www.oodcoopinitiatie.coop inooodcoopinitiatie.

coop 50-664-2034
We are always happy to talk
about our work, the challenges
that face new co-ops, and the
tremendous support that they
engender.
For information and interviews,
contact:
Stuart Reid, Executive Director
stuart@foodcoopinitiative.coop
Phone: 507-664-2034
Mobile: 507-581-0170
BACKGROUND

There are roughly 325 cooperative grocery stores in the United States, with
at least another 200 under development everywhere from Espanola, New
Mexico to Fairbanks, Alaska.
Food Co-op Initiative, an independent, non-profit organization, works with
community groups across the country to help them organize new retail food
cooperatives as efficiently and effectively as possible.
Since 2005, FCI (and its earlier incarnation, Food Co-op 500) has been
assisting communities with education, grants, and loans to help them open
successful grocery co-ops. Opening a successful co-op business is a long
process requiring careful planning and a lot of background knowledge. FCI
provides a support system that enables a faster and more effective startup
process.
In 2006, Stuart Reid was hired as the first-ever national food co-op
development specialist focused on start-ups. Under his leadership, the foundation has developed a model for
successful co-op development, including step by step objectives, along with a full suite of development tools.
Among lCI`s programs are the Seed lund, a deelopment grant program. The foundation has given $250,000 in
grants to 33 organizations from 2005 -2011.
The foundation conducts live workshops for co-op organizers at CCMA and other conferences. In collaboration with
the CDS Consulting Co-op, FCI has presented over 20 web-based training sessions.
There are currently over 150 communities across the U.S. involved in efforts to open co-op grocery stores, and new
requests for assistance arrive almost daily. Food Co-op Initiatie`s Lxecutie Director Reid says, It is no wonder-
people are tired of food systems that they cannot trust and that do not respond to their needs. Starting a co-op allows
a community to regain control of their most basic survival needs and encourages economic activity throughout the
region.`
If start-up groups are to be successful, they need support and inspiration from the existing food co-op community. I
hope food co-ops will join the Blooming Prairie Foundation in supporting the Food Co-op Initiatie!` Marilyn
Scholl, CDS Consulting Co-op manager and Food Co-op Initiative Board of Directors.



www.oodcoopinitiatie.coop inooodcoopinitiatie.coop 50-664-2034
What is a co-op?
Cooperatives are member-owned, member-governed
businesses that operate for the benefit of their
members according to common principles agreed upon
by the international cooperative community. Most
simply put, a cooperative is a business:
x voluntarily owned by the people who use it
x operated for the benefit of its members
All co-ops contain the following elements:
x Co-ops are owned and governed by their
primary users (the member-owners).
x Co-ops are democratically governed (one-
member, one-vote).
x Co-ops are businesses, not clubs or
associations.
x Co-ops adhere to internationally recognized
principles.
x More information www.ica.coop
FACT SHEET

Groceryco-opsarewidespread
Around the country, roughly 300 cooperatives already run 330 stores, with at least another 200 under development,
everywhere from East Aurora, New York to Fairbanks, Alaska.
Groceryco-opshaveasignificantfinancialimpact
In 2007, consumer grocery cooperatives accounted for close to $2.1 Billion in sales revenue, more than 15,000 jobs,
$252 Million in wages and benefits paid, and $316 Million in valued-added income.
Cooperativesarerecognizedasaforceforglobalchange
The United Nations has declared 2012 as the International Year of Co-operatives. The International Year of
Cooperatives is intended to raise public awareness of the invaluable contributions of cooperative enterprises to
poverty reduction, employment generation and social integration. The Year will also highlight the strengths of the
cooperative business model as an alternative means of doing business and furthering socioeconomic development.
FoodCo-opInitiativeisaleaderinfosteringnewco-opsnationwide
Recent Food Co-op Initiative grant and loan sites include:
Chatham Real Food Market, Chatham, New York
Company Shops Market, Burlington, North Carolina
Fiddleheads Natural Foods Cooperative, New
London, Connecticut
Friendly City Co-op, Harrisonburg, Virginia
H Street Community Market, Washington, D.C.
Harvest Moon Natural Foods Cooperative, Long
Lake, Minnesota
Lost River Community Co-op, Paoli, Indiana
Medford Market, Medford, Oregon
New Orleans Food Co-op, New Orleans, Louisiana
Sierra Vista Food Co-op, Sierra Vista, Arizona
Yelm Food Co-op, Yelm, Washington
Fairbanks Community Cooperative Market,
Fairbanks, Alaska


