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Azure Standard Reviews Summary
Azure Standard has a rating of 2 stars from 127 reviews, indicating that most customers are generally dissatisfied with their purchases. Reviewers dissatisfied with Azure Standard most frequently mention customer service, last time and drop coordinator. Azure Standard ranks 187th among Organic Food sites.
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I really cannot believe how laxed the company can be as to drop/pick up change times and days through the poor notifications. It's just too casual and carefree to me that near 2 hours to go to the drop time it suddenly changed from evening today to early tomorrow. I've been ready all day checking emails today in case their truck came earlier. Suddenl, y to me the arrangement is called off and is changed to early the next day. I had planned for weeks for this evening to pick up this order I placed. Now, going there to where the truck is going to unload next morning at 8 a.m. for pick-up is unacceptable to me, But I paid for it and I'm stuck to make sure I go there and get it.
Their website sells all the items they carry reguardless if they have the stock. What ever stock they do get in goes on the first truck that ships instead of going to who ordered the items first. So basically only people who happen to be the destination of the first few trucks can hope to get any of their order filled. I put the same order in every month and it does not get filled even though the product pages show plenty of inventory at the time of order placement. Who ever is running this thing is so freeking lackadaisical with their business model. Its so unethical to run a business this way. People who anticipate food wait 30 days and never get it while they could have ordered from an actual company and not wasted their time.
Made an order in February, bags of grains and beans and stuff. Great price great quality. Gonna make it regular think to add to storage, they were also very kind.
They are always out of stuff but you won't know that until after you order, pay for your order, drive 45 minutes to the pick up, wait an hour for the truck to show up and then find half of your order missing. After you get home, you have to go through your order and try to get your money back for items they didn't deliver but charged you for, which will take weeks and several phone calls.
Recently they sent an email out with a home remedy for covid and encouraged me to follow them on racist right-wing extremists social media sites like Gab, Parler, USA. Life, Gettr and MeWe, which makes me think this isn't a company I should be doing business with.
These guys have 2 major issues to fix.
#1 inventory control is a problem- they often times show items 'in stock' but when it comes time to ship- you get the notice that 'the item you ordered is out of stock and will not be available at the time of shipping". This is probably because they do not actually set aside your item when you add it to your cart, they wait until they actually start prepping the order for shipping. So really there is no point in 'placing an order' early-- you really have to just log in right before the cutoff time to find out what 'may' be in stock - even then there are no guarantees because you have no idea of knowing how many people already have the item in their cart ahead of you.- so when they actually start packing your order the item may then be unavailable. (I think the management of Azure Standard is in over their head when it comes to inventory control / management- these kinds of issues are pretty easy to solve with appropriate controls- just seems like they have not got their yet).
#2 is they change delivery times on you. They say one thing. Then when it comes time to ship- they say 'oops our delivery estimates are wrong - the order you expected on Wed at 8:00PM will now be coming Friday at 11:30 AM (not very good if you work full-time and have to suddenly adjust your schedule to try to figure out how to go pick up an order in the middle of the day).
On the whole Azure is outstanding. That said, I ordered Romanesco Broccoli this time. The description says two count for $10. 50. 5 pound shipping. I expected two large heads. I received two tiny wilted heads that have a combined weight of 1.48. Very disappointing. I still had to pay for 5lb shipping.
When I called to question this I was told "There is nothing they can do. They advertise a two count and that is what I got."
UPDATE
Today when I was going to use the Broccoli, we found it to be rotten and full of bugs. I called Azure again and sent them pictures and a full refund WAS made.
They ship amazing quality items in amazing quantities. Our extended families have purchased from them for many years. They fix any mistakes best as possible.
Been using Azure Standard for years now and the majority of the time I get all items I order. We have found some great treasures and love eating healthy foods. Thank you for the great service.
I tried SO HARD to support Azure (as opposed to the behemoth in Seattle). I ordered about six or seven times over the last couple years. Because you have to pay for shipping, I ordered one large box. They were always out of one item, but posted an "expected arrival" date. So I would wait even though I ran out of a couple items in the cart. Each time the date arrives, the items suddenly goes "out of stock" without a date. So you'll put off an order for two months, and show up empty handed. Additionally they don't package their items very well. This resulted in 32 oz of maple syrup glazing $200 of merchandise and leaving my lobby a sticky mess. They gave me store credit for the syrup but everything had to be rinsed, repackaged, mopped, etc. it was a mess. It's so wonderful a company steps up and offers organic bulk, but in the end, I just don't think this place is worth your time. So sorry, I wish them luck.
