According to the EPA, the average American throws away five pounds of trash per day. To help reduce the amount of trash locals produce, Jenny Vedrani and Jenn Szalkowski opened Refill Goodness. Instead of buying a new container every time you buy a new product, customers who use Refill Goodness refill their containers at their store in Stevensville. Despite being a relatively new local business, our readers voted Refill Goodness a Favorite Local Business Owner. We had the chance to talk to Jenny to learn a bit more about how she got into sustainability, their delivery service and more!
Sustainable living has been a part of Jenny’s life since she was a child. Her grandma was an immigrant with a passion for gardening. She provided her neighbors and loved ones with all the veggies they would take and composted in her yard. Her father was the type of person to save containers and was also an early adopter of recycling. “The idea of pre-made meals and fast food just wasn’t part of our life. Waste was a foreign concept for my family,” Jenny proudly told me.
Like many, Jen and Jenny spent a lot of time at home during the pandemic. During this time, they noticed just how much trash they both produced. Jen told Jenny about the “refill philosophy” of using refillable containers for products like detergent and soap instead of buying a new container every time. Together the two opened their first business in Ohio. Soon after, they opened their shop here in Stevensville.
While Refill Goodness offers some high-end selections, many of their products such as hand soaps and detergents are no more expensive to buy from Refill Goodness than from the grocery store. Jen and Jenny have also made refilling more convenient than buying from the grocery store. Inspired by all the people staying home during the pandemic, they offer delivery services as well. Some of their customers request refills as needed, while others get their necessities refilled on a monthly basis. Refill Goodness offers deliveries all the way from Easton to Baltimore.
Refill Goodness tries to use locally sourced products as often as possible, not only to help locals, but also to help the environment by shipping items less far. Some of their favorite locally sourced products include Zerra and Co., The Blended Essentials, GMDesigns MD, and Mount Royal Soaps. Some of the soaps they carry are even made by Refill Goodness.
If you would like to learn more about Refill Goodness you should visit their website at https://refillgoodness.com/. There you can see a full list of products they offer, place an order, and more! Their Stevensville location is open from noon to five on Mondays to Fridays as well as from noon to two on weekends.