Yiwei Gu 
Despite contrary belief, being exclusively organic is possible, especially when shopping at stores like Organic Basic Food. Located at 204 Washington Street in Hoboken, this local food store serves the Mile Square community healthy and tasty snacks + grocery items. Read on to learn more about Organic Basic Food in Hoboken, New Jersey.
The Story Behind Organic Basic Food
Organic Basic Food was first established in 1995 with a “passion…to help [its] customers live a healthier and well-balanced life,” according to the shop’s website. Junghyun Eric An, who goes by Eric, is the current owner of the shop. Organic Basic Food was passed down by his father, who migrated to the U.S. from Asia over 20 years ago.
Photo Credit: Organic Basic Food
“He worked as a truck driver when he first got here, but he believed that the food business had great potential,” Eric told The Hoboken Girl back in 2020. The first food-related business the family ran was a small deli, which also sold a few grocery items. “Then my father started thinking, how can we distinguish ourselves from the already very crowded grocery business in Hoboken? That’s how we began selling organic products.”
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The decision to focus on organic products and gourmet food proved to be visionary, and the hard work of the early years paid off. With Hoboken’s changing demographics, Organic Basic Food soon gained a large group of loyal customers, many of whom are health-conscious young professionals willing to shop for high-quality products for themselves and their families.
Photo Credit: Organic Basic Food
Since its opening, the store has always been quick to adjust to shifting customer demands. Having noticed that many shoppers are young mothers, for example, Eric expanded its nutritional supplement and infant food section a few years back. “I myself was not an expert in nutritional supplements, to begin with, but we were able to find the right people to build up the product selection,” Eric previously said.
When asked about how he selects his products, Eric said that the key was to keep up with the food market trends. “Customers are smart. They are aware of what’s available in the market, and they will ask for that.” With an education in food science and a large network of suppliers, many based in Europe, where there is a well-established organic certification system, he is able to closely track the latest trends in the market and adjust the product offerings accordingly.
What’s On the Shelves?
For one thing, shopping at Organic Basic Food is fun. There is a sense of a treasure hunt wandering its aisles. The grocery selection can be loosely described as everyday staples with a fun twist. For example, shoppers can find regular canned beans at the store, but also find borlotti beans, cooked to the ideal creaminess and packed in sturdy glass jars.
In addition to sustainably fished canned tuna, there is also gourmet-grade Ventresca — hand-cut velvety tuna belly packed in olive oil. Less commonplace produce such as bird’s eye chili peppers and porcini mushrooms stand side by side with flavorful ingredients that American home cooks have gotten familiar with only in recent years, such as ghee and cardamon. The selection is large but not overwhelming, giving both foodies and health enthusiasts plenty of options to experiment.
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Organic Basic Food also provides a variety of flavors and options, accommodating all sorts of dietary restrictions and preferences, like lemon and dill flavored gluten-free crackers with flax seeds. In the pantry section, shoppers can find sugar-free energy bars and vegan protein powders.
Those looking for more hedonistic options can also take their treats to the next level. Here, locals can find niche brands of sweet and savory snacks from around the world, like licorice from Finland and hazelnut spreads from Italy.
Beyond Food
Photo Credit: Organic Basic Food
Alongside the food, there is also a huge selection of essential oils, supplements, and other health and beauty products. Simply browse the aisles, and shoppers will find paper wraps, cotton balls, and wooden handles. There are also plenty of less conventional products that would add some fun twists to locals’ health and beauty routines, such as hand sanitizer gels from South Korea packed in baby blue colored tubes and blocks of Castile soaps made from coconut oil.
Online Shopping
In 2020, Eric told HG that he’d been considering expanding the store’s online footprint. Now, five years later, the shop has done just that. Shoppers can order food, beauty products, babies’ + kids’ products, home goods, and more online at this link.
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Organic Basic Food is open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday from 9AM to 8PM and Wednesday and Friday from 9AM to 9PM.
