Our Maple's website is almost there!
Thanks to everyone for their patience while we have been putting our new site together. We want it to to be informative and engaging, so we've really been working to get things right! In the meantime, here's some news...
MAPLE'S GELATERIA NOW PROUDLY SERVES COFFEE BY DESIGN
It's a match made in heaven...locally handcrafted gelato and bakery sweets meet organic, fair-trade, microroasted Portland coffee from our friends at CBD. Take a break from your workday or your holiday shopping (at locally-owned businesses, of course!) and relax with a nice latte or a mug of French Roast. And don't forget to pick up Maple's gift certificates for your friends and loved ones- they make a great gift that gives sweet pleasure all year long!
LOOK OUT BOSTON!
It's been over a year in the making, but Maple's is finally firing up the cow truck and making the move into the Boston market. It all started in the dark days of last winter with our first delivery to the fine folks at Formaggio Kitchen in Cambridge (aka Food Heaven), and since then we have been ramping up to make the leap over the state line (two of them, actually) in a big way. We are adding other markets in Greater Boston to our list of retail outlets, including many of the regional Whole Foods as well as other independants shops. Tell your friends south of the Piscataqua River to check Maple's out!
We are also adding several other outlets in southern Maine and Seacoast New Hampshire, so keep your eyes open for us and let us know if there is a store near you where Maple's would be a welcomed addition.
MAPLE'S WINS "BEST IN SHOW" PRIZE AT THE COMMON GROUND FAIR!
After a beautiful and successful fall weekend up in Unity, we were thrilled and honored to receive both the "Best Dessert" and "Best Food in Show" prizes at the 2008 Common Ground Country Fair. Competition was stiff as some of the best in local, organic food was served up, and we certainly enjoyed ourselves sampling other vendors' wares! Thank you to MOFGA and to the thousands of people who came out to enjoy the fair and support Maple's in their second year! Look for pics on MOFGA's website: www.mofga.org
LINE UP FOR OUR FALL FLAVORS!
We're bringing back some old favorites and trying out some new ones, so stop by the gelateria and taste the harvest bounty, courtesy of Maine's organic farmers! Some up-and-comings include:
Spiced Pumpkin
Lemon-Glazed Gingerbread
Apple Cobbler
Sweet Cinnamon
and our new hit: Sea Salt Caramel-Almond
FALL HOURS at the Gelateria
The leaves are starting to fall and we are open:
Monday-Thursday 11-8
Friday & Saturday 11-10
Sunday 12-6
A NOTE ON OUR NEW PACKAGING
A few months back we made the decision to switch our pint containers from trusted old paperboard to square PET. This was a decision that was a long time coming for us, and much, much thought and concern went into our final choice. Here's a letter we got from a concerned customer, as well as the response we gave her; we hope this helps to explain why we feel good about the choice we made:
Hi,
I'm
in a slight panic so instead of grumbling I decided to write! What
happened to your packaging!!??? Oh my, I was quite distraught at the
sight of your new plastic containers. I won't buy my food in plastic so
I'm now unable to buy any of your pints. I'm curious why you made the
switch from the cardboard containers. I am told it is because the
plastic is recyclable but we have always recylced the cardboard.
Maple's Customer
Hello Maple's Customer-
Thanks for the email! The packaging is something I
labored over for a long, long time before deciding to go with the PET
containers. Normally I'm right on board with you about using plastic,
especially for food, but it turned out to be WAY more complicated a
dilemma. Probably the trickiest one of the business so far.
The
paperboard containers, I always knew, are horrible on every front. For
starters, they are made from wood pulp of uncertain origin which is
bleached using a chlorine-intensive process of which dioxin (one of the
most toxic, carcinogenic substances) is a byproduct. Bad for trees,
rivers, animals, and people. Then they are coated in a petroleum wax,
as are most freezer containers. They are not recyclable... if you've
been putting them into the bin, they are getting picked out and tossed
or the wax on them is gunking up the works at the recycling facility.
They are also very heavy (in comparison) and so require a lot of fuel
to move around. Unbleached pints, which would at least be a bit better,
have been taken off the market. So there is nothing at all good or
eco-friendly about paperboard freezer containers, even though they are
paper-based and seem like a more responsible product.
Of all the
plastic options, PET is the easiest to recycle (of those that can be
frozen), does not leach into our food (which is all frozen by the time
it gets there, so the plastic is never degraded by high heat), and is
extremely light. A case of 1000 PET pints weighs less than a case of
250 of the paperboard pints. If I thought using them was decreasing the
sustainability of our operation or exposing our customers to chemicals,
I would never have made the switch. You are getting exposed to more
dissolved petroleum in one of the paperboard pints than with the
PET....that wax flakes and scrapes off easily, which has always
bothered me.
We looked at corn plastic, too, but some batches
failed a freeze test, I have serious concerns about using a food
product for plastics in the current food economy, and they are not
recyclable in any way. They can theoretically be composted, but only in
commercial composting environments, and the product is still a waste
once used.
I
appreciate hearing from you and it always good to know that folks are
engaged and thinking about the products they're buying. And worrying
about these things that I spend my days muddling over! This, like most
consumer decisions, was very convoluted and complicated and my initial
instincts about plastic were flipped around once I looked closer at the
alternatives. I hope you are at least interested by my decision-making
process here and thanks again for your time and for enjoying our
creations!
Best,
Kristie Green
Owner
Maple's Organics
MAPLE'S and SUNRISE GUIDE host the second PORTLAND GREENDRINKS!
The event was a big hit and we had a blast with treats from Rosemont Market and fantastic beer from Peak Organic. Check out pictures and mark next month's gala on your calendar.
