If the future is inspired by the past, what do you think? When it's for a good cause we're a fan, especially when it's to reduce waste!
The history of bulk
Bulk is a thing of the past for some as we are now used to seeing packaging for anything and everything. Thomas told us that he had once seen two bananas in a supermarket packed on a polystyrene tray and covered with plastic film. There was more plastic than fruit. Sherlock is still investigating and the mystery of all this useless packaging is not solved!
One thing is certain, all this is not natural and the plastic frenzy that has developed with industrialization is taking us away from the real things, the raw product . We don't have a time machine yet, we're working on it at Oé but it's quite hard, on the other hand, we can assure you that if you go back hundreds of years, not a bit of plastic on the horizon. The dream, no?
In the past, local artisans and grocery stores replaced supermarkets . Sunday markets and seasonal fairs (notably the wine fair ) brought the village together around the pleasures of life. Traders made discover their finds from all over the world and local products were bought there .
Couples and families went to the village, perky, basket in hand and a few pennies in their pockets to find wonders on the stalls filled with good products . No plastic bag on the horizon, no single-use packaging , no industrial products , all the lights are green to enjoy a good day at the market, without feeling polluted.
So yes, there are cries, all sorts of smells, there is jostling and bustle, but that's the life of the market! And at the end, calm reigns, the merchants pack up, the village resumes its course and a few fruits crushed on the ground let guess an obvious passage of the peasants. Finally, not a plastic on the horizon to pollute the memory of this beautiful landscape. Yes, that was life before packaging , and to tell you the truth, from time to time, nostalgia rises. But in recent years, bulk has come back in force for our greatest happiness and gives us a glimpse of a glimmer of hope for more responsible and respectful consumption .
As surprising as it may seem, we say come back because it was in place a short time ago, even for wine! In the 20th century, some beautiful wine regions offered their wines only in bulk , in particular controlled designations of origin known today. A striking example is that of Francine Grill, we have already told you about this extraordinary winegrower in the article on the place of women in the vineyards . Francine had the audacity in 1978 to offer the first bottle of Languedoc , a first at the time. Thanks to her, we ( Marie-Paule and the whole Oé team) are very happy to offer you a good AOP Languedoc red and a good AOP Languedoc white .
Discover our article on great wines.
And yes, we don't stop progress, and today, progress is inspired by the techniques of yesteryear, let's talk a little about the place of bulk today .
Bulk today and tomorrow
The early 2000s were marked by the explosion of blogs (wonderful memories), tecktonik made a sensational debut (did you also train in the shower?) and above all bulk was born in supermarkets. Valentin remembers it well, he always went shopping with his mother and rushed to the cereal aisle. Rows of manual dispensers were just waiting to be pulled to pour out their cereal, like a slot machine that empties itself of its treasures. Valentin even whispered in our ears that he was shouting “Félindra, tiger's head” loud and clear before pulling the lever to lower the cereal, in reference to Fort Boyard of course. Bulk is practical, bulk is fun!
Like N'golo Kanté, the bulk experienced a period of doubt before coming back in force to conquer the hearts of everyone. Fall to get up better as some say. Yes, because if the brands tried for a while to introduce bulk products on their shelves, not everyone was as convinced as Valentin. Bulk departments quickly disappeared from supermarkets and bulk grocery stores were few and discreet.
The lack of diversity of products , the few brands involved in bulk , the ecological awareness then less developed than today and the lack of confidence concerning the hygiene of products , are all factors that have slowed down a possible story of love between the bulk and the consumer.
Water has flowed under the bridges and in the meantime, many things have changed. Far from the ready eyes of the heart, the two lovers have made their merry way to find themselves more motivated than ever a few years later. The figures speak for themselves, in 2015 barely 18 stores specialized in the sale of bulk products, while today there are more than 400. Bulk can be found in supermarkets , organic stores, on markets, in grocery stores, at a wine merchant , bulk is part of our daily lives because what can do more can do less, and less packaging means more pleasure!
bulk wine
Impossible is not French, especially when it comes to wine . For this sweet drink, we are ready to move mountains and rather than shift the Alps, we decided to offer a new way of consuming our good organic wine so that everyone can find their way around.
At Oé we always question ourselves in order to find more sustainable , more responsible solutions that stick to our values and make our wine as good as good . In the team, the majority buy their products in local grocery stores . We are used to taking in bulk our fruits and vegetables, our condiments and also our little pleasures such as almonds, dried fruits, peanuts, finally the whole gourmet palette! ;)
Over the discussions and team aperitifs, we said to ourselves “Why not us?” And so the story begins. Grab the popcorn, here we go!
Jean Bouteille is our bulk partner, we tell you more about it in this article . Bulk wines online are not for now, but thanks to our partner Jean Bouteilles and committed grocery stores , you can help yourself to wine from the dispenser just a stone's throw from your home. Find in our partner grocery stores , our red wines, white wines and rosé wines in all their forms .
If you would like Oé wine to be served in bulk at your favorite grocery store, send us a message on our social networks or at hello@oeforgood.com .
Two things are important to us, to offer you good wines and to have the smallest possible ecological impact . To make good organic wine , the Oé winegrowers work all year round in harmony with nature. Organic viticulture and organic winemaking are part of our DNA. Far from conventional viticulture , the hectares of vines are maintained in a responsible way where the fauna and flora live in companionship .
Using natural products to protect and fertilize the soil allows the terroir to be preserved so that the wine fully expresses its typicality . We feel in the mouth the true aromas of the wine , a pleasure for the palate . Not cheating in winemaking is letting nature make its choices . The Oé winegrowers work in the vineyards with grape varieties adapted to the region so that the grapes flourish in their native land. You are not likely to find pinot noir in our good Bordeaux . The secret of the production of a good organic wine is based on the entire process of wine making, from viticulture to blending, including harvesting .
Bulk is an ideal solution for our commitment mission by offering our wine without packaging. If until now the bulk was occupied by mass wines for economic and practical reasons, good wines are now joining the party. We do not say that you will find prestigious wines like a Château Lafite Rothschild vintage 1998 but you can easily find quality wines .
Bulk has developed well and today the solutions allow good conservation and good hygiene for wine . What we also like in bulk is that you too have a role to play because you become a bottler! You are therefore fully part of the Oé adventure by filling our good organic wine as you wish and in the container of your choice.
If bulk is not your cup of tea, or rather your glass of wine, we offer you our responsible bottles without caps , with a cork stopper from FSC forests and a label made from organic waste. Indulge yourself with our Côtes-du-Rhône , our Languedoc , our Bordeaux , our Vaucluse Principality of Orange and our Mediterranean of Provence .
We also invite you to listen to the podcast of Thomas, the co-founder of Oé, who spoke with "À coeur d'agir" to talk about the challenges of a committed and activist company.
