My Thoughts on Potager City: Fresh Fruits and Vegetables Straight from the Producer

All experts agree, and it's something you hear everywhere: you should eat 5 servings of fruit and vegetables each day!

To help you diversify your diet, Potager City offers a subscription that allows you to receive a basket of fresh fruit and vegetables every week. Plus, there’s a bonus: we support the local economy, as all produce comes exclusively from partnering local growers!

I tested Potager City in the Bordeaux region for several months. Today, I’ll be sharing my experience with you.

What is Potager City?

💖 I Loved It

• The overall quality of the fruits and vegetables,
• The time-saving benefits of this system,
• Discovering new local producers,
• The app, which is also handy for saving time,
• The simple kraft packaging, which is close to zero-waste!

❌ I didn't like this as much

• The price is slightly high,
• Limited pick-up points in rural areas.

How Does Potager City Work?

Potager City helps you save time on your shopping by picking up fresh fruit and vegetable baskets close to home. You can choose:

• only fruits,
• only vegetables,
• a mix of both.

The possible quantities are:

• 2.5 kg of fruit (recommended for 2 to 3 people),
• 3 kg of vegetables (recommended for 2 to 3 people),
• 4.5 kg of assorted fruits and vegetables (recommended for 2 to 3 people),
• 6 kg of assorted fruits and vegetables (recommended for 4 to 5 people).

Are these seasonal fruits and vegetables?

Absolutely! In fact, this is the primary selection criterion for the products delivered by Potager City. There's no way you'll be receiving strawberries in the middle of October or tomatoes in December! Your baskets will be composed solely of seasonal fruits and vegetables, chosen for their quality.

Potager City values the seasonal calendar

Where do the products delivered by Potager City come from?

The Potager City team strives to prioritise local products as much as possible. When you sign up, you'll be asked to specify which region you live in: this will allow us to deliver fruits and vegetables grown near you.

🍌 For exotic fruits that don't grow in our regions, Potager City collaborates with certified organic partner producers. We purchase these products directly from them, ensuring they are fairly compensated for their work.

Can you add products to your order?

Of course. Once you've signed up (there's no need to be a subscriber, just create an account using your email), you'll have access to the Potager City shop. This allows you to order additional products with your basket. These can include:

• Specific fruits and vegetables from a producer,
• Organic eggs in packs of 6 or 12,
• Herb bouquets,
• Flour,
• Cane sugar,
• Jams,
• Fruit juices,
• Assorted savoury groceries...

👉 This is really handy as it allows you to pick up other local and sustainable products when you collect your order, saving you from having to make regular trips to a health food store, for example.

Is there a commitment with Potager City?

Not at all! You have two ordering options available to you:

• No subscription: in this case, you'll receive just one box. It's perfect for testing things out!
• With a subscription: you receive a box every week, but you can pause, modify, or cancel your subscription at any time.

How does the delivery and pickup of the baskets work?

Unlike some of its competitors, Potager City does not deliver baskets to your home. Instead, they are left at a collection point, at a partner retailer near you.

There are many collection points in France—over 6300 at the moment! By clicking on this link, you can find the one nearest to you!

As the name suggests, Potager City is more developed in urban areas. The brand tries its best to establish collection points in rural zones, but these are less common.

Potager City is available in major cities across France, with numerous collection points.

🏢 You can also get deliveries directly to your workplace if your company is a partner! If you work for a company, feel free to ask them about this service.

What is the price of Potager City baskets? 💰

Potager City offers two different baskets, along with a discount of $1 for those who choose a subscription (no commitment required).

Here are the details of the prices offered by Potager City:

You can add options:

• 6 organic eggs at $3 per week,
• 125g of organic dried fruit at $3 per week.

How is the price of the baskets calculated?

Potager City is very open about the pricing of its baskets. The aim is to fairly compensate the producer as well as the players in the delivery chain (packaging, teams, rent, etc.).

What payment methods are available on Potager City?

You can pay using a credit card, Visa, MasterCard, or American Express. You can also use your meal vouchers with the Edenred and Swile meal card.

👉 Unfortunately, you cannot pay for your Potager City basket using PayPal.

How to pay with meal vouchers at Potager City?

All you need is a Swile or Edenred meal card. When it’s time to pay, simply click on Meal Cards and enter your account details:

Screenshot of what will appear on the site at the checkout

What does a Potager City basket look like? Find out in the video!

To help you better visualise a City vegetable garden planter, you can watch this video:

One can see that the fruits and vegetables are varied and high-quality. The packaging is a simple, recycled, and recyclable kraft bag, making the offering accessible even for those with a lifestyle leaning towards zero waste.

In a basket, you’ll find fruits or vegetables (or both, depending on your choice) freshly picked and in season. Since they come from local producers, they haven’t travelled far to reach you. It’s just like buying them at the market, but it saves you time!

Contents of a 4.5 kg Potager City basket

Is the Potager City app worth it?

