See full article here: Barrels predominate as BD Provisions provides shoppers with bulk buy and organic options – sharonleestable.com
AROUND THE PARK AGAIN by Sharon Lee Tegler
April 20, 2023
The day professional photographer David Blecman wandered into Severna Park’s newest store, BD Provisions at 844 Ritchie Highway, the sight of 200 plus barrels of organic food products astounded him. The abundance spread out before him inspired him to snap a few images. His is the opening photograph.
I was equally impressed when I visited the business Monday. My own camera never stopped clicking from the moment I arrived till the end of an informative tour I was given by owners Debra Saltz and Phil Peters.
Not since Good Life Organic Market closed have Severna Park residents been able to buy bulk foods locally and many look forward to visiting BD Provisions.
Saltz and Peters are franchisees for Connecticut-based BD Provisions – a happy situation that came about over the last few years.
“I knew the founders of the business since I went on a study-abroad in college with one of them,” Saltz said. “My husband and I would stop by BD Provisions’ main store in Newtown, Connecticut on the way to and from our home in Maine. We soon started bringing our friends, Phil and his wife, along on the trips. They loved the store as much as we did.”
By then, BD Provisions had opened a second store – a franchise – in New Milford. The friends really liked the store’s business model of providing bulk buy products that are mostly organic.
“Reasoning that we could do the same thing, Phil and I became the first out-of-state franchisees. We are the third BD Provisions store,” said Saltz.
With 240 dry bulk food items to choose from, not including oils, vinegars, teas and coffees, it was hard to know where to start our impromptu tour. The partners chose the first section of barrels we came to and opened the lids of several barrels filled to the brim with 16 varieties of competitively priced nuts.
Partners Debra Saltz and Phil Peters were welcoming. They said they are always willing to lend a hand when time permits though customers are free to help themselves. The partners are seen here introducing a customer to the wide range of nuts they carry including the scoop of pecans Debra is holding. Photo by Sharon Lee Tegler
There were regular and honey-roasted peanuts, natural roasted and salted pistachios, walnuts, pecans, and Marcona almonds as well as their own blend of Virginia peanuts with a Chesapeake spice blend.
We next approached two whole sections of candy and snacks. There were chocolates – really different things people don’t usually see like Buckeyes, various kinds of clusters like Peanut Chocolate Pretzel Clusters, Pecan Caramel Patties, and Sea Salt candies – plus dried fruits, energy bites, and snacks. All were competitively priced.
Four rows of ten barrels each are dedicated to candy and snacks and is an extremely popular part of the store. Photo by Sharon Lee Tegler
According to Saltz and Peters, snack mixes like Pineapple Habanero Crunch and 19th Hole Golf Mix are especially popular.
The sweet/spicy Pineapple Habanero Crunch mix seen above is greatly in demand with customers seeking snacks.
Heading past the Candy and Snacks section, we ran into store manager Corinne Harris who was arranging a display of nutrition-dense CBD dog treats alongside glass containers of bites and chews with tongs so customers could help themselves.
Store manager Corinne Harris said customers had already heard about the store’s line of nutritious and calming CBD dog treats and came in looking for them. Photo by Sharon Lee Tegler
We moved past Harris toward a wall of metal containers filled with blended olive oils and vinegars that shoppers are invited to taste before buying.
Debra Saltz drawing a sample of an organic basil-infused olive oil. Photo by Sharon Lee Tegler
We sampled a Blood Orange infused olive oil that was pleasantly light and citrusy and a Basil infused olive oil which was more robust. On the upper shelf were flavor-infused vinegars. We sampled a flavorful Pear Champagne Vinegar that somehow managed to have a fizz similar to the fizz in a glass of champagne. We were equally pleased with the Cranberry Balsamic Vinegar.
“Once they’ve tasted our vinegars or oils, shoppers almost always buy a bottle. The bottles come in three different sizes,” Saltz said.
We wandered by displays of three kinds of maple syrup, Eastern Shore honey, bourban flavored honey and an elderberry syrup that was attractively packaged with deep blue elderberries. There were drinks from eco-friendly Wild Bay Beverages in Baltimore too.
Peters, who’d temporarily left us to wait on a customer, popped up behind a display of products from local artists and gift baskets on the checkout counter.
Phil Peters, behind the checkout counter, said customers can buy one of the assembled gift baskets filled with products or can buy a basket separately and fill it with whatever they wish. Photo by Sharon Lee Tegler.
There were also gift boxes with prepackaged mixes like those seen here that can easily be shipped.
