Trellus saves Zilnicki Farms 10+ hours per week on CSA delivery!

Zilnicki Farms is on a mission to help more Long Islanders discover fresh, local food. Trellus is helping this family business fulfill that mission, reaching more customers through same-day and scheduled delivery services. 

About Zilnicki Farms

Fourth-generation farmer John Zilnicki spearheads the farm’s Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program, which offers customizable farm boxes. The farm has a strong sense of community, partnering with other local farmers, artisans, and chefs to provide the best local food Long Island has to offer. In 2023, Zilnicki farms introduced Beef Bundles, offering customers the option to add delicious Long Island raised grass-fed beef to their CSA box.

Location

Riverhead, NY

Service Area

Long Island

Business Type

Farm

Sign Up Date

Jan. 22, 2022

Deliveries To Date

270+ and Counting

Date Founded

Early 1980s
Zilnicki Farms

The Problem

Zilnicki Farms had thoughtfully considered launching a CSA program for 5 years before even getting started. “Serious logistical roadblocks” held them back, John Zilnicki recalled. “It delayed us a year or two just because we were also running a business on a 150-acre farm. It just wasn’t feasible.” 

When their CSA finally launched, Zilnicki Farms offered only local pickup at their farmstand. However, the family knew that if they wanted to reach more customers, they would need to expand into home delivery. John started doing the deliveries himself. His sister, Jackie, would also take another route in an effort to “divide and conquer.”

Zilnicki Farms CSA delivery

The Challenges

There were plenty of challenges with the family-run delivery operation, and finding support was difficult.

  • Deliveries were made one day per week and would take a combined 10 hours to complete, averaging 200-300 miles. 
  • As a result, the farm lost the equivalent of a full day’s worth of work per week — a big strain on a small family business.  
  • The family tried hiring their own drivers, but since they only did deliveries on one day, many opted for jobs at Amazon, which was hiring aggressively at that time.
  • At least one local courier service was too costly and not the right fit. The farm could lose money per delivery, defeating the purpose of growing the business.

The Solution

Trellus Saves Zilnicki Farms Time & Money on CSA Delivery

When John heard of Trellus, he saw potential. He created an account but but still tried to manage the delivery program himself for another year. At this point, his own family was growing and he had less time to drive or manage drivers. Finally, he reached a wall. 

“This year [2023] came around, and I thought we gotta figure this out,” he recalled. Trellus had promised solutions, and he was open to the possibilities.

Trellus' Batching Software

John uses the Trellus Batching feature to group together boxes for delivery, saving time and money. The Trellus platform is easy to use. He exports customer addresses from his website point-of-sale system and loads the information into the Trellus Batching system. “In 30 seconds you know exactly how many miles and what the cost is. It’s really simple, and it’s smooth. That’s the nice thing,” he describes.

Accountable Drivers

Trellus’ real-time tracking and proof of delivery provides a “needed step” of insurance, so John can make sure his deliveries reach customers on time and in excellent condition. Trellus drivers’ high level of accountability enables him to retrieve his recyclable boxes, which is good for the environment and his bottom line.

‘Real’ People on Support Team

John calls Trellus support “phenomenal,” praising the Customer Success team. The locally based team understands his business’ challenges. One day, something came up and John forgot to submit one of the batches with 15-20 orders. Right away, John got in touch with the Trellus support team and was able to arrange a pick-up later that afternoon. The customers received their delivery same-day by dinner time, and everyone was happy.

With 10+ hours per week saved, John refocuses his efforts on marketing the CSA, reaching new customers and growing his bottom line.

“I would definitely recommend Trellus to other farmers — and any other small business — running programs or offering some type of delivery service. It’s a hat you don’t really have to wear. There’s enough stress in life. With Trellus, you’re still in charge of what you have to do, but that layer of stress on the delivery side of things is removed.”

– John Zilnicki, Zilnicki Farms 

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Game Changing Benefits

Consumer Willingness

88% of consumers are willing to pay for same-day delivery service (PwC).

Real-Time Tracking

Knowing the estimated or guaranteed delivery date is important to 63% of online shoppers (MarketingProfs).

Competitive Edge

Same-Day Delivery can help businesses gain a competitive advantage over 85% of other retail industry players (MarketingProfs).

Reach Online Shoppers

30% of Millennials consider a business’s ability to deliver on the same day before purchasing online (Econsultancy).

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