Food Co-ops

Learn how food co-ops are benefiting our economy and communities.

The cooperative business model has been revolutionizing the way people buy groceries, decades before any mobile app. Food co-ops place store ownership in the hands of the people who shop there. When a customer becomes a member-owner, they are given a share in store decision-making and a share in the store profits.

Food co-ops have revolutionized the community grocery store.

Here is just one story from Renaissance Community Co-op.

Watch the video

NOT YOUR CONVENTIONAL GROCERY STORE

The modern food co-op looks a lot like any other grocery store, but it is fundamentally different. Co-ops are deeply tied to the communities they operate in, not only selling food and household goods, but cycling money into the local economy on a larger scale than conventional grocers. When $1,000 dollars is spent at a food co-op, $1,604 is generated in the local economy. Food co-ops spend 6% more on local wages and benefits than conventional grocery stores, and do 2 ½ times more business with local farms and producers.

What is a Cooperative?

From food co-ops organizing truck deliveries of fresh and bulk produce in the 1960’s to the modern grocery stores we encounter today – food co-ops have been constantly rethinking how local communities access and buy the food products they desire. What makes food co-ops so unique is they give customers the voice and choice in their grocery shopping experience; and because the customers are the shareholders of the business, they are the ones who benefit when the food co-op is profitable.

“Food co-ops do 2 ½ times more business with local farms and product makers than conventional grocers!”

DID YOU KNOW?

B
Food co-ops across the United States have combined annual sales of nearly $2 billion.
%
38% of a food co-op’s revenue is spent locally – 19% being spent on local wages and benefits.
M
19% of $2 billion is $380 million spent on local wages. Food co-ops build jobs!

HELPFUL LINKS

National Co+op Grocers
National Cooperative Business Association CLUSA
Search Other Associations

Find Co-ops Near You

What is INVESTED, BUILT, GROWN, MADE and SPENT with a co-op directly benefits the local community – make a bigger impact when you choose local co-ops.

Find Locations
Privacy Settings
We use cookies to enhance your experience while using our website. If you are using our Services via a browser you can restrict, block or remove cookies through your web browser settings. We also use content and scripts from third parties that may use tracking technologies. You can selectively provide your consent below to allow such third party embeds. For complete information about the cookies we use, data we collect and how we process them, please check our Privacy Policy
Youtube
Consent to display content from Youtube
Vimeo
Consent to display content from Vimeo
Google Maps
Consent to display content from Google
Spotify
Consent to display content from Spotify
Sound Cloud
Consent to display content from Sound