FAQs

Pre-cycling is eliminating the need to recycle or dispose of waste by not creating waste in the first place.

What is zero waste grocery shopping?

Zero waste shopping means that while you buy your everyday grocery necessities, you do not create waste that ends up in the landfill.

Why shop zero waste?

The goal of zero waste grocery shopping is to eliminate the packaging waste associated with grocery shopping, and to avoid food waste. When you buy groceries in a conventional grocery store, it creates an unnecessary packaging waste which amounts to close to 30% of all things sent to landfill! In addition, conventional stores sell produce that adherers to certain standards, i.e. size, shape etc. which allots to a lot of food grown actually not making in it to the grocery store shelves.

Where do your products come from? / Where do you source your products?

We aim to source all products locally to avoid the carbon footprint associated with transportation.

Is your food all organic?

We try to source food mostly organically certified, but certified organic is not so simple. For example, some small farms we work with do not have the financial means to obtain the “Organic” certification, but still adhere to the principles of organic farming.

Is your warehouse allergy safe?

We pack our products in accordance with standards set by the Department of Agriculture and Markets of NYS. While we use the same facility to pack all the products we are offering, please read carefully the ingredients in the products you choose for the possible allergens.

What do you do with food waste?

It is not a simple answer! We sell the “uglies” through “Too Good To Go” app and the “bruised” basket in store, and whatever food is not suitable for consumption goes in to the compost bin provided by Groundcycle.

Where and how do you deliver?

We provide local delivery to Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Queens, on weekdays: Monday through Friday. Orders must be placed before 1:30pm for same day delivery on weekdays. Orders placed after 1:30pm will be delivered the following weekday.

For example: 


• Orders placed between 1:30pm on Friday and 1:29pm on Monday will be delivered on Monday.
• Orders placed between 1:30pm on Monday and 1:29pm on Tuesday will be delivered on Tuesday.

FREE delivery for orders over $100
$6.99 delivery for orders under $100

Can I pick up my order instead?

Yes you can! Select pickup at checkout. Our store is located at is 50 Cypress Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11237 (between Starr St and Troutman St)

What kind of cleaning procedures do you have in place for the containers?

We currently hand wash all the containers and use an eco-friendly solution to sanitize them.

Do I need to wash the containers before returning them?

Yes please! If you could please wash the containers (or at least rinse them), it would be greatly appreciated.

Do you offer the container pickup before / without a new order?

To reduce our carbon footprint, we'll pick up your empty containers and the totes at your next delivery. If you need us to pick up your containers sooner please email us at precyclenyc@gmail.com

Can I drop off the containers somewhere?

Yes you can! If you choose to drop them off at our flagship store, it would be great - the address is 50 Cypress Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11237 (between Starr St and Troutman St). You can also drop them off at our Prospect Heights store at 593 Vanderbilt Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11238.

Are all your containers recyclable?

Yes, we only sell products in the containers that are fully recyclable or garden compostable. However, we really would love for you to return them so that we can reuse them! Reuse is always better than recycle!

How do I store products from Precycle delivery?

Depends on the product. If it is “dry goods” product for the pantry or home, please use your own jars or containers to store them. All produce items should be placed in either the refrigerator or counter, depending on what the item is.

What happens if I do not return the containers?

We currently do not have penalties for not returned packaging/containers. However, for our program to work long term, we hope that the containers will be returned for reuse. Please RETURN and (not recycle) our packaging, as it is directly related to why we do this in the first place. RETURN for REUSE, and NOT RECYCLE! We see this reuse model as the future solution and hope to normalize it.

Have more questions? Send us a message.