On its website, Potager City encourages you to download the app on your smartphone directly. It has excellent ratings, whether on Google Play or the App Store, so I decided to check it out.

What are the features of the Potager City mobile app?

Once you've created an account, it's handy and allows you to place your orders directly, as well as view the contents of this week's cart.

You also have access to the online shop, which allows you to add grocery items (juices, jams...) or other fruits and vegetables to your order.

The app also offers guided recipes, which are incredibly useful for knowing how to cook the fruits and vegetables in your box. You'll find detailed articles on all the fruits and vegetables you can get in your box (storage, preparation, etc.). Additionally, you'll have information about Potager City's partner producers.

How to download the Potager City app?

You can find it by following the links below:

• On Google Play for an Android smartphone,
• On the App Store for an iPhone.

✅ In summary, the app is incredibly handy and makes it easy to manage your subscription while discovering delicious and easy-to-make recipe ideas!

Can you give a Potager City basket as a gift? 🎁

At the moment, Potager City doesn’t offer gift vouchers. However, it is possible to give a basket by signing up and then opting for a one-off delivery without a subscription. You can also add other items (eggs, jams, fruit juices, dried fruits...) by selecting them from the shop.

👪 It's a fantastic gift idea for:

• A student who struggles to afford healthy food,
• Overwhelmed young parents who don't have time to visit the market,
• A senior living at home who wants to cook,
• An individual or couple who work long hours and want to enjoy good meals,
• A family that wants to eat local produce and enjoy a variety of balanced meals.

How to Implement Potager City in Your Business?

Do you want the company you manage or work for to become a collection point for Potager City baskets? It's completely free, and by doing so, you allow your employees or colleagues to enjoy the Potager City subscription as well.

🥭 Potager City also offers fruit baskets for $25 AUD, including GST, which you can provide in your workplace, for coffee breaks for instance. This allows all your colleagues to take balanced breaks, while also enhancing their quality of life at work.

What do customers think of Potager City? Discover their reviews!

Looking for information on other customers' reviews is a valuable source of insight before signing up for an online service. To save you some time, I've conducted this survey for you and summarised the various opinions found online about Potager City. 😉

On Google

Potager City has 163 reviews on Google and encourages its customers to leave feedback on this platform. While this number isn't huge, it’s enough to get a general idea of customers' opinions on the service provided. The average rating is quite positive, sitting at 4 / 5.

💚 Potager City customers loved:

• The freshness of fruits and vegetables,
• The ability to shop locally,
• The option to add other products (such as eggs),
• The app,
• The recipes provided in the app,
• The time-saving aspect of this system,
• The ease of diversifying their diet.

Positive review about Potager City left by a customer on Google

❌ Customers were less impressed:

• The selection of exotic fruits and vegetables that isn’t essential for everyone,
• The slightly higher prices for those who are used to buying their fruits and vegetables at a market.

Mixed reviews on Potager City posted on Google

About Trustpilot

At the time of writing this article, Potager City has a rating of 2.9 / 5 on Trustpilot, which is considered average by the platform. There are fewer customer reviews than on Google, with only 69 in total.

This mixed review comes from the fact that several customers notice exotic fruits and vegetables in their Potager City basket. However, the brand clarifies its approach: the goal is to primarily sell French products, while occasionally offering fruits and vegetables sourced from further afield. Importantly, there are no middlemen involved; most of these products are organic, and the producer is paid fairly, reflecting the true value of their work.

Some customers are also disappointed by the price, which they consider to be high. However, there is a significant number of positive 5-star reviews praising the concept and the quality of the fruits and vegetables.

Potager City on Social Media

Would you like to stay updated on the latest news from Potager City? Feel free to follow the team on:

• Twitter,
• Facebook,
• Instagram.

👉 In total, Potager City has nearly 115,000 subscribers who regularly share recipes and the contents of their baskets using #potagercity!

Potager City also has a YouTube channel where you can find:

• Step-by-step recipes,
• Interviews with partner producers,
• Advertisements showcasing Potager City.

An example of a recipe from the YouTube channel Potager City: Cheddar Corn Fritters

Is Potager City a Scam?

Potager City is a French company that has been around since 2007. It is based in Lyon, France. This initiative began as a family venture, as the company, which now employs nearly a hundred people, was founded by two brothers who aimed to provide an easy solution for eating well. In 2020, the Carrefour group acquired the start-up.

Potager City is well established in the business landscape and supplies baskets to numerous companies (including major brands) that act as intermediaries.

These large French companies are turning to Potager City

If you have any questions for customer service, you can contact Potager City through an online form or via email. There is no phone customer service available. However, the brand is attentive to its customers and responds to reviews left on Google.

✅ Potager City is a French start-up that you can order from with complete confidence. While we do miss the availability of a phone support service, the company remains responsive via messaging.

My Verdict on Potager City ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Normally, I’m the kind of person who buys my fruits and vegetables from local producers at the weekly market in my neighbourhood. It takes time, but I don’t want to give up buying local, as it aligns with my values.