Box of Alaska Cod. 6 packages. The first one was good. The others seemed like carp and I couldn't eat it. I reported it and no response. When I pushed it, they said it was out of the reporting period and they would not refund or comp anything. You might be ok on other stuff. However, they are not the type that will make an issue right.
Not only are they unreliable as to the date and time, the location is right in the middle of an area that's extremely difficult to get to because of interstate flyways and overpasses. One wrong turn and you find your self on an interstate headed in the wrong direction.
Terrible quality full of rocks and other dirty material. Not sure this was suitable for human consumption; Called and they acted like they did not know about this unclean product. I ordered 25-50 pounds and I am extremely disappointed. Never again will order, in fact I will call again today attempting to get a refund or replacement
Hi Darnita. We're sorry you're not happy with the wheat berries your ordered. Raw grains are cleaned using screens that shake the grains through the screens and filter out large debris. Despite the use of modern cleaning equipment, it isn't always possible to remove all foreign debris from agricultural products. Debris such as small rocks, chaff and plant matter can sometimes be about the same size as the grain and make it through the screens.
Azure Standard goes above and beyond in providing organic food, and for educating their customer base. They offer informative stories in their newsletters, and also delicious recipes. Knowing that the foods that we consume helps to build our bodies strong, Azure Standard offers the health benefits for the ingredients in the recipes.
Been using this service for awhile now and have nothing bad to say. Love my drop site coordinator. Well organized and very polite. Great products!
Hi Amanda. We appreciate the kind words! So glad to hear you love your volunteer coordinator.
The people at Azure are nice folks and they ship organic food to customers throughout the country, which we cannot easily find locally.
But their inventory management and order fulfillment are frustrating and do not meet the professional standards we are used to, in today's internet driven world.
Once a month you meet like-minded people at the Azure truck drop-off, and share their frustration about items missing from their orders.
It seems, their online ordering works opposite to every other merchant on the internet.
You can select items weeks in advance of the monthly shipping date (e.g. Dry goods with long shelf life, not perishable), the user interface shows hundreds or thousands in stock so you check out and complete the order, and receive an order confirmation. But the items you bought are not marked as ‘sold' and reserved for you or ‘taken off the shelf', as you would expect. Instead, other customers can buy them in the following weeks before your shipment is sent, and you get - nothing.
This is frustrating. You ordering early to make sure you can plan in advance, is meaningless with Azure. Likewise, getting an order confirmation from Azure is meaningless.
They write: "Please note: This confirmation is not a guarantee that all items will be available for shipping"
The only thing you know is, that Azure confirms you would like to buy certain goods and if no one else takes them in the next weeks, they may ship it to you, or not… surprise!
Elsewhere in the world, inventory management and order fulfillment are done by warehouse software automatically. All you need to do is enter the correct amount of goods received from your supply chain, the software will deduct every item sold from the available inventory and shows to customers, when the items are out of stock.
Other organic retail businesses work like that.
I was enthusiastic about Azure when I first heard about the company, I had been looking for a source for organic grains etc.
It is just frustrating that they are so unreliable.
Hi Arnold. We're really sorry for your frustration. It's true, our ordering system is not like the e-commerce retailers you've referenced, because we're not an e-commerce company. We're a grocery distributor. Buying direct from a distributor is a different experience for individuals who are used to purchasing from online e-commerce stores. Here's a link to an article we created for customer's to learn more about how and why our order fulfillment system works the way it does: https://www.azurestandard.com/healthy-living/our-order-fulfillment-system-how-and-why-it-works/
I purchased a small plant and a bottle of vanilla. I was charged freight and an extra small order fee. I had no idea I had to go to a parking lot, wait for the truck to show, UNLOAD the disorganized truck. If you don't have an hour to waste look for another way.
Hi Sarah. During checkout, your order total should have provided you with a line item showing the small order handling fee of $5 for orders under $50 and the 8.5% shipping cost for your delivery. If your invoice didn't reflect this, please let us know so we can help you.