www.oodcoopinitiatie.coop inooodcoopinitiatie.coop 50-664-2034
STAFF BIOGRAPHIES
Stuart Reid
Executive Director
Stuart Reid is the Executive Director of Food Co-op Initiative, a non-profit
foundation providing technical assistance, training and resources to communities
across the United States that are organizing new retail food co-ops and buying
clubs. He was the first Food Co-op Development Specialist for Food Co-op 500,
the pilot project that grew into FCI.

Stuart has an extensive background working in cooperatives. He has worked at
five retail food co-ops in a variety of roles, served on several co-op boards, was a
Buyer & Merchandiser for the former DANCe co-op warehouse, served on the
executive committee of the Twin Cities Natural Food Co-ops Grocers
Association, was liaison to the Midwest Co-op Grocers Association, and helped open the Just Food Co-op in
Northfield, MN as their first general manager. He has written for the Cooperative Grocer magazine, written and
edited training manuals, and presented at workshops and conferences. Stuart is currently serving as chair of
Cooperation Works!, a cooperative member services organization made up of cooperative development centers across
the United States.

Stuart holds a Lifetime Certified Purchasing Manager accreditation from the Institute for Supply Management where
he was also recognized as top Membership Committee Chair of the region. In 2004 he was the recipient of the
Howard Bowers award for Innovation and Achievement.

Contact:
stuart@foodcoopinitiative.coop
Phone: 507-664-2034
Mobile: 507-581-0170
Jake Schlachter
Food Co-op Development Specialist
Jake Schlachter is Food Co-op Development Specialist at Food Co-op Initiative.
Schlachter founded rural food cooperative Stone's Throw Market in Troy, Ohio, while
also developing the software for their online sales-now an open source software
project led by Food Co-op Initiative. Schlachter's particular expertise is in grassroots
organizing, and he has successfully delivered training on organizing, communications,
and relationship building to dozens of start-ups. His technical expertise allows him to
leads ongoing efforts to use the Internet to deliver training, monitor the progress of
client start-ups, and market food co-ops and buying clubs to communities that are not
yet organizing them.

Contact:
jake@foodcoopinitiative.coop
(937)838-4404


www.oodcoopinitiatie.coop inooodcoopinitiatie.coop 50-664-2034
TESTIMONIALS

,was overwhelmed with the quality of the conference and even more so with that of the people involved in it. Starting a food
cooperative has been a very fulfilling experience thus far, and all the encouragement and expertise we have been provided through both CDS
and Food Co-op Initiative have no doubt, played a major role. Thank you so much for all your efforts.
-Sheila Conboy, East Aurora Cooperative Market, East Aurora, NY

Wow! It will take me quite awhile to work my way through all the information and sources you provided. I cannot thank you enough
and will certainly get back to you with questions and status of what I come up with.
- Jack Burden, Lovettsville Cooperative Market, Lovettsville, VA

I've practically worn out my copy of the Legal Primer, which has been an essential resource in understanding the incorporation process and
bylaws preparation. I also shared the document with our pro bono attorneys.
-Carrie Rae, Green Hill Food Co-op, Brooklyn, NY

Your unwavering support for us and our project and your honest perspective and sharing of experiences helps tremendously. The journey to
opening day is long and challenging yet full of richness and learning moments.
-Meg Simans, Kitsap Community Food Co-op, Silverdale, WA


