About PEC Fresh

As part of our ongoing commitment to food security, PELC launched a community market in 2020, making fresh fruits and vegetables accessible to everyone at affordable prices. At its peak, our market grew to three locations, serving customers in the areas around Picton, Sophiasburgh and Consecon.

Food needs in PEC are evolving, and after six years, PELC has made the difficult decision to wind down the market. Our final market will be Wednesday, Oct. 21.

We’re proud of what the market offered to our community, and deeply thankful for the work of our volunteers and community partners. PEC Fresh customers told us they loved being able to:

• Choose the quantity of fresh fruits and vegetables they wanted, and reduce waste
• Order online for pickup or delivery
• Support local farmers and producers of small batch food
• Pay by cash, credit or PEC Fresh gift card
• Save money – our fruits and vegetables sold for about 30% less than grocery store prices

This is not goodbye! Food security in PEC is more pressing than ever, and we are taking some time to shape a response that addresses community needs more directly. If you’d like to share your thoughts and ideas, please send an email to pecfresh@pelc.ca.

If you have a gift certificate, please call us at (613) 476-1811, ext. 108 before Oct. 21 so we can fill your order and redeem it for food!

Certified Good Food Organization

Prince Edward Learning Centre is a certified Good Food Organization. This designation is awarded by Right to Food (formerly Community Food Centres Canada), recognizing groups that build health, belonging and social justice through the power of food.

Online Ordering

Online orders can be placed at www.pecfreshgoodfoodmarket.com for either pickup or delivery (where available).

You can pay by debit, credit, or PEC Fresh gift card by entering the coupon code.

You can now preorder over the weekend, at your leisure! Get in early before we place our weekly order, and access unlimited quantities! Simply place your order between 5pm Friday and 8am Monday, for pick-up or delivery the following Wednesday.

You can still shop in person in Picton from 3-5pm! Preordering (especially for large orders) actually helps us stock the table even better so there’s lots of selection for those stopping by.

Need assistance ordering online? Visit our step-by-step instructions.

We also have a new order hotline at (613) 476-1811, extension 108 for people who are not online. Just leave a message with your phone number, address and what you want to order and we will get you sorted out. Please pass this along to your friends and neighbours who may not have internet, to help connect them to the market!

Greens Rx

PEC Fresh Good Food Market participated in Greens Rx, a nation-wide research program by Community Food Centres Canada. This important research examined how increased access to fresh, affordable fruits and vegetables affects the well-being of community members who are experiencing food insecurity and managing certain health conditions, such as diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol.

Through a fresh food “prescription,” over 80 participants received gift cards to use at PEC Fresh, to make it easier to add fresh fruits and vegetables into their regular diet. The program lasted 20 weeks.

Most people noticed they felt better. Access to more affordable produce led to better health. Outcomes were especially good for people with chronic conditions: 96% of participants reported they were able to better manage their long-term health conditions.

The results of this research will guide strategies that advocate for making smaller-scale investments to improve access to nutritious foods in communities across Canada.