National Co+op Grocers Gets 2 More Members
National Co+op Grocers (NCG), the business services cooperative for retail food co-ops nationwide, has welcomed two new members — one from California and one from Vermont — bringing its total to 165 members and 240 storefronts across 39 states.
The new members are:
Buffalo Mountain Market, Hardwick, Vt.: Founded in 1975, Buffalo Mountain Market has been serving its surrounding area for almost 50 years. Today, it has more than 3,500 active owners and $6 million in annual sales. The co-op aims to foster a community-owned and operated, health-oriented, thriving enterprise that educates the community on food politics, health issues and social-cultural activities; demonstrates compassionate, alternative approaches to structuring a work environment; offers healthy, proactive choices; and welcomes and supports all aspects of its community.
SunCoast Market Co-op, Imperial Beach, Calif.: SunCoast Market Co-op is a grass-roots effort to open a community-owned full-service cooperative grocery store, with a focus on bolstering local food systems, boosting access to healthy food, and providing retail outlets for small local farms and producers. The co-op’s goal is to offer natural, local and organic products at reasonable prices while helping the local economy, furthering food education and championing environmental sustainability. Slated to open early next year, SunCoast already has more than 1,170 owners and projects $2.7 million in first-year sales.
[RELATED: Food Co-ops Outpaced Industry in 2023 Local, Organic and Fair Trade Sales]
“These co-ops represent the essence of what it means to build resilient, community-focused businesses that prioritize sustainable food systems,” noted NCG CEO C.E. Pugh. “Their commitment to local producers and their communities strengthens our shared vision for a more equitable and cooperative food economy. We are honored to welcome them into our cooperative.”
Since 1999, Saint Paul, Minn.-based NCG has helped unify food co-ops to optimize operational and marketing resources, bolster purchasing power, and ultimately offer more value to natural food co-op owners and shoppers everywhere. The co-op's members have combined annual sales of nearly $2.5 billion.
