Out of the Box Collective

Jennifer Piette refuses to be boxed in, no pun intended. After all, her Agoura Hills-based business was founded on boxes.

She goes out of her way to find local produce, meat and dairy at their best and then boxes them for people to savor and share.

Making Connections

Piette’s philosophy is “it’s all about making connections,” whether it’s in her job as a film producer and screenwriter or in her new business of connecting local farmers to consumers like her.

Moving to California after living in Portugal, France and the United Kingdom for over 20 years, the mom of three said she was pleasantly surprised by the bounty of fresh produce and seafood. “The availability and quality of locally-grown food was just jaw-dropping,” she said.

This discovery led her to launch Out of the Box Collective, a weekly, home- delivery service that brings boxed local organic produce and groceries to doorsteps from Woodland Hills to Newbury Park.

Her desire to move food dollars into the local community and invest in sustainable, clean practices also propelled her to go on the venture of delivering “love in a box,” as she calls the nutrient-dense boxes. 

“It was also the perfect time to start a business with the economy imploding,” said Piette, who was born and raised in Washington, D.C.

Farm-to-Table Mentality

From the time, Piette delivered her first box in July 2010 she has utilized dozens of local farmers in the Ventura and Santa Barbara areas. Citrus from Santa Paula, beef from Santa Barbara and almonds from Goleta have found their way inside the boxes.

There are family boxes for up to four people and boxes for couples with prices ranging from $125 to a little over $200. There are vegetarian, dairy-free and chicken-only boxes as well.

Local farm-to-table chef Sara Woodward has created meal plans that go with the boxes, taking advantage of what’s in season and suggesting substitutions for food allergies and special diets.

“We create a selection of what’s best that week,” said Piette. Unless otherwise requested, the boxes contain a variety of staples like meat, cheese, butter, nuts, dried fruit, orange juice and regional specialties, enough to last a week or so.

There are add-on items like bread, milk and even treats like chocolates. “We’re looking carefully, beyond certified organic labels,” said Piette, citing the fair trade chocolates and coffee as examples.

Piette also wants to make the boxes accessible to time-pressed people, by offering the “easy box” which contains more prepared food like home-made curry, flatbread pizza and quiche. “The quality is excellent comparable to top-notch restaurants,” she said.

The delivery frequency can be weekly, bi-weekly or monthly with discounts  available. “It’s something to look forward to, like Christmas morning,” said Piette.

Thinking Outside The Box

As a way of giving back and introducing her business to the community, Piette and the farm-to-table chefs she has worked with put together their first benefit on June 12 at the Malibou Lake Mountain Club.

Dubbed “” featuring up-and-coming chefs Erik Stenberg, Julia Crookston and Woodward, it had all the trimmings of an outdoor celebration.

From the farm-fresh cuisine to the slow-roasted Berkshire Cross pig, Piette succeeded in making all the right, local connections, and the SOS Malibu Outreach program benefited from the event.

“It was a good exercise in logistical planning, similar to what I do on a daily basis,” said Piette, describing the local distribution infrastructure in the area.

She described being on the 101 freeway daily and having to individually pick up food items from the farmers herself. “There are supply issues too, because I’m sourcing from small farms,” she said.

A Pilot Program

“I consider it a pilot program, so I’m constantly trying to find a balance,” she said.

Piette envisions passing on a legacy of food literacy, trading, sustainable practices and infrastructure sharing to our children.

“I hope the ideas catch on so it will be all worth it,” she said.