Bora & Sons Cabbage Prices!!

[alice]

How long have all you people had a secretly held grudge against Bora and were  just waiting for someone to open the gate so could pour it all out?  It’s never been a secret that you can buy a T-shirt for £2 in Primark and pay 20 times that amount elsewhere. We all have the choice where we spend our money so why criticise those who exercise that choice?

 

[Happyme5]

Lol I don't have a grudge. Just common sense 

[Penguin68]

A number of assertions have been made here which may be worth addressing.

(1) Although the majority of high quality greengrocers in London may well source from New Covent Garden there are in that market multiple traders offering different varieties, quality and prices for produce. Most supermarkets actually buy direct from producers, or from wholesalers much larger than New Covent Garden traders.

(2) What Bora and Sons offer is a far wider variety of produce than most greengrocers - their pricing includes the cost of supply, of storage and of loss - the more you stock the more unsold and unsaleable stock you may end up with. This has to be costed in their prices. Their offer of a very wide variety of different produce is a benefit to their customers, but that benefit comes with a cost. Those customers who do want a wide choice (and in the main it is wide and of good quality) should be prepared to pay for it - those who just want cheap fruit and veg will choose an outlet that de-risks by offering little choice.

(3) With such a wide variety of 'loose' choices within specific product groups (say tomatoes) it may not be surprising that occasionally the wrong price is rung up in error. Customers do need to keep on eye on this - but I suspect it will normally be simple error and not any intention to defraud.

[Angelina]

It's been raised on the forum before - it's just come up again.

Clearly still an issue

 

[NewWave]

  On 08/07/2024 at 11:34, Happyme5 said:

Lol I don't have a grudge. Just common sense 

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Then just go to the greengrocers in Nunhead and Peckham.

My DH and I consider a few places in ED and London generally a 'rip off' so we shop elsewhere.

We dont get judgemental towards those who do choose to shop there..Its their money to spend as they wish.

 

Edited July 8, 2024 by NewWave
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[Happyme5]

Exactly I like to get value for my money.  And we can all shop and spend our cash where we feel goods are at a price point that suits our pockets.  No judgement on anyone.

[Dulwich dweller]

  On 07/07/2024 at 23:59, Huggers said:

I love the veggie shop in nunhead - plenty of fresh variety at reasonable prices.

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I always use them. Plenty of variety, always fresh and not overpriced. The staff are very friendly and i love the fact they still do all the arithmetic with paper and pen.

[Katherty]

For people who shop in Bora and find it good value, what are the best products?

I don't mind paying a bit more if the fruit is tasty and it lasts longer. Plus you can get the exact quantities you need (e.g. one pepper rather than a whole bag). 

[Penguin68]

It may be worthwhile asking attendants for recommendations - for instance which (of many) tomatoes are right for what uses. Which are the hottest, or not, of the chile peppers. Good greengrocers (like butchers and wet fish merchants) should know their stock and be able to recommend. What's 'good' or best (for what uses) may change from day to day.

[jazzer]

Love the little greengrocers in Nunhead. 🙂

[ArchieCarlos]

  On 09/07/2024 at 08:43, Katherty said:

For people who shop in Bora and find it good value, what are the best products?

I don't mind paying a bit more if the fruit is tasty and it lasts longer. Plus you can get the exact quantities you need (e.g. one pepper rather than a whole bag). 

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Bora is great for treats and for unusual ingredients. I really enjoy their Italian melons (the ones with a little red wax seal). Yes they're £5.95, but they taste like sweet childhood holidays on the Med, unlike the £2 Sainsbury's melons which taste like hard wax. To choose a good one, smell the back of the melon and if good, it will be fragrant and sweet. 

I also buy the elongated cherry tomatoes as they're almost always ripe, sweet and tasty. With plums and peaches, you have to check as it's a bit hit and miss. 

The white asparagus are pricey but yummy with a little bowl of hollandaise sauce to dip into (don't forget to peel the hard skin of the asparagus). Yesterday they had large green figs, so that was my special treat. 

 

A big part of the pleasure for me is checking what sort of new thing they might have in stock, or trying a fruit I've never had before. And of course being to be able to find rarer ingredients, for example: this week I needed Thai basil and large dried chillies, and sure enough they had some). And I still marvel at the beautiful display every time I visit. 

Note: if the fruit is tasty, it's usually because it's been picked ripe and will therefore last less long than an unripe fruit. But be aware that unripe fruit rarely ripens at home: if you buy unripe melons or strawberries, they will never get ripe at your home. I think bananas and pears are the only ones I can genuinely ripen at home. 

Hope that helps!

[ed_pete]

Only place I could find selling broad beans recently. In terms of produce, I've always been very happy with the quality and accept that it's more expensive than supermarkets but when I can afford it, I am happy about that.

[alice]

If you love beetroot in all its forms roasted grated even boiled then Bora  is the only place. 

[J yee]

I’ve also never had a problem there or felt ripped off. I guess it all depends on what you value or what your thresholds are. When I have the opportunity I’d much rather support a local business than a huge corp.

 

[kp4]

I like them, but also agree some of their prices are steeper so I am usually careful and I tend to point out eg which type of tomatoes I took. Once, I wanted to buy a jar of pesto, but it was over £8, I noticed it at the till only so I said.. no thank you.

I love that they have the selection of  Italian peppers which are usual for my homeland. They do not normally sell them in any of the supermarkets. But again, have to be careful as they hide their fresher products at the bottom and display wrinklier ones on top which is also fair enough taken into account that the shelf life is too short.