Just about 17 years ago, Jeff Pastorius stuck a modified second-hand air conditioner in the window of the spare bedroom in his Old East Village apartment (hello, DIY walk-in cooler!). He loaded in a few cases of organic produce from a handful of local farmers, and with that, set out on a mission to help re-localize London’s sustainable food system.
If you’ve met Jeff over the years, you’ll know - he cares about local sustainable food. A lot.
Here’s what he had to say back at the very beginning:
“Local organic food is important to our ecology. Supporting locally produced food is going to reduce our carbon footprint… economically speaking, it’s integral. We need to regionalize our farming so that when we have difficulties in the marketplace, these farms will have a chance to support cities.” (2010)
From day one, On The Move was a labour of love. Whether it was forging deep connections with local organic farmers, delivering veggie boxes by bicycle through Old East and Old North, or the late nights and early mornings preparing for various farmer’s markets, On The Move has always thrived on DIY grit, grassroots energy, and creative approaches to food distribution, always with an emphasis on environmental sustainability and community resiliency (translation: most projects involved bikes, reclaimed materials, and a whole lot of hard work!).
In those first three years, On The Move was very much a family and friends affair. Jeff was supported by his sister Jen and his mom Jeanette, along with many friends who pitched in with the same sense of purpose and passion.
Eventually, the apartment cooler gave way to a proper refrigeration system, and On The Move expanded into a warehouse space. The home delivery program grew, and soon On The Move opened an organic juice bar (built with bike parts, reclaimed materials, and a whole lot of hard work) on the second floor of the farmer’s market, where countless wheatgrass shots and Sikorski Slammer juices were poured.
As On The Move grew, so did the team. In 2011, Jeff was joined by Joel, Aaron, Ellie and Max, and the team worked cooperatively to grow On The Move and launch London’s first local organic café, bakery, and restaurant (built with - you guessed it - bike parts, reclaimed materials, and A LOT of hard work!). With the same commitment to local organic food, sustainability, and a cooperative spirit, The Root Cellar opened in 2012, and expanded into a full-service restaurant in 2014. Throughout this period, On The Move maintained its unwavering commitment to strengthening the local sustainable food system, made possible by the dedication and shared values of its hardworking staff.
(And bikes).
Read more: How On The Move carried on, how the pandemic affected business, the launch of the Community Box Project, and more!
