How to buy directly from producers online
/ All articles / Tips
To buy directly from producers online means ordering your food from the people who grow it, raise it or make it, with no warehouses or distributors in between. On Mentta it works like this: you choose the product, pay online and the producer prepares it and ships it to your home. Here’s how to do it step by step, how shipping and payment work, and what you gain along the way.
What does it mean to buy directly from producers?
It means there’s nobody else between the person who makes the product and the person who eats it. No buying centre, no wholesaler, no cold store where food waits for weeks. The cheese leaves the dairy, the oil leaves the mill and the fruit leaves the orchard, and they travel to your table without stopovers.
You notice it in three ways: in freshness, because the product spends less time in transit; in price, because what you pay is shared among fewer hands and more of it reaches the producer; and in trust, because you know who’s behind it. If you’ve ever wondered why flavour changes so much, we explain it in why tomatoes don’t taste like tomatoes anymore.
How to buy directly from producers on Mentta, step by step
Mentta is a Spanish online food market that, since 2015, has connected producers and specialist shops from all over Spain directly with the people who buy from them. This is what an order looks like:
- Find what you fancy. Use the search bar (for example, artisan cheese or olive oil) or browse by category.
- Check who sells it. Each product shows the seller, where they’re from, their reviews and their shipping conditions.
- Add it to your basket. If you buy from several producers, you’ll see one basket for each.
- Pay online. Securely, by card.
- The producer prepares your order. It doesn’t come out of a warehouse: whoever sells it prepares and ships it.
- Receive it at home and tell us how it went. Your review reaches the producer and helps others choose.
Shipping: why your order may arrive in several parcels
Because each producer ships from their own farm, orchard or workshop, each one has its own shipping policy. So if you buy from three different sellers, you’ll receive three parcels, each with its own shipping cost.
- Dispatch times: many sellers dispatch within 24–48 hours. You’ll find it on each product page.
- Shipping costs: each seller sets them, and many offer free shipping above a certain amount.
- Minimum order: some sellers have one and others don’t. You’ll see it before you buy.
- Delivery to your country: the options and costs for your address appear at checkout, and they may vary by seller and product, especially for fresh produce.
- A tip: grouping your purchase with one producer helps you make the most of free shipping.
How to pay
You can pay with Visa, Mastercard or American Express. Payment is processed through a secure gateway, and Mentta never has access to your bank details.
Benefits of buying directly from producers
- Fresher food: the product is prepared when you order and travels straight to you.
- A fairer price for the producer: with no middlemen, producers set their own price and keep a bigger share.
- You know who’s behind it: every product has a name, an origin and a story.
- Local and varied produce: Spanish cheeses, oils and fruit you won’t find in your local supermarket.
- Person-to-person service: if something goes wrong, there’s someone with a name on the other end of the line.
An example: in Fresno de la Vega (León), Antonio grows the vegetables of La Huerta de Ana Mary and ships them himself. In Madrid, Agricultores en Origen brings together small farmers who take their harvest from the field to your door.
What can you buy directly from producers?
Pretty much everything a well-stocked pantry needs:
- Fruit and vegetables in season, freshly picked.
- Meat from farms with a name of their own.
- Fish and seafood from the fish market.
- Cheeses, eggs and dairy.
- Iberian ham and cured meats.
- Extra virgin olive oil, preserves and pantry staples.
Not sure where to start? Start with what’s in season. We cover it in our guide to autumn fruits and vegetables, and if you like planning ahead, try this Spanish batch cooking.
What if something arrives damaged?
It doesn’t happen often, but it happens. If a parcel arrives damaged, take a photo, note it on the carrier’s delivery slip and let us know within 24 hours. Our customer service team will help you by phone or WhatsApp and sort it out with you and the producer. No bots, no endless forms.
Frequently asked questions
What does it mean to buy directly from producers?
It means buying food from the people who produce it, with no middlemen. On Mentta, your order is prepared and shipped by the producer or specialist shop itself, straight to your home.
Is it more expensive to buy directly from producers?
Not necessarily. With no middlemen, the price is shared among fewer hands. It’s worth keeping each seller’s shipping costs in mind and grouping your purchase to make the most of free shipping.
How long does an order take?
It depends on each producer and on where you live. Many sellers dispatch within 24–48 hours, and the timing appears on each product page.
Does Mentta deliver outside Spain?
Mentta ships to Spain and to several European countries. At checkout you’ll see whether a product can be sent to your address and how much shipping costs.
Where can I buy directly from producers online?
On Mentta you’ll find producers and specialist shops from all over Spain: fruit and vegetables, meat, fish, cheese, olive oil and much more, shipped directly to your home.
Mentta. The online market for people who know what things should taste like.
