Organic products: 10 stores to buy organic online in Switzerland

Do you want to lead a healthy, organic and sustainable lifestyle without making a fuss? Then it's time to look for a Online store for organic products to look around.

Since the pandemic, ordering organic food online has become increasingly commonplace in Switzerland. In order not to completely lose the turnover from direct sales in farm stores, many small and larger organic farms became active and offered their organic products for sale online. However, those who did not want to take on the operational effort of marketing and selling their products themselves found a solution among the numerous providers of Organic food good partnerships online.

However, it is not so easy to find the right supplier for you. When shopping for organic food online, it is important to many customers that the products are freshly harvested, others want the widest possible range of certified organic products, others still want it to come directly from the farm and still others take a closer look and want 100% transparent and fair trade.

To provide some clarity, we have compiled an overview of 10 online retailers for organic products - that also deliver throughout Switzerland and checked them for their innovative and sustainable sales ideas.

1. Crowd ContainerProducts from organic and regenerative cultivation, 100% direct and transparent

Who is it?

The start-up Crowd Container from Zurich was launched in 2016 as a crowd-funding project on wemake.it. Since then it has own marketplace has created a network of consumers and small producers that enables unprecedented and completely transparent direct trade in authentic and naturally produced food from around the world.

How does it work?

You order online in the Shop of Crowd Container and be part of the crowd that orders a whole container full of food from organic and regenerative cultivation. This so-called "crowd ordering" or "crowd farming" has the advantage that, on the one hand, only what can be harvested is sold and, on the other, that the producers in Switzerland, Sicily, Kerala (India), Andalusia and Peru can make a large delivery from Mal: environmentally friendly from the farm directly to you. 

What added value is there?

Crowd Container's requirements are very strict. They only work with the most innovative producers who are intensively committed to humus cultivation and sustainable agriculture. The selected producers receive 2-3 times the usual market prices. Crowd Container is also the only online provider of organically produced products in Switzerland that consistently discloses its entire supply chain. Thanks to full transparency, it is always clear who and what is behind your purchases: all ingredients are traceable, come from regenerative, organic farming and you can see how much the producers earn.

All products arrive in Switzerland by ship or overland: the lowest-emission and most climate-friendly option. Flights are consistently avoided.

The supported value chains produce authentic organic food with maximum ecological and social benefits - become part of the Crowd container community and find out more.

2 Gebana: Traditional supplier of global organic products online

Who is it?

Created in 1973 gebana as a movement for fairer world trade. In 1998, a public limited company was founded with the aim of establishing sustainable supply chains. Because production problems arise in the South, gebana invests in local processing and direct contact with farmers. As a result, subsidiaries were gradually established in Brazil, Burkina Faso, Tunisia, Togo and Benin. As a result, gebana AG, based in Zurich, is able to offer sustainably grown food worldwide from the farm and also supply the wholesale trade.

How does it work?

gebana accepts online orders for fresh and dry products. Depending on the origin and shelf life of the goods, they are delivered immediately or delayed as a collective order, as with Crowd Container, for example. The majority of the products come from the Global South from our own production.

What added value is there?

Anyone ordering from gebana can be sure that fair conditions prevail and that sustainable trade is guaranteed.

The produce is fresh, the transportation costs are low and the producers receive a fair income.

3. Mahler & Co: Fine and sustainable organic goods in all product categories

Who is it?

The Aargau-based company Mahler & Co. has been offering its organic products since 1963 and has now grown into a large company with one of the largest organic online stores in Switzerland. The company became known for its own brand, which offers an extensive range of sustainably produced dried fruit and nuts. In addition to food, the company now also offers all kinds of organic natural cosmetics and pet food.

How does it work?

You can browse the in-house web store, order and have the goods delivered to your home.

What added value is there?

There is a large selection of sustainable organic products, as in addition to organic food, emphasis is also placed on other products from the non-food sector. Through a partnership with the online trade portal brack.ch delivery of the products is by far the fastest and most convenient.

4th KernGrün: Marketplace for exquisite products

Who is it?

In the Swiss online store CoreGreen you will find all kinds of organic products, ranging from food and furniture to clothing and cosmetics.

Responsible production is important to the company: before a product is added to the range, the company finds out by whom, where and how it is produced. KernGrün promises that all food and materials are organically grown and responsibly produced. No synthetic pesticides, no additives, no exploitation.

How does it work?

The selection is not huge, but it is exquisite. New products in the portfolio are presented in a separate section. Orders can be placed just like in a normal online store.

What added value is there?

The KernGrün team knows its small farmers and manufacturers personally, but only works locally. This means that only regional goods from Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Italy are used.

The emphasis is on recycling for interior design products and on handcrafting for clothing production.

5th Natur Konkret: Nature-friendly label - healthy, natural and animal-friendly

Who is it?

Nature Concrete stands for quality of origin. The company is concerned that processing and distribution channels ensure that products from nature and the mountains end up on your table without any detours.

In the case of the Animal husbandry this means constant monitoring from rearing to slaughter to packaging.

How does it work?

The online store offers a large selection of all types of meat, but also has other organic foods on offer that can be ordered directly.

The fresh products are delivered twice a week in refrigerated vehicles, and you can also collect your parcel from 21 pick-up points throughout Switzerland. 

