How it Works

Produce Pals is a  produce buying club (similar to a produce co-op) in the Odenton, MD area.

We are a produce buying club that operates similar to a produce co-op; we purchase wholesale produce (by the case), sort it between the members (aka Produce Pals) who have purchased a share that week, and save 40-45% over the local supermarket prices*!

As more people participate, our purchasing power grows, so invite your family and friends to become a Produce Pal too!

• We do NOT require a contract or a commitment, just order whenever you would like delicious, fresh produce for less than you’d spend at the grocery store.
• A regular share is $22. A small share is $13.
• We order every other week.  You can see the pick up schedule in the right sidebar.
• Each share includes bananas, apples, tomatoes and lettuce/spinach as well as other fruits and vegetables that are chosen based on their price and seasonal availability.  We buy local produce whenever it is available and fits into the order.
• We order from a produce wholesaler that supplies area restaurants, so all of your produce is very fresh.
• We currently offer conventional produce only, not organic.
• There will be a swap/trade basket at the pick up location, if the produce order contains anything your family will not eat, you can put it in the basket and take something else to replace it.
• Pick up is on Saturday morning in Odenton, 8-9am. If you have not picked up your produce by 9am, your share will be donated. No refunds will be given.
• You need to bring a bag, box or laundry basket to take your produce home.
• You need to prepay by the Monday night before the Saturday pick up.  You must be a registered member of Produce Pals (it’s free!) to order, click here to become a Produce Pal now.
• A minimum of 10 regular shares is needed to order each time.
• Our family receives a regular share in exchange for organizing, ordering, picking up and sorting all the produce.

If you still have questions, please contact me.

Click here to see October 2012 cost comparisons.

*In the spring of 2011, we compared prices to grocery stores in the Odenton, MD area and found that in order to buy the same amount of produce as contained in a Produce Pals share, you would have spent about 45-50% more.  Our share prices increased in September 2012; using our new share pricing, you still would have saved 40-45%!

It was a little harder to compare prices to Aldi’s and Super Walmart, because of how they prepackage their produce, but we still saw an average savings of 33% (based on share prices at that time).  Click to see the cost comparisons for Aldi’s and Super Walmart.