Prototype design of a Befria store and fly through.  Since the original design we have sourced and added fluid filling stations and are working on designs to have in-store fresh potato chips and snacks in addition to the in-store bakery. The store is about the experience; colors, the smell of fresh product, an education center, but no packaging.

When we look in the mirror, we see you looking back! 

We want the same things you do and we have put together our list of things that we feel are core values to us.

Three core sections: The Environment, Our Products, Our Staff are important to us.

The Environment

Our prime ambition is the focus on the Three Rs, reduce, reuse and recycle.

Looking around at the way our planet is being treated is upsetting.  Some say think of future generations, our thoughts are of today, of how we are living in an ever enlarging garbage dump. The future is very important, but right now, this is where we have the opportunity to fix things.

Excessive Packaging

             Convenient ?

                                                                       Easier to display ?

Our Environmental Promise

1.  We will not sell food in packages
2. You will be allowed to bring in your own containers to fill and reuse. 
3. We will have a special space for you to rinse and weigh your containers
4. The containers we supply will be recyclable

Our Products

Berfia brings products from all around the world.  What we know is that the needs of our customers should not be restricted by distances or borders.

Spices, health and beauty, confections and fresh foods arrive daily in our stores.  To do that we tried to meet both the economical factors of food purchasing, meaning, we know that there is a group of us that are price aware.  We also try to meet the ethical issues that we are faced using a global supply.

Our product promises are made to you at the product in the store.  The signage will indicate to you the information you need to make the decision that best suits you and your personal choices.

Supporting your choices are important to us at Befria.

Our Product Promise

1. We will clearly mark where the product originated from, not just where it shipped from, but what country grew or made the product.
2. We will clearly mark products from 'ethical' sources
3. The product health information will be displayed and also available to you in the Befria app.
4. We will stand behind our products and offer a 100% guarantee on your purchases.
5. We will source where possible from local growers and manufacturers

Our Team Members

The people that work the stores, in the office, the warehouses and the trucks,  these people are the most important part of the Befria business.  Without the efforts of each and every member of the Befria team, we cannot meet your needs or the goals of Befria.

Our Team Promise

1.  Respect.  We will always respect the individual.  Regardless of where a person is from, their beliefs or orientations, once they are members of the Befria team, they will always have the respects of everyone on our team.
2. Wages.  Befria will meet and exceed minimum wages of the jurisdiction by 20%.  The one thing that we firmly believe in, our team members need a living wage. 
3. Pride.  Befria will help each team member to build pride in themselves through training and incentive rewards.
4. Security.  Whether the team members works in a franchise store or a corporate store they will be protected and have the rights to highlight and have mediated issues that impact them and the performance in their position.

Befria believes we can be responsible and strive to make the world a better place.

Old World Experience

Before we came to the United States, we shopped the marketplaces.  The village squares, the farmers markets, the market lanes and small shops brought what we observed to our new stores here in America.  The flavors, the smells, but most important, the experience.  

Befria understands food does not come in a box or a bag.  Your meal is a combination of ingredients, skill and yes, love.  It is very easy to grab a package of this or order a pre-set meal in a box online, but the experience starts with the selection.  The fresh fruit and vegetables, rolling them in your hands, finding just the correct ripeness for your discerning taste.

We bring the Old World Market into the 21st century and do it with community in mind.

Crossroads of Old and New

Befria is a New World company.  We are aware of the environmental issues and economic issues. We are also aware that you want to personally pick only best for you and your family.  Grabbing a plastic box of tomatoes or a bag of oranges is convenient but not hand picked with your personal level of inspection and choice.  These are your standards you want met.  Who better to do it than you.

Take that to all the food you buy.  The just right amount of flour, the 'only need a handful' of walnuts, a pinch of this, a dash of that to fill the needs of your special recipe.  In the Old World, you went to the market and this is exactly what happened, you got what you wanted and needed.

Our Technology

Unpackaged foods offers the worst possible problem for inventory control.  No bar codes.  Staff need to memorize thousands of bin numbers.  Until now! 

Befria cash system is a fully integrated POS tool that allows us to scan the product at the till point using our custom tags for the products using non-UPC coding technology. For our customer they will be able to use the same code to pull up recipes and cooking instructions.  It will link the customer to the store and allow for reordering.  Befria is in the process of achieving patent approval and is working with  Bereskin & Parr for all intellectual property issues.

