The Bulk Department is staffed by a small but mighty group of Co-op employees. They’re the ones ordering product, stocking the shelves, and doing those mandatory, arduous taste tests of all the new items 😉 Together, they’ve likely logged over 10,000 hours* of packaging mango for you all. Between making new snack and sweet pretzel mixes, refilling those fresh coffee beans, and answering your questions, they found time to give themselves a “group name.” They call themselves The Bulkies. What a bunch of a-dorable people (if you’re a Guardians of the Galaxy fan you get the reference). Anyways, ahead of the big Bulk Sale coming up, they also took a moment to share their personal recommendations. Maybe you’re already familiar with these products, or maybe you’re not. Either way, Bulk-O-Rama is a great opportunity to either try a new product on sale, or stock up on a favorite. Let us know if you share any favorites with any of The Bulkies!
Matt – Department Manager
Matt’s favorite bulk item is the pineapple gummy bears. This is a new product that came to Bulk in summer 2024. And they were an instant hit! Matt likes them because even though they started trending in warm weather, he knows they’ll taste like “a bite of summer” during the cold NH winter.
Alexa – Department Assistant Manager
When we asked Alexa what her favorite item to purchase from the Bulk Department was, it was clear we were asking a VERY difficult question. “But I love so many things in Bulk!” she cried. She went up and down every aisle in Bulk trying to make a final decision. Her ultimate choice of Magical Mystery Trail mix should feel so honored that it was picked as the top spot. So what about this trail mix is so great? Alexa is an avid hiker, and she describes the Magical Mystery Trail mix as the perfect hiking mix. It’s packed with protein, but the sweets mixed in are a great little summit reward. “Plus,” she adds, “it’s so aesthetically pleasing to look at.” We agree!
Peter
Peter’s go-to choice from the Bulk Department is their organic dill cashews. These were another instant classic that gave Everything Bagel Cashews a run for their money when they arrived in early 2024. Of the cashews, Peter says “They’re the perfect balanced snack, combining the buttery cashews and the zest of the dill. A perfect match!” Fun fact: Our Marketing Coordinator first discovered these in the Bulk Department of River Valley Co-op – and then subsequently ate the whole container before leaving the parking lot. She then begged The Bulkies to bring them in, and will never let them forget they were her suggestion.
Mike
Mike joined the Bulk Department and quickly grew very fond of the sour power belts. When asked directly what makes the sour power belts so great, he simply said “because they’re awesome.” Okay, fair. But when we pressed further, he also shared that they’re great for all ages, and he has been known to share a bag (or two) with his daughter. But be careful if you buy a bag with the intention of sharing — you might be surprised how quickly sharing turns into “I need these all for myself.” Customers have also appreciated the unique mouth feel the shape of the candy gives as compared to other (re: boring) sour candies.
Madison
Madison’s favorite bulk item is the Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Turbinado Almonds, which might surprise you if you know that she really prefers savory things. But, she says that these are not too sweet. In fact, they might even be labeled “the perfect amount of sweet.” Plus, they don’t have that lacquered smoothness we’ve come to expected from a chocolate covered something. The minimally-processed turbinado sugar on the outside lends to a unique texture that separates these from the rest.
Claire
Bulkie Claire’s favorite product in her department is Grandy Organics’ Dark Chocolate Coconola. For Claire, it’s a granola that she can have with an oat allergy. But more than that, it’s a protein-packed snack with Fair-Trade dark chocolate, coconut chips, seeds, and nuts. With all that, who’s going to miss the oats?
We hope you got some shopping list inspiration for things to add to your cart during our big Bulk-O-Rama sale! At the very least, we hope you enjoyed learning a little bit more about our Bulkies. Stop in and say hi to them next time you’re in store!
*Statistic unconfirmed
