During the pandemic, many local businesses are struggling, but FreshFix has found a way to fill a void.

"We like to think of ourselves as the farmers market delivered to your door," says Joshua Bowen, FreshFix owner. 

FreshFix began back in 2015. The business now teams up with local farms and artisan suppliers to deliver boxes of produce directly to Buffalo homes. The idea is to give people an easy way to support locally-grown food, while promoting healthy options. And during a time of social distancing, there has been an increased demand for this type of service. 

"I guess we were uniquely positioned to take advantage of the pandemic situation. People were looking for more home delivery, especially of groceries and we were well situated to step in and help people fill that need," says Bowen.

A few months ago, FreshFix delivered about 150 boxes a week. Now that number has increased to around 900.  

"So we had to ramp up really quickly, hiring new staff, new vehicles, sourcing new product from all over Western New York. So it was a very hectic ramp up, but very exciting," adds Bowen. 

Between drivers and in-shop staff, in the last eight weeks, Bowen explains he has hired another 15 people. He has also created partnerships with new local farms and suppliers to provide everything from eggs, cheese, fruits, and vegetables to kombucha. 

"A lot of farmers and a lot of artisan suppliers were in limbo when some restaurant contracts were lost. People aren't spending as much or going out, because they just cannot. So we provided an outlet for them to be able to sell their product. That's a wonderful feeling to be able to help local farmers and local artisan suppliers," says Bowen.

He believes that this is also making people more aware of the importance of buying local, which will continue well beyond the shutdown.

If you're interested in learning more about FreshFix, click here.