Here's How to Ensure Clients That Your Microgreens Aren't Contaminated with COVID-19

Posted in Coronavirus on April 11, 2020
Tags: Safety

Looks like a lot of microgreens consumers are worried about the risks of getting the virus through their favorite microgreens which leads to:

• farmers struggling to distribute their production
• people limiting their consumption of healthy food

At the same time, there isn’t any scientific research and data about the specific resiliency of coronavirus, because it is so new. Still studies show that its cousin viruses, SARS and MERS, only live for few hours on the surface of an object. They are spread most often by respiratory droplets from one person to another.

I went to my community and asked the farmers how were they coping with the issue. Some of the guys were pretty knowledgeable and pro-active in implementing series of actions to prevent their business and clients.

I compiled the best answers bellow. Please take all the advice with a grain of salt and always do your own due diligence. I'd recommend spending an hour or so and exploring this resource.

TLDR; Use thorough hygiene practices and update your clients on your safety standards and precautions.

First and most important: You need to actually do something and not just state your microgreens are safe! Honesty and transparency is paying off long term anyway.

Let's see what could help:

Growing Your Production in a Pressurized Greenhouse

Not accessible to everyone, but those of you who already grow production in pressurized greenhouses are providing a bit better isolation compared to farms located inside living spaces like houses and flats.*

If you have this advantage, make sure you state it in your marketing materials. It would be best to design and print a new leaflet to address the issue and mention it there. Include as many precautions as you are actually able to apply. Again, be honest and transparent.

Access Your Production Space Using a Tyvek Suit, Gloves, Beard cover and Hair cover

This is how you can assure your clients that your greens are never touched before the delivery. Make sure you include his res images and appropriate copy in your marketing materials so that they actually can see and read it.

If this seems to much to you then leave the decision to your regular clients - call a couple of them and ask him a question like:

"Hey NAME, would you feel safer for your health if we told you that our green veggies are never touched before we deliver them to your door? We use tyvek suits , gloves, beard and hair covers when we access our trays."

Then stop talking and just listen trying to catch even the tiniest nuances in their emotions. The more you practice this exercise the closer to the right decision you will be.

Advise Clients to Wash Microgreens Regardless You Have Washed Before Delivering

This a way to put some control in their hands regardless all the precautions you've already taken. And once again, put this tip in your leaflet.

If you want to approach the issue in the most professional way possible start with set of protocols or SOPs for cleaning and harvesting and outline everything in a all your marketing materials.

Edit:

I'm adding Leaflet/Broshure templates to modify for your COVID-19 updates on safety

In the past days I collected a few templates for leaflets that can be easily tweaked and used for that purpose. The main color in most of not all of them is green.

Happy to share them with the community. Here's a direct download link from my Google Drive.

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