Terms & Conditions prior to placing your orders each week.
These may be found here as well as during our check-out process.
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Terms & Conditions, Refund & Collection Policies
What is a not-for-profit?
A not-for-profit is an organisational structure that focuses on providing the best value and service without the profit motive driving decisions from invested individuals. A surplus may still be made from operations but these are not distributed to shareholders but rather reinvested into the organisation to improve member experience and help support other community projects that support the availability and quality of organic produce for the community.
