Rachel Garcia, our NJMOMpreneur of the Week, had at all times been conscious of the affect of waste on our planet however by no means knew that she could be one of many ones to steer the cost to vary sustainability in NJ. Intrigued by the best way different nations utilized reusable containers on the markets as an alternative of losing single-use ones, Rachel needed to deliver the thought of package-free purchasing to her neighborhood by sourcing merchandise from a few of the finest suppliers she may discover. So in February 2020, she launched a small store of bulk pantry staples in a South Orange cooperative, by no means realizing how important her enterprise could be within the months to come back through the pandemic shutdown. Dry Items Refillery has since grown out of that area into an even bigger one in Montclair, the place it’s New Jersey’s first devoted plastic and package-free, one-stop-shop grocery that’s spurred a refill revolution—lowering the each day affect on the setting with out sacrificing high quality substances. We chatted with this South Orange mother of two younger sons to find how she discovered success launching through the pandemic, what she teaches her youngsters about sustainability, and the Morris County spots excessive on her household’s checklist for the very best climbing.
Rachel Garcia, the proprietor of Dry Items Refinery and our NJMOMpreneur of the Week.
Please share a bit about your loved ones and background. My husband, Daniel Garcia, and I’ve been married for 11 years and have two boys, Tyler, 8, and Ellis, 6. I used to be born and raised in Morristown, however I’ve lived elsewhere like New York Metropolis, Chicago, and even Buenos Aires in Argentina. We settled in South Orange and are elevating our household right here as a result of we get all the advantages of massive metropolis life, however the sense of neighborhood right here is outstanding. It’s a various city and a mirrored image of the world, which I’d wish to see extra of, and there’s robust assist for small companies.
Have you ever at all times needed to have your personal enterprise? At a younger age, I noticed the entrepreneurial spirit of my household—my father is a surgical ophthalmologist, and my mom has been operating his enterprise—so the behind-the-scenes of operating your personal enterprise had at all times excited me. After graduating from NYU, I entered the Lord and Taylor Govt Coaching Shopping for Program and have become a purchaser of latest attire once I was solely 25. I quickly moved to Chicago and labored for smaller vogue startups and located that I beloved working in a manner the place I may transfer the lever and see one thing develop and increase. Being a purchaser may be very entrepreneurial in spirit and accountability since you’re answerable for a class and making it profitable. My profession motivated me extra to seek out and do my very own factor.
Our NJMOMpreneur of the Week, along with her husband, Daniel Garcia, who handles the topline CFO obligations, and their kids, Tyler, 8, and Ellis, 6.
You launched 5 weeks earlier than the worldwide pandemic hit laborious. Being such a brand new enterprise, how have been you capable of survive it? We launched as a smaller operation at SOMA, a cooperative area in Maplewood/South Orange—it was a possibility to check the idea and wish with pantry staples, and I discovered it was the proper entry level into entrepreneurship. It was intense, however we succeeded in such a loopy time as a result of the pandemic showcased how completely different our provide chain is, in comparison with conventional grocery shops, which have been empty in a short time due to their provide chain points. We work with a restaurant provide chain, and since eating places have been struggling and couldn’t seat folks, their suppliers had greater than sufficient of what we have been promoting. And since we have been carrying issues folks couldn’t get one thing at their common retailers, lots of people in the neighborhood discovered about us, and we have been swamped. The success allowed us to spend money on an even bigger location in Montclair and increase from simply pantry staples to a full-fledged grocery retailer.
Dry Items Refillery was busy from the get-go, partly as a result of it was launched within the pandemic’s early days when conventional grocery shops couldn’t sustain with their buyer’s calls for because of provide chain points.
What do you hope your kids be taught from seeing you run your small business? Youngsters solely know what they’re taught and what they expertise. I would like them to see the world otherwise and work together with issues otherwise. For instance, we went out to dinner the opposite evening, and I introduced a Tupperware to take our leftovers residence as an alternative of a plastic container from the restaurant. Additionally, in the event that they use a plastic fork, I would like them to see that it’s not likely disposable and they need to take it residence, wash it and use it many times. I would like this considering to be second nature to them and jarring for them when issues aren’t achieved this manner.
What are the very best and most difficult issues about being an NJMOMpreneur? Having my very own enterprise provides me extra flexibility in my schedule, though I work twice as laborious. It’s good to have the pliability to shut a sure day, attend a selected occasion, or make a journey. In fact, essentially the most difficult factor about it’s that it doesn’t matter what your plans are, generally the enterprise has to seize your consideration, and it doesn’t matter what you’d deliberate, it is advisable to be there, the identical manner a baby with an emergency wants you.
Dry Items Refillery has extra than simply meals merchandise.
How do you unwind after a very traumatic day? One of the best place for me to unwind is at residence, snuggled on the sofa with my husband. We’ll have a glass of wine or construct a hearth to calm down. Household is the whole lot to me, so being with my husband and the youngsters is the very best reset.
What’s Dry Items Refillery’s best-seller, and what’s your favourite? We promote a number of olive oil, espresso beans, and laundry detergent, that are very straightforward to refill. So far as having a private favourite, the reality is that if I don’t find it irresistible, I don’t promote it. But when I’ve to select one factor, it’s this unimaginable nut-free granola from Hungry Fowl. My child has a peanut allergy, and that is so scrumptious and provides me such peace of thoughts.
Rachel solely sources high quality substances and merchandise in order that her prospects by no means need to sacrifice high quality whereas purchasing in a extra environmentally pleasant manner.
What are a few of your favourite NJ companies? I’m very into feminine empowerment and sustainability, and with that being mentioned, I really like Sustainable Haus Mercantile, a zero waste, refill, and residential items store. The proprietor, Jeanette, is the OG of sustainability. One other that I can’t reside with out is Java’s Compost, a enterprise that makes it easy for purchasers to compost in a manner that most closely fits their specific wants and life-style. I exploit them personally and commercially on the retailer, and so they take each scrap and compostable wrapper. One other enterprise I’m loopy about is DIP, which has salon-quality, nice shampoo, and conditioner bars, so it’s plastic-free hair care.
Please share some locations in NJ that you simply and your loved ones take pleasure in. Yearly we spend just a few nights in Cape Might and love the “less complicated” existence we discover there. We bike and get ice cream, and spend time on the seaside. Mountaineering can be very excessive on our checklist, and we’ll normally head to the Watchung Reservation or Jockey Hole trails in Morristown.
What’s your finest piece of recommendation for an NJMOMpreneur simply beginning? Having a enterprise is like being a guardian—you possibly can’t simply clock in and go residence. Going into it, know that you simply’ll have days the place you are feeling such as you’re on prime of all of it and days the place you are feeling such as you’re failing, however you probably have a ardour and love for what you’re doing—it’s completely price it!
For extra data on Rachel Garcia and Residence Items Refillery, please see their web site, Instagram, and Fb pages.