When I first heard about Potager City, I was taken by the idea of buying fresh fruit and vegetables from local producers without having to go to the market. So, I gave it a go for a week without a subscription, and then I signed up for a few months.

Since there are three of us at home (two adults and a child), I chose the fruit and vegetable box for $18.90 ($17.90 with a subscription) which includes a variety of produce. The quantity is just right for a week, but I regularly add extra fruits and products (like fruit juices and jams) from the shop. I don't buy my eggs through Potager City as I find the price of $3 for 6 eggs a bit pricey.

So far, I've always been happy with the variety of fruits and vegetables as well as their quality. The very simple packaging, a recyclable kraft bag, suits me perfectly. I'm also pleased to continue consuming locally, but saving heaps of time since I no longer need to go to the market!

I wanted to subscribe my mum, who lives in the countryside, to introduce her to the concept, but unfortunately, there was no collection point nearby. I was a bit disappointed... I hope there will be a collection point soon!

✅ In summary, I recommend Potager City for the quality of their fruits and vegetables and their commitment to supporting local producers, even though the prices of some products can be a bit high at times.

FAQs about Le Petit Ballon: I’m answering YOUR questions!

👉 In this section, I’ll answer the questions you’ve asked me about Potager City. If you can’t find the answer to your query, feel free to ask me in the comments!

How to Place an Order on Potager City?

To place an order with Potager City, you must create an account. If you wish to order specific products such as fruits, vegetables, eggs, flour, or sugar, you first need to have ordered a basket of fruits and/or vegetables. These products are additional items that you can include with your weekly box.

Once you've selected your cart, simply head over to the shop page while remaining logged in to add individual products.

How to Switch Boxes with Potager City?

The box you selected last time doesn't work for you? You can choose a smaller, larger model, or one with different contents.

To do this, simply log in to your Potager City account, then go to the "ACCOUNT" section in the top right corner, and click on "SUBSCRIPTION". You'll then be taken to a page that summarises the contents of your weekly order, featuring a button labelled "CANCEL / REPLACE". Just click on it to update your shopping basket for the week. 😉

How to Access Recipes at Potager City?

Potager City offers dozens of guided recipes to help you cook with the fruits and vegetables from your baskets more easily. There are several options available to access them:

• Visit the Potager City YouTube channel to watch step-by-step videos.
• On the homepage of the site, once logged in, click on "MY ACCOUNT" at the top right, then "RECIPE BOOK", and finally "VIEW OUR RECIPES".
• From the app, go to the "RECIPES" tab.

👉 From both the website and the app, you can bookmark your favourite recipes so you can return to them later.

How to get a Potager City coupon or promotional code?

Potager City is offering you a discount of 30% off your first order by entering the promo code "POTAGER" when you check out.

Does Potager City only offer organic products?

Not necessarily, as the start-up emphasises the proximity of producers. The main aim is to provide regional products. However, the goal is that the majority of them operate organically, which is indeed the case.

Fruits and vegetables that aren't sourced from France (such as bananas, kiwis, etc.) are largely organic. This also applies to the grocery items you can add to your weekly shop: sugar, flour, eggs ...

How does Potager City's referral program work?

Do you want to introduce someone to the joys of fruit and vegetable boxes? Potager City has a fantastic referral offer for you.

By visiting the homepage of the site, then clicking on "MY ACCOUNT", followed by "REFERRAL", you will obtain a link that you can share with anyone wishing to place an order on the site.

If your referral plays along, they will receive 3 discount codes to use on their first 3 orders:

• 50% off the first one,
• 20% off the second one,
• 10% off the third one.

🤑 You'll also benefit from a -50% discount on your next order!

👉 The maximum amount of this discount is $15 AUD.

How to get in touch with Potager City? 📞

Potager City doesn't have a phone support service, but you can get in touch with the team:

• through a form available on the website,
• by email at: framboise@potagercity.fr,
• on social media: Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.

Source: Potager City on Instagram (@potagercity)

How to Unsubscribe from Potager City?

You can pause your subscription in two different ways:

• Temporarily,
• Permanently.

🔸 How can I temporarily pause my subscription?

To do this, you'll need to go to your "MY ACCOUNT" section while you're logged in, then head over to "SUBSCRIPTION". Next, click on "SCHEDULE A PAUSE". All you have to do is choose the period during which you don't want to receive a delivery. It's really handy for holidays! 🌴

🔸 How to cancel your Potager City subscription?

To do this, you need to follow the same steps as before: click on "MY ACCOUNT", then "SUBSCRIPTION", and finally select "SUSPEND WITHOUT RESTART".

If you'd like to have your Potager City account deleted, please request this directly from the team using the contact form.

👉 All these changes must be made no later than two days before the scheduled delivery of your order to be considered.

I hope this experience has inspired you to also give Potager City a go. Feel free to share your thoughts about this service in the comments; I'm genuinely keen to hear what you think! 😉