Frequently Asked Questions

What is a food co-op?
A food co-op is a member-owned, member-controlled business that buys food and household items for its members. A food co-op helps members obtain access to products of desired quality at the best possible price. Food co-ops offer consumers a retail environment free of coercive sales influences and with full disclosure of product qualities and value.

How is a food co-op different from a CSA?
A food co-op is different from a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) because you only buy what you want and there is no risk-sharing with the farm. A food co-op is not in competition with a CSA, but a tangential way of buying food. For example, perhaps you cook with onions all the time, and your CSA only provides them in season. The co-op might be a way of buying responsibly sourced onions year-round, except when you get them from your CSA farmer. Co-ops also stock dry goods, bulk items and anything else that might be sold by a store like Whole Foods or your regular grocer.