Hi, I am Bo. I grew up as the daughter of third generation greengrocers.
This meant from a young age I was visiting and getting to know local growers first hand. It also meant I had the pleasure of falling in love with fresh fruit picked straight from their trees. Enjoying the absolute best that the South Australia has to offer.
Later in life, I worked a 9-5 in an office and quickly came to learn that not everyone shared my love for local fruit. Some tolerated, others simply didn't like it, and a few wouldn't even TRY it. How did I know?
Each day as I appeared in their lunch area I would receive the same interaction.
Referring to my prepared lunch, they would compliment me for being
"such a healthy young girl."
It's just that... they would say it in a way that seemed to put themselves down at the same time. As though to say they wished they would make the same decisions but felt like it was out of reach. As though making food choices like mine was reserved for "healthy people" which they didn't identify as.
In fact, some would admit it plain and simple: "as you see," gesturing to their own lunch "I could NEVER eat like that."
All kinds of people,
each sharing the same experience,
never considering that they could be any different.
I left my office-job soon after it began to return to the fruit and veg industry. I knew that SA growers really had so much to offer and I had seen that more people needed to know about it. I wanted to show more people that eating well could truly be enjoyable if they knew where to look.
I started delivering fresh, high quality fruit to local offices - on a mission to show the self-proclaimed "I don't eat healthy" eaters just how good local fresh fruit could be.
A couple years passed. I knew I was providing amazing fresh fruit that was well appreciated in the offices, but ultimately it was really just for people who already wanted to eat fruit everyday. And I knew I wasn't making any sort of impact on the people who still didn't like that healthy stuff.
More months passed and finally - a new idea came across my table. Tradition from my grandmother, passed to my mother, and practiced in the family, I often dried fruit for my own easy snacking delight. I used the best fruit in SA to make deliciously healthy and sulphur-free dried fruit.
One day, someone close to me caught onto my personal snack stash and questioned:
"So, why don't you sell this? This would be the perfect snack for offices."
Honestly? I thought he was wrong and I didn't think it would work. But, with a bit of curiosity and benefit of the doubt.. I reached out to the offices I previously delivered fresh fruit boxes to and we all gave it a red hot go.
It worked. Everyone loved it.
It turns out that dried fruit provided the perfect sweet, moreish and snackable choice that even the "I don't eat healthy" eaters were giving it a go.
Greenlight.
We finally found a healthy alternative that satisfies the snack cravings of real humans. When we are having a bad day at work, even the healthiest of us aren't thinking "hmm I'm really craving a piece of fruit and a salad to make me feel better."
We're not here to fight against human nature.
No more trying to convince people that healthy eating doesn't have to suck, we provided something that proved it to themselves.
I created Bo's Market not just for the "healthy eaters," but especially for those who find it challenging. Now we are on a mission to bring healthy alternatives to offices across Australia. Empowering more people to make one positive choice, no matter what the day holds. So we can all feel proud of the person we are everyday.
This is the story of Bo's
I was born into the world of fresh produce. With my dad being a third-generation greengrocer, together with my mum they ran multiple local fruit and veg shops. I spent my childhood tasting the freshest local produce, learning where to find the best fruit in SA, and listening to growers' stories.
Early Days in Fruit and Veg
From the moment I was tall enough to help pack carrots, I was immersed in the working world of fruit and veg. I then worked throughout school and full-time after graduating. I fell in love with the intricacies and secrets of the industry and considered whether this would be my future too.
An Office Adventure
Curious about what else I could achieve outside of small-business, I explored the engineering space. I was eager to experience a different environment and I was grateful to find an office lifestyle I really enjoyed, full of amazing people.
However, I knew my greatest potential lay elsewhere...
Back to the Roots
I knew I had more to do and learn in the fresh produce industry. But with my parents finally closing their local fruit and veg shop and retiring, I faced a crossroads. Fueled by my passion for quality produce and inspired by my recent office experience, I embarked on a mission to showcase the finest fruits South Australia had to offer. I began Bo's Market.
Seasonal Fruit Surprises
Throughout 2019 and 2020, I delivered personalised, highly-seasonal fresh fruit boxes to local offices. These boxes included unique and interesting fruits not typically found in regular office deliveries. I made sure to include information on how to enjoy each fruit to its fullest potential, aiming to introduce people to new flavours and experiences.
Growing Pains and Gains
Delivering fresh fruit boxes to offices was a hit, but the logistics were tricky. Running a small & personal fruit box business without a wholesale base was challenging, and I knew a change was needed. While trusting another business to continue delivering fresh fruit to my office connections, I set out to find a better way to fulfil my overall mission.
A Sweet Revelation
Having grown up with the tradition of dehydrating fruit at home, a skill passed down from my grandmother, to my mother, and then to me. A close friend tasted some of my dried fruit and prompted me to offer them as a new healthy office snack. Initially sceptical, we gave it a red hot go.
I stood corrected - it was a hit! Dried fruit in offices turned out to be the perfect healthy alternative. Snacks that feel like an indulgent treat without sacrificing your health.
Eco-Conscious Choices
Since dried fruit is heavily marketed to reduce fruit waste from growers, I always hated the irony of dried fruit sold in wasteful plastic bags. I wanted to do better.
We found our solution to home-compostable green waste vac sealed bags. Our products not only delighting taste buds but also aligning with our eco-friendly values.
Expanding Horizons
With a growing demand for alternate healthy choices in offices and homes, we built this website just for you. As we expand across Australia, we're excited to bring our delicious, healthy snacks to more people, one office and home delivery at a time.
To be continued: We know this next timeline addition will come with some exciting twists you might not expect.
Bo's Market Core Values
Our mission is to facilitate the shift towards a healthier lifestyle; one that you are proud of. At Bo's Market, we focus on daily choices that boost your energy and well-being.
By upholding our core values, choosing Bo's Market becomes your first decision of many to be proud of.
Healthy Living
- Making healthy options convenient and accessible.
- Guidance and encouragement to build momentum towards better wellbeing, through one positive choice each day.
- Wellbeing, habits, and nutritional education.
Eco & Farming Conscious
- Waste-reducing practices.
- No-waste packaging; improving on the recycled-plastic standard.
- Prioritising premium local growers and reducing transport miles.
- Protecting heirloom fruit varieties and irreplaceable expertise of SA's most experienced growers.
Balanced Choices
- Encouraging eating well through highlighting the reward of feeling better.
- Promoting a positive relationship to food and health.
- Striving to put a stop to guilt-based marketing tactics that shame unhealthy choices.