Underground Foods is a community-driven marketplace that connects local makers and conscious buyers in Ramsay & Inglewood, Calgary. The mission is simple — make local food easy to access, support small producers, and build a neighborhood where quality and connection matter.
The project began with strategy and research, defining core features for both buyers and sellers and mapping the weekly ordering and pickup flow. We identified Shopify as the fastest and most reliable platform for the MVP stage, allowing us to launch quickly while keeping room for future expansion. UX priorities included: clear product structure and categories, easy onboarding for sellers, weekly pickup logistics (order Monday → pickup Wednesday), free memberships to reduce friction, trust-building copy and local storytelling. We developed a functional Shopify storefront, integrated Tally forms for product submissions, and set up automated order summaries for sellers. The design was intentionally simple — prioritizing clarity, transparency, and “local-first” communication. The current stage focuses on growth and validation. As the marketplace scales, we plan to introduce a custom dashboard for sellers and buyers, automated inventory tracking, referral systems, and additional pickup locations across Calgary.
The project began with strategy and research, defining core features for both buyers and sellers and mapping the weekly ordering and pickup flow. We identified Shopify as the fastest and most reliable platform for the MVP stage, allowing us to launch quickly while keeping room for future expansion.
UX priorities included:
clear product structure and categories,
easy onboarding for sellers,
weekly pickup logistics (order Monday → pickup Wednesday),
free memberships to reduce friction,
trust-building copy and local storytelling.
We developed a functional Shopify storefront, integrated Tally forms for product submissions, and set up automated order summaries for sellers. The design was intentionally simple — prioritizing clarity, transparency, and “local-first” communication.
The current stage focuses on growth and validation. As the marketplace scales, we plan to introduce a custom dashboard for sellers and buyers, automated inventory tracking, referral systems, and additional pickup locations across Calgary.
The MVP of Underground Foods successfully launched on Shopify, providing a fully functional platform where buyers can browse products from local makers, place weekly orders, and pick them up at a dedicated community hub in Ramsay. Sellers can easily submit their products through a guided form system, and receive automated order summaries every Monday — making the process efficient without requiring a full backend at this stage.
The website is now live and actively collecting local interest, with ongoing community events and product updates. The structure is built to scale — allowing future integration of a custom dashboard, multi-location pickup system, automated inventory tracking, and enhanced UX for both sides of the marketplace.
This project proves that a local-first digital platform can be built quickly and meaningfully — combining thoughtful UX, no-code tools, and clear community values. Underground Foods is now positioned to grow, attract more makers, and become a digital hub supporting small businesses across Calgary.