PRESS

Co-op Pros Impressed by East Aurora Efforts
East Aurora Advertiser, April 5, 2012
Grocery Co-op to Open in September in Elkins Park, Philadelphia
Philadelphia Inquirer, March 15, 2012
Food Co-ops on Rise in Philly Area
Philadelphia Inquirer, September 22, 2011
Desire for Control Sends Consumers to Food Co-ops
Business Week via The Associated Press, August 16, 2011
4/5/12 www.eastaurorany.com/articles/2012/04/05/news/doc4f7d8da153ac6619269606.txt
1/3 www.eastaurorany.com/articles/2012/04/05/news/doc4f7d8da153ac6619269606.txt
Email this story [ Print this story
Co-Op Pros Impressed by East Aurora Efforts
Published: Thursday, April 5, 2012 8:40 AM EDT
by Adam Zaremski
The East Aurora Cooperative Market continues to
expand its membership throughout the Southtowns and
brought in consultants during March to assist the group
and analyze the progress. The professionals also
taught local Co-op members how to better engage and
inform the community about the organizations goals.
The Cooperative received a $10,000 grant last year
from the Food Co-op Initiative to assist with the
organizing process. The Initiative is a non-profit
foundation based out of Minnesota that assists
cooperatives around the country. The grant agreement
required that Food Co-op Initiative Executive Director
Stuart Reid and Development Specialist Jake
Schlachter make a visit to the East Aurora
organization.
"This is a model group in many ways," Reid said about
the East Aurora Cooperative Market, acknowledging
the group's organization and work ethic. He added,
"Their community clearly has the ability to support a
cooperative of this size that can be sustainable and
feasible."
Reid said a professional market study was completed,
and he was "surprised at how strong it was."
"They've done their homework," Schlachter noted.
Both men met with the board of directors and leaders.
They also hosted a training workshop for member-
owners on communicating the Cooperatives message
to people in the region. East Aurora's members are
trying to tap into other towns and communities.
"A lot of startups we've seen and worked with start with
a belief that this incredible, multi-year set up for a
business is something they have to do themselves, and
that is not a successful outlook," Schlachter said. East
Aurora's group realized that it needed to find "people in
community that have the skills and experiences needed
and bring them together.
"They've been really successful in moving that
forward."
A food co-op is a grocery store run by people who
invest to become member-owners. These people are
responsible for co-op management, similar to
shareholders with a big business. The market would be
serviceable for everybody, not only member-owners.
Many of these markets focus on selling organic foods
and working with local farmers to sell their crops. The
Rotary's Bunny Hop 5K is Saturday
The Rotary Club of East A urora will hold its seventh
annual Bunny Hop 5K race at 10:30 a.m. on Sat., A pril 7.
Every year, runners line up to race the route along Beech
and Mill.
Co-Op Pros Impressed by East Aurora Ef f orts
The East A urora Cooperative Market continues to expand
its membership throughout the Southtowns and brought in
consultants during March to assist the group and analyze
the progress. The professionals also taught local Co-op
members how to better engage and inform the community
about the organizations goals.
Good Friday Cross Walk Starts at Noon
On Good Friday, A pril 6, more than a hundred people are
expected to gather at I mmaculate Conception Roman
Catholic Church at noon for the start of this years "The
Way of the Cross Cross Walk through East A urora. The
event is sponsored by the local ministerium and will
feature prayers, readings and words from ministers and lay
leaders of First Baptist, First Presbyterian, East A urora
Christian, Baker Memorial United Methodist, I mmanuel
Lutheran, Nativity Lutheran, I mmaculate Conception, and
Crossroads churches, and Christ the King Seminary.
Elma Acts on Auto Site Plans
Several loose ends were tied up at the Town of Elma
meeting March 21 as the board approved new steps on
previously considered items. The board approved a
preliminary special business use permit for Transitowne
Dodge, formerly Online A uto, at 2989 Transit Road. The
company had exceeded the 20,000-square-foot town
requirement by some 4,000 feet, and plans had to be
adjusted.
Hennig to Lead Roycrof t Campus Corporation Board
With the Roycroft Campus Corporations master plan in
place, the Power House completed, and more than $7
million raised to date for capital and operational funding,
Doug Swift, president of the RCC Board, has turned over
his position to Jay Hennig.
New Water District Seems Too Expensive f or Marilla
Efforts by some members of the Marilla Town Board to