What is in a Name?

Befria is Swedish for liberation.  We strive to live up to our name, we want to free your experience with food.  The freedom to choose from thousands of items and the amount you want.  The product is fresh, the store is clean. We have technology to support you in the store and will follow you home. Our goal is to free you every step of your food journey.

Our journey starts by taking away the restraints of packaging and opening up all the freedoms for you to experience food. Befria is the "last mile solution" between the farmer, manufacturer and the consumer.

Use Case Studies

Use Case 1

Rajata and Mark have different needs but can share a common use. Rajata has a product need that is driven from an economic and frequency basis. Mark has a need that is more convenience and can be a multiple use situation. Compounding the issue is one is looking for a bath and body solution while one is looking for a consumable option.

Befria has a solution that will allow Rajata to use the packaging over and over, making it the multi-trip solution that we believe will help to reduce the waste stream load while keeping the packaging costs down.  When the package does reach end of life, it has value in the recycling stream and will be brought back to life as another item in our daily lives.  In the use case with Mark, the same packaging will meet the needed government use standards for consumptions.  If Mark makes the choice to use the packaging once, it is added to the recycle stream, not the waste stream.  Mark can retain the packaging and wash it out for refill and multi-trip use. 

The value of the recycled material speaks to the solution for Saatwika.  The packaging material is reclaimable and sought after for recycling.

The source in-store comes in a board box with a re-usable plastic bag that will be returned for refill.  We are looking in alternative packaging for the store level, but when we consider the complete contribution factors from manufacturing to delivery of the packaging, the returnable liner presents us with the smallest contributing footprint in an end-to-end solution.

Use Case 2

The identified people, Michaela, Trevor and Benjamin are looking for instant consumable solutions.  At Befria, all packaging that we offer in store will be fully recyclable, where possible, compostable or user supplied for multi-trip functions.

The plastic seal is eliminated in the self-fill environment.  Government regulations were put in place to ensure freshness and reduce contamination.  The self-fill does not need to comply with those regulations and eliminates the additional seals while providing the instant consumable option.  Befria provides options for the healthy foods like humus and the fun foods like chocolate.  Beverages can be filled into user supplied containers or the store sourced bottles with integrated pour/drinking spouts in the lid.

To Answer the Questions

"Is there anything else you would like to highlight that differentiates Befria from other packaging-free stores? "

The essence of retail is on the surface; the experience. 

• The design of the store, the ease of shopping, 
• The function of the fixtures. 
• The mood of the store, quiet or exciting. 

Befria prides itself on the fixturing design that are consumer friendly, easy to use. Our fold-flat design allows us to ship units with less environmental impact. Our excitement comes in the form of instore production of breads and fun foods, our support comes in the education/sampling area. Product information instore denotes origins, ethical standards, eco standards and cooking instructions. This information is also built into the product code and will follow home with the customer.

"How does Befria standout in the dispensing of liquids?"

Our product offerings in fluids cover cooking oils, beverages, hair care and body care products. The dispensers have been designed for multiple trip refill bladders with easy use spigots for filling the containers. The bladders when empty are returned for cleaning and refilling. We have refrigerated units for products such as dairy or other beverages that require chilling. For products like honey or syrups we are looking to develop a system that has a push effect to be able to employ the same bladder design we have for the fluids.

Our dispenser housing has a pusher system that ensures the product in the bladder is always pushed forward and that the contents are effectively 'rung out' of the bladder before the unit is returned for cleaning and refilling.

"What would persuade a shopper to purchase goods at Befria over competitors?"

I would love to say because we are the best, but this is the art of the marketing. A razors edge, but the reality is how do you convert a consumer to a customer depends on providing for their needs in a timely manner and at their financial comfort level. Currently the marketplace is driven by consumer package goods, bag inside a box, with plastic overwrap. Give the consumer a broad choice with ease of function in a clean environment and Befria is on the way to creating that customer. Deliver that time after time, you will keep them. Persuading them to cross the threshold, that is the marketing campaign.

"How would you incorporate product branding into Befria?"

Befria has three opportunities to reflect CPG branding in the store

• at the product 
• in the carry home store supplied packaging 
• in the product code 

What is coming to light in the past few years though is the power of the store brand. While Coke will always be a universally recognized brand, brands of gluten free flour have less brand impact. Delivering quality product whether under the Befria brand or an established consumer goods company can be supported from the shelf to the home.