TORONTO – Fresh City announced today the acquisition of The Healthy Butcher, a pioneer in organic and 100% grass-fed meat and sustainable seafood. The acquisition provides Fresh City, Toronto’s leading provider of organic, sustainable and seasonal food, full control over its animal protein supply chain. This announcement comes on the heels of Fresh City’s recent acquisition of Mabel’s Bakery & Specialty Foods, bringing the multi-channel company’s retail store count to eight.
“It is time to be bold. Consumers are demanding quality, transparency and convenience, and this acquisition helps us deliver on that promise” said Ran Goel, the founder and CEO of Fresh City. “The current food system is broken, and even more so for animal products. With each step we take, we are getting closer to fulfilling our purpose of providing a better life through food.”
The Healthy Butcher was founded in 2005 by husband-and-wife team Mario Fiorucci and Tara Longo. They both left the corporate world to follow their passion for food and their shared belief that buying healthy meat should be easy. The Healthy Butcher changed the way Toronto thought of meat, leading the movement towards sustainable nose-to-tail consumption, with a direct transparent link to farmers who care. They have several longstanding partnerships with local livestock farms. In addition, The Healthy Butcher was the first Ocean Wise Retail Partner in Ontario, also leading the push towards consuming only sustainable seafood. They have storefronts at 565 Queen St. West (downtown Toronto) and 298 Eglinton Ave. West (midtown Toronto). Fiorucci and Longo will join Fresh City’s senior management team, and all Healthy Butcher staff were retained including long-time head butcher Dave Meli.
“We are beyond excited to welcome the Healthy Butcher team and brand under the Fresh City umbrella,” said Goel. “They are the clear leaders in Toronto in sourcing and processing organic, grass-fed and sustainable meat and fish. This allows Fresh City to provide better quality, higher standards and more transparency.”
“It’s a meeting of minds and shared values,” said Healthy Butcher’s co-founder Mario Fiorucci, “We each have our strengths and together we can provide better products, better service, better pricing, and continue to strive for the missions that were the reasons we all started our businesses in the first place.”
Some Healthy Butcher meat options have already been added to Fresh City’s online market and stores. And some Fresh City prepared foods are now available at both Healthy Butcher locations as well as on their online store. “As we continue to integrate our systems over the next several months, customers will begin to see more and more Healthy Butcher products available as a part of the Fresh City home delivery service” said Goel.
About The Healthy Butcher:
The Healthy Butcher is Toronto’s most trusted butcher and is the source for the best ethically raised meat in the city. The store offers a direct connection to the food source, partnering with over 75 farmers within 100 miles of Toronto for beef, lamb, pork, chicken, bison, elk, Cornish hen, quail, goose, and other premium meats, seasonal local produce, and both fresh water and ocean fish. All ingredients sold by The Healthy Butcher have been vetted to be clean, using sustainable and ethical practices. Delivery is available throughout Toronto 7 days/week through their website at thehealthybutcher.com, and every cut delivered is cut to order by knowledgeable butchers who can help answer any questions you may have.
About Fresh City
Fresh City is an award-winning urban farm and omni-channel retailer. They deliver organic produce, prepared foods and meal kits to thousands of Toronto area families weekly, with orders placed through freshcityfarms.com. Fresh City also has two stores in Toronto (111 Ossington Avenue & 476 Roncesvalles Avenue) and a third opening this fall (at Bay & Gerrard). In late-2018, Fresh City acquired Mabel’s Bakery & Specialty Food. Fresh City works with like-minded makers to deliver a food experience that respects our bodies, our planet and our shared tomorrow. Fresh City was founded by Toronto local Ran Goel in 2011 after leaving his legal career to help change the way people think about and shop for food.