expand municipal water service into the far southeastern
portion of Marilla bordering the Town of Wales were dealt a
crippling blow last week when a study revealed the cost for
such a district would far exceed what the town can afford.
The board commissioned a fiscal study to be completed by
the towns engineering firm to provide a cost analysis for
construction of the district, which is at a considerably
higher elevation than its nearby counterparts, Marilla water
districts 2 and 3.
Medical Emergency Halts Zoning Debate
The Marilla Town Board's discussion of a rezoning request
was abruptly halted last week over a medical emergency.
Councilman Donald Darrow needed to be rushed from the
scene for an ailment believed to be heart related.
East Aurora Businesses Prepare f or Easter
For some, Easter means bunnies and candy; for others its
ham and family gatherings; to others still Easter means
pastel colors and garden-planning. Whether Easter is a
reverent day of worship for you, or just another Sunday,
East A urora businesses have local residents covered.
&ODVVLILHGV_<HOORZ3DJHV_6XEVFULEH_6KRS($XURUD_&XVWRPHU6HUYLFH_$ERXW8V_6HQG1HZV_*XHVWERRN_(PDLO_(HGLWLRQ_5HYLHZ(HGLWLRQ_3RGFDVW_5R\FURIW
HomeFirst NewsWeb CamNewsAbout PeopleOpinionEntertainmentCommunitySportsVisitorsReal EstateBusiness
Obituaries
THURSDA Y, A PRI L 5, 2012 PREMI UM MEMBER LOGI N Search A dvanced
4/5/12 www.eastaurorany.com/articles/2012/04/05/news/doc4f7d8da153ac6619269606.txt
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and working with local farmers to sell their crops. The
East Aurora market already functions, to a very small
degree, in that fashion as it opens its storefront on 616
Main St. two days a week to answer questions and sell
products from local farms. It has items from HG Miller
Farm in Elma, Arden Farms on Billington Road, and Call
Again Farms on Porterville Road.
For board president Mary Aiken and project manager
Sheila Conboy, the ultimate goal after two years still
remains opening a cooperative market in the village.
The group has been searching for some time, and is
getting closer to the point where they can start
negotiations with property owners. However, they dont
want to rush the process and or damage the strong
foundation theyve been working so hard to build.
"We've been trying to create a vision from the very
beginning.to get people excited," Conboy said
They have in mind a place that could be community
centered, benefiting the region by offering jobs and
marketing opportunities for area farms. Costs for some
items would be comparable to items in a chain store,
though other items, such as natural foods, would have
a higher price tag because the cooperative is also
marketing its principals.
"People wonder why it costs more, and it's because we
want to make sure the farmer gets paid, too," Reid
said. "You are selling principles as well as food, and it
costs more."
At one time the group had an ambitious timeline to
open a store by October of this year and have a
thousand members, which would help raise collateral
for bank loans and fundraising efforts. The total cost is
thought to be nearly $2 million.
East Aurora's cooperative currently has 617 members,
and the autumn deadline is no longer in place. Both
consultants said most cooperatives take at least five
years to open, that East Aurora was still moving at a
good pace, and nobody should be discouraged the
timeline was not met.
"The shortest I know of is two years with a successful
opening," Reid said.
"I'd be willing to say two years is too quick," Schlachter
added. "It is a democratic association.what the group
is doing now is setting up that association. That takes
time. It's not just about crunching numbers, raising
money and stocking shelves. It's about creating
relationships in the community."
Everyone stressed that the headquarters on Main
Street would not be the final location, and the store
would be much larger, about 5,000 square feet.
Conboy said people have asked about the current spot,
but it "would be counterintuitive" to go in that direction.
Schlachter said they could open a smaller store, but it
would not be the "economic driver" that brings people
to shop, so it is important East Aurora try to reach that
1,000-member- owner goal and then move forward
with the appropriate building size.
"I don't think people realize the impact and how
wonderful this is going to be. It's really neat," Conboy
said.
For more information, visit www.eacoop.com, or call
912-0672.
Related Items
What Do You think?
reverent day of worship for you, or just another Sunday,
East A urora businesses have local residents covered.
High School Plans f or Big Classes, Study Halls
Planned staff reductions at East A urora High School could
increase class sizes, drive up study hall sizes, and limit