Gift boxes that may be shipped include a “Baker’sDelight” box with prepackaged cake, cookie and brownie mixes and a Breakfast In Bed box with prepackaged pancake, muffin and scone mixes plus Midnight Joe Coffee. Photos by Sharon Lee Tegler
There were lots of gluten-free grains and flours for baking plus pre-made mixes and sugar-free sweets. Photos by Sharon Lee Tegler
A Gluten Free section included barrels of grains like millet, buckwheat, rice, farrow and quinoa along with flours and pastas. Sugar-free options included a Milk Chocolate Almond Bark we tasted that was as good as or better than any made with sugar.
Two sections of barrels were devoted to pastas, cereals, oats, granolas, flours and other ingredients for baking including chocolate, cinnamon and other kinds of chips. There were time-saving premade baking mixtures for items like buttermilk pancakes and mixes for tasty party dips.
A stand-alone shelving unit contained pre-made items perfect for gifting. The top shelf included mixes for Hearty Lentil Soup, Vegan Chili, Vindaloo and Mixed Beans. The second shelf featured Rice Krispie Treats in varied flavors. The third shelf boasted hot beverage mixes like Chai Latte Concentrate and Cocoa while the bottom shelf held pre-measured ingredients for Blood Orange or Lemon Lime-flavored cocktails.
The far wall was divided into two sections. The first held a selection of 80 herbs and spices including some that are hard to find. There were also specially blended spice rubs. Shoppers can buy as much or little as they wish.
Both Peters and Saltz tout the fact that customers are able to purchase their products by the spoonful, ounce or pound – a strong selling point.
“If you only need a teaspoon of an ingredient for a recipe, you can buy a tablespoon of it rather than buying a whole bottle that would merely go to waste,” Phil said.
The second section of the wall contained a wide selection of teas and tea accessories that was equally impressive. The fragrances escaping from any one 40 glass tea jars were deep and delightful.
There was quite a collection of teas and tea accessories. Photo by Sharon Lee Tegler
Many of the world’s classic teas like Assam Black, Ceylon, Earl Grey, English Breakfast were represented but there were also blended teas like Citrus Ginger, Berry and Hot Cinnamon Spice.
There was so much more to see including health and beauty products. However, Saltz and Peters saved the best things for last – a coffee roaster and bags and barrels of coffee beans from around the world. BD Provision stores are noted for their on-site coffee roasting.
Like the teas, the aromas of the different coffee beans were unique and amazing. Coffee roasting is Peters specialty. Standing by the 14-pound roaster, he scooped up some coffee beans in their raw state from a burlap sack. They were pure white. Then, for comparison, he held a scoop of beans he’d already roasted that were dark in color. They were the store’s darkest roast called India Monsoon.
Standing by the coffee roaster, Phil Peters held a scoop of Indian Monsoon coffee beans in their raw state. For comparison he held up a scoop of the same beans that had been roasted and transformed to the shop’s darkest roast. Behind the barrels were bags of freshly ground coffees. Photos by Sharon Lee Tegler
For now, the Severna Park store is roasting only on Saturdays (though the Connecticut stores roast three times a week.) Customers tell Saltz and Peters that the air outside the shop smells heavenly whenever they are roasting. The partners hope to make wholesale arrangements with area businesses to supply them coffee, thereby increasing their volume of sales and number of roasting days.
“We’ll generally roast 11 pounds of beans at a time which yields us about 10 pounds,” Peters said. “We use different beans for different blends. We currently have nine different roasts, and we have two flavored coffees – a white mocha and a toasted coconut. Our most popular in-house blend is Midnight Joe – a combination of Columbian, Brazilian and Indian Monsoon beans.”
Peters grinds various blends of coffee each morning and through the day as needed. He also sells quite a few cups of coffee.
Though open only ten days at the time of our visit, both partners said business has been brisk, with Fridays good and Saturdays packed. The shop’s location is advantageous with nearby businesses like Lisa’s Cakepops, American Home Brew, and Severna Park Lanes Bowling that draw well.
BD Provisions is looking to form wholesale partnerships with area restaurateurs or chefs and with other businesses that are eco-friendly and sustainable. They also plan to host classes, events and networking opportunities. A grand opening and ribbon cutting will be held soon by the Greater Severna Park & Arnold Chamber with a Jing Ying Institute Lion Dance. For information visit BD Provisions- zero waste bulk food store or follow them on Facebook at BD Provisions Severna Park | Facebook.
The Around The Park Again column is brought to you this week by Jing Ying Institute of Kung Fu and Tai Chi at 1195 Baltimore Annapolis Blvd. – For over two decades providing martial arts training that improves cardio-vascular health, strength and flexibility while reducing stress. (Jing Ying currently offers a Homeschool Kung Fu Class and again brings Tai Chi to the Severna Park Community Center.)
and by Lean On Dee Senior Home Care Services at 815 Ritchie Hwy., Suite 206 – When you need someone to lean on, Lean On Dee. Their experienced team of personal care management specialists and friendly companions provide high quality consistent care.