Planet Organic

Awful! Two things I purchased here were ROTTEN. Broke open eggs I purchased-- they REEKED. Revolting. And then two packages of cooked beets I purchased looked off... strange coloring and mushy. They were over 2 months expired, and still on the shelves! Horrible.

Visited Planet Organic several times during my stay in London; it was very convenient to my flat. Soups were really good. Great selection of hot and cold foods available in the rear of the market. Some items tastes better on some days than others; had to return a vegan cupcake because it was too hard. Some shelf items are a bit pricey, but that's expected for a specialty shop.

'Planet Organic' sums up everything I find awkward about the growing breed of organic boutique food shops. While the entrance of the shop is littered with beautifully misshapen, British grown, mud-strewn vegetables, stray much further and the whole environment becomes very clinical. Line after line of jars and boxes offering stir-fry sauces, jam's and sushi sets point eerily in the same direction. Even the deli counter at the back offering its selection of organic 'ready meals' displays its food on black charcoal slates in perfectly straight lines.

As a whole the food I've bought has been quite nice but not worth the prices that they charge. Maybe my ideas are too romantic but if I'm looking to buy British and Organic, I anticipate a bit of rustic charm. It's this element that is severely lacking in Planet Organic. This is not a shop that invites you to spend any length of time, if you're in for more than five minutes you'll feel like you're messing up the place!

When Planet Organic opened I was so excited, but every time I go into the store I leave feeling a bit disappointed. The produce is mouth watering, but lacking in selection. It has excellent vegetarian selections with several tofu choices. The rest of the store is lacklustre. It has all the things you'd expect from an organic store but nothing unique that would set it apart from other similar stores. The pre-made food counter has several selections but none of it looks very appetising.

On a positive note, the store has an excellent vitamin section and the staff who works in that area really knows their stuff. They know exactly what to recommend if I want more energy or need more iron. I find myself going into the store to take advantage of the vitamin selection rather than the food. When I do buy food, I find I buy lots of fruits and vegetables because they are simply too beautiful to pass up.

To be honest, most of the big organic supermarkets all seem kind of the same to me. Same 'wooden crates with fruit and vegetables' window displays, same gourmet bread selection and over-priced ready-made meal selection.

I'm not saying I don't love it, because I actually do. There's something about these organic supermarkets that puts me at ease - ala Audrey Hepburn in Tiffany's perhaps?

And Planet Organic is no exception. With a great range of frozen and fresh food, fruit, vegetable, soaps, breads, yoghurts, tofu and so forth, it has it all. just expect to pay for it.

Branding Planet Organic must not have been an easy job; for when you enter this food boutique store its a whole new world! The layout may follow similar retail store plans and sections. But its shelf produce and products are not an ordinary league. What I like most about any Planet Organic food store is their varied section of greens and vegetables including sprouts, and this store in Islington is no exception. Generously spread out on a large wooden table, it suggests an encouragement for the consumer to be eating more of healthy green diet.

Their butter range for example, other than the usual salted and unslated they also have one made from goats milk. So there is every possible consumer who has been thought of either for health or dietary reason. I have yet to try their 'food to go' section but I can promise you their juices are authentic and pure with it being churned in your sight. They also do a light snack, vegetarian menu which does not look appetising in appearence but might be different in taste.

The layout of the store is accessible with not much height space used; deliberately to make sure you can read their signs hanging from the ceiling. On my recent shopping visit I noticed that they wont be taking American Express cards from the new year onwards. Ask the manager!

Don't come here looking for protein.

Not protein powder, I mean any kind of food substance containing protein. My wife and I had picked up some delicious-looking salads from Ottolenghi and were hoping to get some roast chicken, charcuterie, and olives to complement them (I know, hyper-bourgeois, but remember that this is an organic grocery store review). Stopped in here as a Whole Foods stand-in, and found nothing we wanted. Super expensive fruit, smoked salmon, and lots of strange supplements, but no chicken, no charcuterie, the hot bar was closed, and no olives. Literally nothing we wanted.

Overall, a strange product mix for a "grocery store," and definitely not what we were looking for.

I just can't hold out any longer. As much as I was enjoying playing hard to get in my previous review, you've captured my heart and I'm completely yours. Sometimes twice a day.

Your fresh squeezed juices, your ready-made meals infused with quinoa, soy beans and beet root, your fresh blueberry muffins, your charming staff...

You're still a bit cheeky for your own good, which is *never* the case with me... erm, yeah.

"earth!" "fire!" "wind!" "water!" "heart!"
"go planet organic!"

"by your powers combined, I am captain planet organic!"

Captain planet organic, he's a hero
Gonna take pollution down to zero
He's our powers magnified
and he's fighting on the planet's side!

Captain planet organic, he's a hero
Gonna take pollution down to zero
Gonna help him put asunder
Bad guys who like to loot and plunder

"you'll pay for this captain planet organic!"

"we're the planeteers, you can be one too!"
"cuz saving our planet is the thing to do!"
"looting and polluting is not the way!"
"hear what captain planet organic has to say!"

"the power is yours!"

(they always have some sort of chocolate 2-4-1 on sale here...)

I love popping in to Planet Organic for a few special things from time to time. It is such a beautiful and manageable experience after going to a conventional supermarket or a Tesco's Express/Sainsbury's local. There is never a line at the checkout and you don't have to say "excuse me" 10 times to get through the aisle. I found the merchandising very pleasing.

The herbal tea selection, coffees, and chocoates are great as are all the yummy health bars. The toiletries section is quite impressive too! I like stopping by here and picking up all kinds of yummy bits for a picnic.

So many of the brands that they stock are the leaders in organic, Fairtrade, artisan-produced, sustainably sourced. Even if it is a bit more expensive, I know that it is worth it and I am sure Planet Organic is a part of the same "do gooders" club.