students options, the School Board heard March 21.
Principal Dr. James Hoagland provided the board with a
view of possible school schedules that could result from
the elimination of 8.6 full-time equivalent (FTE) teaching
positions.
Holland School Board Divide Deepens
The divide between members of the Holland Central
School Board has reached a point not publicly seen in
years. On Monday, one group's allegations of
misinformation and secrecy contrasted with the other
groups efforts to not acknowledge the anger and
comments.
Mills will Not Seek Republican Nomination f or Congress
Erie County Legislator and Minority Leader John J. Mills
announced Monday that he will not be a candidate for the
newly drawn 27th Congressional District. Legislator Mills
started seriously exploring the possibility last week when
new congressional district lines were finalized.
Victim's Ex-Girlf riend Arrested in Elma Burglary
A Clarence woman has been arrested in connection with
two burglaries that occurred in Elma earlier this month.
The Erie County Sheriffs Office announced March 27 that
43-year-old Michele Kutas had admitted committing two
burglaries at a North Davis Road home within the span of a
week.
4/5/12 Grocery co-op to open in September in Elkins Park - Philly.com
1/2 articles.philly.com/2012-03-15/news/31197486_1_creekside-project-op-community-meeting
1HZV Sports Entertainment Business Restaurants & Food Living HeaIth CIassifieds DeaIYo
South Jersey Philly.com Express Nation World Lottery Politics Religion Weird News Blogs Editorial Education Science Obituaries
Grocery co-op to open in
September in Elkins Park
March 15, 2012 | By Anthony Campisi, Inquirer Staff Writer
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Elkins Park's tiny downtown has not been the
same since Ashbourne Market closed in 2002.
Tucked into a commercial strip just a few
blocks long, the market was more than a
grocery with a big kosher section. For four
decades, it was the convivial hub of the
community, where neighbors gathered over
bagels and lox on Sunday mornings.
Having lost their anchor, however, nearby
stores began to falter. Others moved in -
including a tasty shawarma joint - only to fail,
too.
The strip was so barren, said Max Minkoff, that "you couldn't buy an apple" there.
But Minkoff and more than a dozen other enterprising Elkins Park residents believe they can change
that.
Story continues below.
After four years of stop-and-go planning, the group recently broke ground on a $4.1 million project
that will repurpose the vacant Ashbourne Market as a 9,200-square-foot cooperative grocery, one of
the largest such ventures in the region.
Set to open in the fall, the Creekside Co-op will focus on local and organic foods. It already has 1,300
member households that have bought $400 equity shares in the venture in exchange for discounts
or rebates later.
But its founding board members envision something far grander than vine-ripened tomatoes. They
see the community-powered revitalization of Elkins Park's commercial center.
They have projected a robust $5 million in revenue during the co-op's first year, helped along by foot
traffic from the nearby SEPTA rail station. In turn, they say, the customer base will inspire other
businesses to take a chance on the struggling area around High School Road.
Economic development is the "primary goal" of the Creekside project, said Adam Silverman, a board
member and lawyer whose firm, Cozen O'Connor, did pro bono legal work for the nascent co-op.
The site, he said, is "a little crossroads that really has the potential to be something wonderful."
Creekside is arriving on the scene just as national and international attention is fixed on the
movement. The United Nations has declared 2012 the Year of the Co-op. Across the nation, more
than 150 communities are in the process of establishing resident-supported groceries, according to
Stuart Reid, executive director of the Food Co-op Initiative, a nonprofit advisory group.
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Rodeph Shalom at home in N. Phila. The
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Greta Millis (front), Creekside project manager, tours the
site with (from left) contractor.
4/5/12 Grocery co-op to open in September in Elkins Park - Philly.com
2/2 articles.philly.com/2012-03-15/news/31197486_1_creekside-project-op-community-meeting
In the Philadelphia region, fewer than half a dozen co-ops are in operation. But that number is likely
to grow, with projects in the works in Kensington and South Philadelphia, among other communities.
Creekside is furthest along.
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4/5/12 Food co-ops on rise in Philly area - Philly.com
1/2 articles.philly.com/2011-09-22/news/30189712_1_food-co-ops-member-owned-aisles
