Food Co-Op Distributors' List!!

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A cooperative shopping effort: get the food you need through a food-buying club - includes resources and a list of natural foods distributors
Vegetarian Times, August, 1995 by Carol Lorente, Jessica Waddell-Bowers

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NATURAL FOODS supermarkets may be popping up like crazy near big cities, but if you don't live near an urban center, it still can be difficult to find whole foods. And even if you live near a modern, natural foods market that carries everything you like, you may be looking for ways to save a little money.

Cooperative food-buying clubs, also known as food co-ops, may be your answer. A food co-op is a group of people with similar food needs and interests who use their group purchasing power to buy food directly from a distributor, thereby getting the food at discount prices. Members save money because they buy in bulk, and because they are sidestepping the retailer (in this case, the grocery store).

Equally important is the fact that co-op members can usually find anything they want; distributors of natural foods sell everything from agar-agar to organic zucchini, including supplements, vegetarian cookbooks and even canvas shopping bags.

HOW CO-OPS WORK

FOOD CO-OPS RELY on members to perform necessary jobs to get food from the distributor to their homes. They may have to contact the distributor, fill out order forms, arrange for delivery, find a site for delivery, unload the delivery truck and split cases of food among members. It is for these reasons that "cooperative" is such a key word: Members must work well together and responsibly perform their jobs.

Cooperation also comes into play during the ordering process. You probably won't be allowed to purchase one or two containers of something; most distributors require that food be purchased in bulk or by the case. But what if you want strawberry yogurt and everyone else wants plain? You could order your own case or nothing at all, but the best solution is to make a deal with the plain-yogurt people that you'll help them complete their case if they'll help you complete a case of something else. Don't be surprised if, at the next order meeting, you find the plainyogurt people helping you complete a case of strawberry yogurt; that's cooperation.

GETTING IN ON THE ACTION

IT IS EASIER TO JOIN an existing co-op than form a new one. To find a co-op in your area, ask friends, family or a local natural food store for a referral. (Or write to: NCBA, 1401 New York Ave. N.W., Ste. 1100 Washington, DC 20005.) Co-ops can have as many members as are workable; however, most distributors require a minimum order of around $500, so make sure your group is large enough to support the order minimum.

After you assemble your group, contact distributors in your region. See "Natural Foods Distributors by Region," (at left), to get information about their products, their minimum order, and how often and on what days they can deliver. You'll find that most natural foods distributors are used to dealing with small food-buying clubs--and with vegetarians.

After selecting a distributor, decide who's going to do what. Each food co-op's inner workings is different, because jobs are tailored to each group's needs. Be aware that ordering, finding a delivery site, meeting and unloading the delivery truck, collecting money and paying for the order involve paperwork, organization and commitment. If the workload is too lopsided--only one or two people doing everything--you're inviting burnout, and the co-op probably won't last very long.

Finally, find a site for delivery. The site must be large enough for your group to unload and distribute orders, and it will have to be accessible for the distributor's truck. It also must have parking nearby so members can easily carry their purchases to their cars. A church, a park district building or other large community center probably makes more sense as a delivery site than someone's home.

CROWD CONTROL

IF YOUR CO-OP is so wildly successful that you can't handle any more members, consider a retail co-op. Retail co-ops, usually an outgrowth of smaller food co-ops, are natural food stores with a regular inventory so members and/or the general public can shop without preordering. Some have a hired staff; others offer a "working membership" that reduces food costs in exchange for time worked in the store. According to the Washington, D.C.-based National Cooperative Business Association, there are more than 500 retail co-ops across the United States.

Like food-buying clubs, retail co-ops are not-for-profit businesses. Extra money is recycled back into the co-op, or is rebated to members. And like small co-ops, retail co-ops are run democratically by the members who share work responsibilities. Retail co-ops can be as small or as sophisticated as the membership can handle: Some merely sell food; others publish newsletters and provide babysitting services for shoppers.

Whether your co-op is a full-fledged retail store or a group of 10 families, your buying power will enable you to purchase foods you may have only wondered about. But aside from saving money and stocking your shelves, there are other advantages to a food co-op membership:

* Buying bulk food means less packaging to clutter landfills; members take away their purchases in their own containers, reducing the need for packaging and making co-op shopping environmentally smart.

* Group purchasing power allows you to buy from other distributors. Consider purchasing fresh, organic vegetables in bulk from local farmers, or whole grain breads from a local bakery.

* Meeting with people who share your opinions about food is a great way to build a network of friends and community. It may turn out to be just as important to you as the food you buy.

RELATED ARTICLE: NATURAL FOODS DISTRIBUTORS BY REGION

NORTHEAST:

• Hudson Valley Federation
  6 Noxon Road
  Poughkeepsie, NY 12603
  (914) 473-5400
  Serves N.J., N.Y., Pa.
  
• Northeast Cooperatives Inc.
  P.O. Box 8188 Quinn Road
  Brattleboro, VT 05034 (800) 334-9939 or (802) 257-5856
  Serves Conn., Mass., N.H., N.Y., R.I., Vt.

MIDWEST:

• Blooming Prairie Natural Foods
  2340 Heinz Road
  Iowa City, IA 52240
  (319) 337-6448
  Serves Iowa, III., Kan., Mich., Minn., Mo., Neb., N.D., S.D., Wis.
  
• Federation of Ohio River Cooperatives
  320 E. Outerbelt
  Suite E
  Columbus, OH 43213
  (614) 861-2446
  Serves Ind., Ky., Md., Mich., N.C., Ohio, Pa., Va., W.V.
  
• North Farm Co-Op Warehouse
  1505 N. 8th St.
  Superior, WI 54880
  (800) 236-9862 or (715) 392-9862
  Serves III., Ind., Mich. Minn., Mo., Ohio and Wis.
  
• Ozark Co-Op Warehouse
  Box 1528
  Fayetteville, AR 72702
  (501) 521-4920
  Serves Ark., Ariz., Ga., Kan., La., Mo., Miss., Okla., Tenn., Texas

SOUTHEAST:

• Orange Blossom Warehouse
  1601 N.W. 55th Place
  Gainesville, FL 32606
  (904) 372-7061
  Serves Fla., N.C., S.C.

WEST:

• Tucson Cooperative Warehouse
  350 S. Toole
  Tucson, AZ 85701
  (602) 884-9951
  Serves Ariz., Calif., Colo., Nev., N.M., Texas, Utah
  
• Mountain Peoples Warehouse
  12745 Earhart Ave.
  Auburn, Ca 95602
  (800) 679-8735
  Serves Ariz., Calif., Colo, Idaho, Mont., Nev., N.M., Ore., Utah, Wash., Wyo.
  
• ShopNatural Cooperative
  Phone: 1-800-350-2667
  E-mail: customerservice@shopnatural.coop
  Serves: AZ, Southern CA, CO, NM, NV, Western TX, UT

RELATED ARTICLE: RESOURCES

The following sources can help you start a food co-op or find one in your community.

• National Cooperative Business Association
  1401 New York Ave. N.W.
  Suite 1100
  Washington, DC 20005
  (202) 638-6222/(800) 636-NCBA
  Offers a video titled "How to Start a Cooperative Food-Buying Club," and a book, "Starting Out Right," for $24. You may purchase the video separately for $19.95.
  
• North American Students of Cooperation
  P.O. Box 7715
  Ann Arbor, MI 48107
  (313) 663-0889
• National Co-op Directory
• Coop Directory Service Listing

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