I have loved this company for years. Recipes to quality information and kind conversation. They will only get better!
Hi Retha. Thanks for the love :)
I have attempted to purchase several items that are either in stock and don't show up or charged for and don't show up. Then have to contact the company.
I purchased a bread starter it came with incomplete instructions. I emailed twice and never got a response on how to take care of or use the bread starter. It ended up in the trash.
I have received mashed and molded produce. Also completely solidified crystallized, supposedly fresh, honey. Their explanation is that the honey is heated and then poured into jars and then kept cool. I was instructed to reheat the honey to liquify it. Heating honey destroys the beneficial properties. My purpose of using honey is for the beneficial properties.
Hi Donna, We're sorry to read that you had difficulty with your order. In reviewing your account, it looks like your first email arrived to us on April 21st, at 9:08 am and that our representative, Hannah, responded to you on April 22nd, at 3:13 pm to help you. Hannah provide a credit for the oranges that were smashed by the honey jars and shared that because our delivery trucks are refrigerated, the honey can get thick or harden, and recommended letting it sit at room temperature or warming at a low temperature using a slow cooker to control the water temperature and to preserve the raw properties. We could certainly offer you a discount for your honey if you are not satisfied with the product.
To share a little more information about honey: real, raw honey crystallizes.
The crystallization of honey is often misunderstood. Many assume that crystallized honey has been adulterated, is of poor quality or unnatural, or has spoiled or gone bad. This is simply not so. And actually, the exact opposite holds true.
If a honey does not crystallize for a long time, with the except of certain types of honey that naturally crystallize slower or not at all (such as Acacia or Tupelo), it is often a clear indication that the honey has been adulterated, diluted, or pasteurized.
The crystallization process is natural and spontaneous. Pure, raw and unheated honey has a natural tendency to crystallize over time with no effect on the honey other than color and texture. What's more, the crystallization of honey preserves the flavor and quality characteristics of your honey.
If you want you want your honey back in that nice syrup-like state, there are a few things that you’ll need:
Your crystallized Honey
Your glass jar of honey
A sauce pan or pot
Water
And lastly your stove
1. Put your glass jar of honey into the pan of water on the stove. You do not want to completely submerge the jar in the water, you want just enough water to sit at or slightly below the line of honey in the jar. Now turn the stove to low-to-medium heat. You want it barely simmering, no boiling. If it is boiling not only will your jar start to thrash about but high levels of heat will start to destroy the natural properties of the honey.
2. Let the jar of honey sit in the water for between 20 and 30 minutes. You will want to occasionally stir the honey up to help it along. Once you no longer see any crystals, you can turn off the stove and carefully remove the jar from the water to cool. Your honey shouldn’t recrystallize at this point but if you are worried about that you can place the jar into a warm bowl of water so that it does not cool too quickly. (If the honey cools too quickly, it will recrystallize)
Now all that’s left is to enjoy your honey!
I first started purchasing bulk grains, great prices for organic. My next order I decided to try refrigerated items. I have always been satisfied with the products received and the ability to save money. The coordinator in the area I was in was very helpful. I've now moved to another state and plan to order again.
The only con would be that the delivery date/time can change so it's best if you have a friend or make a friend in the group and you can switch off if one of you can't pick up your items, especially if dates/times change for drop off.
My only negative in packing was when I ordered a liquid cleaner - it was bagged, but in a box with food items and the cleaner leaked. The cleaner did not destroy the food items fortunately, but they could do better in boxing cleaners or any liquid items separately from dry goods.
I'm glad I found Azure Standard and will be sharing this info with my neighbor and friends in the area as we enjoy healthy and organic foods.
After moving from the Atlanta area, I had a hard time finding my type of green and healthy products. I ordered a lot online, but that's not good when I'm used to buying my wheat in bulk for grinding. Very happy with Azure's service and products. Last month I ordered over $600, because I was finally low on my grain stock I brought from Atlanta. Along with Costco, this is my main store for groceries. Love their selection of organic items.
From the business
Organic & Natural Food Distributor
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Hi David. We're sorry to read that the drop location is hard to get to. The volunteer drop coordinator who set up the location would be a great person to talk to about your concerns with getting to the location. They may not be aware that the location they've chosen is difficult for their drop members to get to.