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Food co-ops on rise in Philly area
September 22, 2011 | By Dianna Marder, Inquirer Staff Writer
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Pam Seida browses the aisle at Mariposa Food Co-
op in West Philadelphia, looking for tempeh bacon,
which she insists is "yummy."
The space is cramped, but Seida, 44, has shopped
here for a decade, since moving from Rosemont.
And yes, she is delighted that a new building is
under construction just one block away.
The $2.6 million structure, to open in January, will
be five times bigger, with vertical farming, bee
hives, and a demonstration kitchen on the roof;
dry-goods storage and cisterns for harvesting
rainwater in the basement; a cafe and a classroom
on the mezzanine; and, on the ground floor, aisles
and aisles of locally grown produce, dairy, beef, and
Seida's favorite, tempeh bacon.
Story continues below.
Even as the economy bleeds jobs, the number of member-owned food co-ops is doubling - in this
region and across the country.
Four established co-ops, Swarthmore (started in 1937, making it the oldest), Weavers Way in Mount
Airy and Chestnut Hill, Mariposa, and Selene, in Media, are guiding the growth of Chester's
Community Co-op, which opened in March, and four more planned co-ops, in Doylestown, Elkins Park,
Kensington, and South Philadelphia.
Nationally, the raw numbers are relatively small - Stuart Reid of the Food Co-op Initiative cites 325
existing co-ops and 300 in various stages of starting - but each has hundreds, if not thousands, of
members and many boast revenues in the millions.
About 25 of the projected start-ups are in the six states that make up the mid-Atlantic region, says
Bob Noble, who heads the newly formed Mid-Atlantic Food Cooperative Alliance.
Co-ops, which have had their cyclic ups and downs since coming on the scene in the 1840s, may be
on the upswing again, Reid says, because of the intense interest in eating food that is locally grown
using environmentally friendly, sustainable methods. And there's evidence to support that claim.
But Craig Borowiak, a Haverford College assistant professor writing a book on co-ops, suggests with
some irony that the dismal economy is spawning this positive development.
"People are alienated, people are anxious, people are suffering, people are hungry," Borowiak says.
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Fruits on display at the Swarthmore Co-op. Co-ops
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2/2 articles.philly.com/2011-09-22/news/30189712_1_food-co-ops-member-owned-aisles
"And co-ops offer a mechanism to deal with some of those problems."
Instead of finger-pointing and blame, the principles of cooperation that bind food co-ops prompt
members to look to one another for support.
"A food co-op," Borowiak says, "is a microcosm of democracy."
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4/5/12 Desire for control sends consumers to food co-ops - BusinessWeek
8/10 www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D9P58CC00.htm
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS August 16, 2011, 11:01AM ET
Desire for controI sends consumers to food co-ops
By LSA RATHKE
Cooperative grocery stores have been on a boom-then-bust cycle since they first emerged after the Great
Depression.
And the cycle at the moment is back to boom. As more Americans look for more ways to control their spending --
as well as where their food comes from -- small grocers that are owned by their "member" shoppers and focus on
local and natural foods are back in vogue.
Around the country roughly 300 cooperatives already run 330 stores, with at least another 250 under development,
everywhere from New Orleans to Fairbanks, Alaska, according to Stuart Reid, executive director of Food Co-op
nitiative, a nonprofit that provides resources and support for organizing groups.
During the past two to three years alone, 10 to 12 new stores have opened each year, according to Cooperative
Grocer magazine, which keeps an online directory of food co-ops.
"The economy is certainly part of the reason, but another part of the reason is Americans are looking for ways to
own and control the means of providing the services they want," says Andrea Cumpston, a spokeswoman for the
National Cooperative Business Association. "For example, in the food co-op industry they're looking to be able to
own the store that provides them with their local foods and to know and trust where those foods are coming from."
That's what keeps Nickie Dymon, 47, shopping for her family at City Market Onion River Co-op in Burlington, Vt. She
also appreciates that she can save money -- and lessen her ecological footprint -- by buying in bulk, and filling her
own recycled bottles and bags with coffee, laundry detergent, cooking oils, soy sauce and maple syrup.
