So I Checked Out the Brandless.com Pop-Up Store

Recently, while taking a walk in the city, I ran across a pop-up store for the website Brandless.com.  Brandless is a fairly new entry to the online shopping market and their gimmick is they have a basket of 350 goods and everything on the site is $3, or some multiple of that amount (depending on quantity).

The front of the Brandless.com pop-up store

A peek inside the pop-up store

Everything $3 you say?

Yep.  And truth be told some of their products are quite good, at least the ones they had available to try.  Like anything purchasable online you have to really take a close look at what's being sold to find bargains.  Like other online stores, the key is to buy enough (or at the right time) to beat the shipping.   But if you are looking online for products that are GMO-free, feature natural ingredients fully stated in plain English on the front of the package and with environmentally conscious packaging you can definitely find some value here.

So what did I think? 
Overall their products were quite good, and depending on the product I can see a value in the quality and the social statement, but as I mentioned you have to shop carefully.  For some products based on the price and size/amount, you can do better locally.

Brandless.com snack station (granola and popcorn)

For example, one of the hits of the pop-up store was their snack display which let you try some of their popcorn and granola.  I gotta say, their granola was pretty darn good and at $3 for a 12oz bag not a bad buy at all compared to Whole Foods and other premium grocers.  At the pop-up store, they were selling their granola as a bundle, 2 bags for $6 (of course) and they had two flavors available: flax seed-blueberry and maple-pecan.  Both were delicious, and being a guy with Massachusetts roots and Southern history, the maple-pecan went fast.  Of note, there were actual chunks of pecan readily visible in the granola (this is always a good sign!).

Their popcorn was pretty good too, but at $3 a bag for between a 3oz - 5oz bag I felt it was overpriced.  You can do better at discounters like Dollar General and Family Dollar if you like popcorn, but there is no guarantee it will be organic and it will be chock full of artificial flavors.  But are you really choosing and eating flavored popcorn based on its health benefits? Really?

Brandless.com does offer some unique flavors to compensate for the value though.  I was given a variety selection containing: white cheddar, olive oil & sea salt and truffle oil with black pepper.   The white cheddar I liked the most, but the truffle and black pepper were actually pretty spicy with the taste of the black pepper pretty prominent.

My overall favorite item was the whole wheat animal cookies.  They were delicious!  And for animal cookie lovers (come on, admit it, you always loved them!) you won't go wrong.  The only downside is the plain packaging, I grew up with the classic Nabisco animal crackers and always was fond of the circus-themed box.

 

Here is a one-sheet listing the full range of their snacks, as you can see they offer a number of varieties, both common and uncommon.

So What Else Do They Sell?

Besides food, Brandless.com also carries a variety of household and beauty products.  These were not available for trying, though you could handle the packaging and smell, touch and feel some of them.   I buy my soaps and cleaning products locally so wasn't as interested in that.  If you are I highly suggest visiting their website for the full basket of products.

 

 

They also sell tableware, which they had mounted on a huge wall

The one thing I did not get to try because it was too crowded was their salsa and chips.

They were serving this at a makeshift bar but no one was leaving, this probably meant it was good.

Overall Impressions

•  If you shop carefully you can find some decent values here, especially if you are single or a couple.  The price/size/quantity is perfect for that but can get pricey quickly for a family.

• If you are a fan of organic, all-natural, non-GMO and environmentally packed products you will definitely find value here.
•  Everything I sampled tasted yummy, they definitely pay attention to the taste of their products
• I love the ingredient list in bold right on the front of the package in simple, clear English.  No need to decipher chemical lists.
• I actually liked the idea of the pop-up store sample and wish they did it in more places around the country to introduce shoppers to their website.