A bicycle courier also operates in the greater Zurich / Winterthur / St. Gallen area to deliver goods.

What added value is there?

The company tries to combine animal welfare, nature conservation and high-quality food production with the help of near-natural forms of production. 

This operating philosophy is adhered to at the company's own production sites and the cooperating farms should follow the strict production guidelines.

6th Farmy: weekly shopping direct from the producer

Who is it?

Launched in 2014 as a purely organic store in Switzerland, the Farmy based in Zurich, now also has many commercial products in its range that can replace the weekly bulk purchase.

The online marketplace receives its goods directly from farmers and regional and foreign producers and focuses on quality and transparency. 

How does it work?

Create a weekly shopping list and click through the range in the web store or using the app. 

Place the goods in your shopping basket and order directly. Delivery is quick and easy by e-mobile or delivery van. The X-Press offer can even be delivered on the same day.

What added value is there?

If you don't have time to go to the supermarket, you can save time with Farmy, because the online retailer has more than 14,500 products on offer - and not all of them are organic.

7th Bionline: Organic farm subscription

Who is it?

Bionline.ch is a fresh delivery service for organic products that are produced on the company's own climate-neutral farm.

In addition to fruit and vegetables, you will also find home-grown organic meat and organic dairy products in the online store, which come with a Organic Bud Seal were awarded.

How does it work?

You can choose between putting together your own shopping basket or the subscription box, which is put together either weekly, fortnightly or monthly with the latest seasonal vegetables, fruit or salad by yourself or the employees and delivered throughout Switzerland.

What added value is there?

Most of the quality products in the organic online store come from the local Bolderhof farm, which promises the best quality products - but many goods are also added to the range from outside the region.

The range is broad and the box subscription promises variety on the dinner table.

8th Organic for all: Bazaar for organic delights

Who is it?

Organic for all started out as a supplier of fresh organic products to restaurants. With the introduction of the online store, the company also opened up to you as an individual consumer - however, fresh produce such as fruit and vegetables are not part of the range.

How does it work?

You can explore the large selection and save your favorites on your notepad.

Many products are only available in large quantities, so you can either buy in stock or place a bulk order with friends to save costs. Delivery is then made once a week.

What added value is there?

With over 9500 items, you'll find everything you need - even organic frozen food and refrigerated counter products are shipped. 

The web store's search settings also allow you to filter the range according to vegetarian, vegan or gluten-free products.

If you want to place individual orders, the delivery costs are very high and fresh fruit and vegetables are not available.

9 Portanatura: From health food store to large Swiss organic online store

Who is it?

The big organic store Portanatura.chwhich originally grew out of a health food store, was voted one of the 10 most useful Swiss online stores in 2008 and received the Aaargau Entrepreneur Award in 2012. 

Even if no fresh produce such as fruit and vegetables are offered, your organic gourmet heart will find everything else.

How does it work?

In the simply designed web store, you can click through the various categories, which can also be filtered by lactose-free, cow's milk-free, wheat-free, gluten-free and vegan.

Once you have made your selection and added the desired products to your shopping basket, you can place your order and receive your delivery.

What added value is there?

If you don't live near the store in Zofingen or simply don't have enough time to do time-consuming and strenuous shopping, you can choose from over 7000 tried-and-tested Portanatura products online.

Many products are offered in organic or even biodynamic quality. In addition, there is no fresh fruit and vegetables to buy in the online store.

10th Querbeet: Small organic store in Switzerland

Who is it?

The offer from cross-bed.ch is less extensive, but fresh and regional. It's up to you whether you want to order subscription boxes or individual items. 

The assortment ranges from fresh fruit, vegetables and herbs to oils, baked goods and drinks.

How does it work?

Select your subscription or your individual products in the online store and decide whether you would like to receive a one-off, weekly or monthly delivery.

Querbeet delivers personally to your desired address on Thursdays and Fridays in the Thurgau, Winterthur and Zurich regions - outside these areas, Swiss Post is used.

What added value is there?

Querbeet and its partner companies from the region focus on products that are produced sustainably. Taste, seasonality, animal welfare and fairness play an important role in this.

Sustainability is a top priority: CO₂ emissions from deliveries are offset and the refrigeration systems are powered exclusively by solar energy.

Unfortunately, the range is very limited, so you can't do your weekly shop here.

What is important to you?

The Pandemic caused an organic boom in Switzerland, and even after it subsides, shopping in online organic stores offers many advantages: It saves time and money, it's convenient, and it helps you shop more easily according to your needs and values.

Which of the stores listed above is best for you ultimately depends on the products you are looking for. It also depends on whether you need your goods on the same day, how much your budget allows and whether you value innovative ideas and solutions to major problems that the current food trade entails.

If the last aspect is particularly important to you, Crowd Container is certainly the best choice, as it consistently combines all the values required for a sustainable consumption needs - from cultivation to your plate. However, this also means that not everything is always available and can be delivered within a few hours. So it's not just the supplier, but much more your consumer behavior that determines how sustainably you consume. Take a look at the Assortment of Crowd Container, read the informative blog posts on the individual production countries and contact the team at any time if you have any questions at hello@crowdcontainer.ch.