" buy all my fruits and vegetables here and a lot of my groceries here," she said recently while shopping in the
produce section, which this time of year offers locally grown fingerling potatoes, blueberries, green and yellow string
beans, tomatoes, baby spinach, lettuce and radishes.
The first food co-ops grew out of the Great Depression, but most did not survive, says Reid. The next wave came
during the 1970s, fueled largely by interest in natural foods otherwise unavailable at mainstream grocers. But Reid
says many of those failed, too, in part because they lacked sophisticated business operations.
Those co-ops that did survive from the `70s and `80s have continued to evolve to meet the needs of their shoppers
and compete with mainstream food outlets that have since begun selling the natural and organic products that co-
ops once held near monopolies on.
The 32-year-old St. Peter Food Co-op in St. Peter, Minn., for example, this spring moved into a 10,000-square-foot
former car dealership, nearly doubling its space. Since the move, membership has increased by 10 percent, said
general manager Margo O'Brien.
Joining a food co-op generally entails paying a one-time fee that averages about $150, though payment plans are
available with much lower fees, and some co-ops offer waivers for low-income shoppers. For that, members own a
share of the co-op, might receive a share in the profits, and get to vote for things such as who sits on the store's
board of directors, and whether the store should expand or open a second site.
4/5/12 Desire for control sends consumers to food co-ops - BusinessWeek
9/10 www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D9P58CC00.htm
Most co-ops don't require shoppers to be members, but the culture of the stores encourages it.
"t's a very democratic type of organization. And then when the business is profitable the profits go back to those
owners who are the people that shop in the store and it's usually done based on how much they patronize the store,"
Reid said.
Though not all cooperative markets specialize in natural and organic foods, most at least focus on local and bulk
items, everything from laundry detergent to rice and nuts. And most of those products often come with higher prices.
"The perception of higher costs comes from the decisions about which products they sell," Reid said. "The products
themselves are not more expensive. The way that they're grown and the way that the people who produce them are
paid adds costs and ... it's not subsidized like commodity products are."
The price and array of products aren't for everyone. Even co-op members may do only a portion of their shopping
there. When the city of Burlington opted to replace its old downtown grocery store with a co-op nearly a decade ago,
some people in the community balked.
"'You're not going to take away my red meat and make me eat tofu," Reid said was one fear he heard.
Co-ops typically start at the grassroots level with one or two people wanting to replicate another co-op. Startups can
range from a few hundred members to a couple of thousand. Some of the more established co-ops are backed by
tens of thousands of members.
For some consumers, another perk is the ability to get hands on to get a discount. Dymon works four hours a month
at her store in exchange for a 12 percent discount on purchases.
As co-ops have evolved, they've shed some of their old image. A focus on local and artisanal goods -- including
locally raised or produced meats, cheeses, beers and wines -- as well as the addition of delis and prepared foods
have attracted a whole new food-centered generation of shoppers. This is a long way from the organic dried beans,
granola and tempeh that once seemed to define these stores.
"They're much more sophisticated and they have a broader mix of products," Reid said.
Many co-ops also use the community-centric approach of their stores to give back to the community.
At City Market, which evolved from the Onion River Co-op that opened in the 1970s on a side street in a city
neighborhood, members have a chance to volunteer at charitable groups within the community, such as the
Committee on Temporary Shelter, to earn a store discount.
"One of the things that our board tells us what to do is to work toward having a healthy community. And think that's
one of the real blessings of a co-op is that we're not owned by some multinational corporation that is just trying to
extract as much money as we can from the sites that we're situated," said Clem Nilan, the store's general manager.
"This is something that really is based in our community, it's owned by a community and it's supposed to be
nurturing in a real fundamental way," he said.
6RFLDO
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