Took me a long time to figure out this store so seems fair to provide a similarly long review. The Source Bulk Foods in Clapham is along my daily walk and next to the coffee shop where I have my mid-walk coffee break. I had judged it just another don't-need-it, healthy-foody posh shop. I passed it dozens of times before finally entering, of curiosity perhaps, but to be honest, I was looking for trouble. It's a tiny place so it took just a minute to take it all in and make my way to the back where my attention was drawn to enormous plastic vats of olive oil. An associate approached me and asked if she could help. (I learned later her name is Ellie and she deserves her own review). Whatever my question was, it led to her offering me a taste of the olive oil. I am into EVO often drinking it straight. One of their EVOs (Duvichus) subjectively tasted quite good and, somewhat more objectively, had the almost unbearable peppery aftertaste that shows high polyphenols. Worth a look. Price caught my attention: exactly one third the high-end EVO I buy from Ocado. I think the Ocado EVO is better, but not by much and not worth three times the price. No way I was buying a glass bottle to take home some olive oil, so declined, but of politeness bought £2 pounds of dried figs to have with my coffee. The figs may have been the most delicious food I have ever eaten--probably not and just my fleeting impression. Or Ellie put a spell on them. I came back the next day with a 330ml ex-mineral-water plastic bottle and filled up on olive oil, paid £5 pounds... and that was the start of my journey with The Source.
As a consumer, I self-categorize as a high-quality/good-value shopper, maybe a very high-quality/fair-value shopper. I'll gladly part with £5 for 18 grams of sublime coffee beans (try Sea Island Coffee in South Kensington) or an equally silly amount for nuanced Sencha green tea, but, the aforementioned aside, I do respect value. For me, The Source is about very high-quality and good value. I will boldly assert that every item there is at least 30% better value than anywhere else I can find: online, Whole Foods, Waitrose... anywhere. Sometimes it's the same price but 30% better quality, sometimes the same quality but 30% cheaper. Then there are breakouts like the olive oil which is at least two times better value. Not apparent is how much stuff is in that store, until you realize that every product is in one single bin or jar in contrast to several shelf-meters dedicated to packaged versions of different brands of the same food--what we have become used to. So that little store goes on and on and on.
Here's an exception to my quality/value measure. Butter beans are the same price I get online in bulk and to me same quality. Up to you if shopping online is a net convenience over in-store, and a whole other topic is that the online 1000 grams of beans comes with 200 grams of packaging and the ICE was running in the van while waiting for you to answer the doorbell. The Source takes no added packaging very seriously--take care!
In the interest of brevity, switching to bullet-point style. Tasting is allowed, just ask and then take (a lot of) care about hygiene. Dried vanilla. Nori flakes. Macadamia nuts are painfully expensive, but I don't feel I should be counting them as I eat. Dorset sea salt (unbelievable--I snack on it by licking my finger and dipping it in a bowl of salt then pretending I am at a salt lick on an African savanna and not a Zoom call. For salt, shockingly expensive, utterly worth it). The herbal teas are a highlight, try ginger and turmeric golden glow, then make iced tea from it. Dark Chocolate at 70% it's almost too sweet for me but it works. Country of origin is labelled on each bin. If there are preservatives or sulphites (such as in some dried fruit) they are shown in bold on the label on the bin. In bold! (They do have dried fruit with no preservations at all--ask for the roadkill organic apricots). Added sugar is clearly labelled (dried blueberries and cranberries). Super foods are affordable. I will never ever know if it does any good, but açaí is cheap enough that I can afford to use two tablespoons instead of a half teaspoon. If it helps, more must be better so dial up the placebo power and heap it on. Psyllium is expensive but has no insecticide residue I can detect. Coffee is just ok, and so far has been the only item (for me) that has been a missed target.
The uniform knowledge and commitment of the staff is hard to convey--like nurses in a top hospital. Regrets If that analogy makes no sense. Behind the scenes I sense the guiding force of half-mad totalitarian quality genius like a Steve Jobs of bulk seeds and beans (who may not be a coffee drinker). If you are curious, visit The Source Bulk Foods before Whole Foods buys them. And ask for Ellie. And good luck!
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