This presentation makes the case for healthy, community-based retail solutions to food access. Examples include the Dill Pickle Food and Sugar Beet co-ops in Illinois.

1. Engaging Community to Improve
Healthy Neighborhood Food Options
Family Farmed & CFPAC Policy Summit
Chicago, IL
March 15, 2013
LINDSEY DAY FARNSWORTH COMMUNITY & REGIONAL FOOD SYSTEMS PROJECT
KATHLEEN DUFFY DILL PICKLE FOOD CO-OP
CHERYL MUÑOZ THE SUGAR BEET CO-OP
TATIANA MAIDA THE HEALTHY GROCERY STORE CAMPAIGN
ALEXANDRIA BARNETT LINDSAY HEIGHTS HEALTHY CORNER STORE INITIATIVE

2. The Challenge
 29.7 million people in the US live in low-income areas more than 1 mile
from a supermarket.
 Low-income zip codes have 25 percent fewer chain supermarkets and 30
percent more convenience stores compared to middle-income zip codes.
 Nearly two dozen studies have found income and racial disparities in food
access: food stores in low-income communities and communities of color
are less likely to stock healthy food, offer lower quality items, and have
higher prices compared to store in white and mid-high income areas.
 Nearly one-third of the U.S. population is transportation disadvantaged and
cannot easily access basic transportation to purchase food, get to work, or
take care of other basic personal and family needs.
 Over the past 20 years—with more than 130 studies completed—most
researchers have found that people who live in neighborhoods with better
access to healthy food also have better nutrition and better health.

3. Making the Case for Healthy, Community-
based Retail Solutions to Food Access
 Better Access Corresponds with Healthier Eating
 Access to Healthy Food Is Associated with Lower Risk for Diet-
related Diseases
 Economic Impacts
 Healthy Food Retail Creates Jobs
 Healthy Food Retail Increases nearby Property Values
 Healthy Food Retail Contributes Food and Profits to Community
 Healthy Food Retail Brings Federal Dollars to the Local Economy
www.healthyfoodaccess.org

4. A grocery created, stocked, and governed by you!
Obligatory “What Is A Co-op?” Info
A business organization owned and operated by a group of individuals for their mutual benefit. A cooperative is defined by the
International Cooperative Alliance's Statement on the Cooperative Identity as "an autonomous association of persons united
voluntarily to meet their common economic, social, and cultural needs and aspirations through jointly owned and democratically
controlled enterprise". Also defined as a business owned and controlled equally by the people who use its services or by the
people who work there. Organization of people who A business, which needs to be profitable and viable. Owned and operated by
a group of individuals for their mutual benefit. Co-ops are NOT non-profits. Profits are either reinvested in the co-op or given
back to all member-owners via a patronage rebate, which is based on the amount that any member-owner has spent in the store.
Community hubs that allow member-owners to support a local business that operates according to a system of shared values.
Democracies in that all members have a voice in making decisions for the co-op: One member, one vote. Yadda yadda yadda.

5. Why Co-ops Rule & Conventionals Drool
Supporting Local Food Systems and Sustainable Foods
• Conventional grocers work with an average of 65 local farmers and food producers, food co-ops work with an average of
157.
• Locally sourced products make up an average of 20 percent of co-op sales compared to 6 percent at conventional stores.
• Of produce sales at food co-ops, 82 percent are organic, compared to 12 percent for conventional grocers. And, organics
make up 48 percent of grocery sales in food co-ops, compared to just 2 percent in conventional grocers.
Local Economic Impact
• Food co-ops purchase from local farmers who, in turn, buy supplies from local sources, hire local technicians to repair
equipment, and purchase goods and services from local retailers.
• For every $1,000 a shopper spends at their local food co-op, $1,604 in economic activity is generated in their local
economy—$239 more than if they had spent that same $1,000 at a conventional grocer.
• Co-ops give 13 percent of their income to charity, compared to just four percent donated by conventional stores
• 38 percent of co-ops’ revenue is spent locally, compared to 24 percent in local spending at conventional stores
Employee Benefits
• The average co-op earning $10 million per year in revenue provides jobs for over 90 workers. In total, 68 percent of
those workers are eligible for health insurance, compared to 56 percent of employees at conventional grocers.
• Co-op employees earn more ($14.31 per hour) than conventional store employees ($13.35) when bonuses and profit-
sharing are included
• Co-ops spend 19 percent of their revenue on local wages and benefits, compared to 13 percent at conventional stores
Environmental Stewardship
• Co-ops recycle 96 percent of cardboard, 74 percent of food waste and 81 percent of plastics compared to 91 percent,
36 percent and 29 percent, respectively, recycled by conventional grocers.
• Co-ops recycle at a higher rate than conventional stores, waste less food, and have an average Energy Star score
that is 32 points higher than conventional stores.
Source: Healthy Foods Healthy Communities: The Social and Economic Impacts of Food Co-ops, National Co-operative Grocers Association, August 2012.

6. Congratulations…..It’s a Gherkin!
Chicago co-op history
Hyde Park Co-op 1932-2008
Oldest consumer food co-op in the country
Chicago radical history
Named after the Dil Pickle Club (1917-1935)
Speakeasy, cabaret, theatre, forum for free
thinkers – Bughouse Square debates.
Dill Pickle Food Co-op
Began organizing in Jan 2005. Doors opened in Dec. 2009 with 500 members.
Initial opening budget approximately $150,000. Completely member-owner financed.
FY2012 sales: $1.46 million. Sales have grown every year since opening.1243 members.

7. WHERE DOES MONEY COME FROM? HOW DOES MONEY GET SPENT?
MEMBERSHIP EQUITY SUPPLIERS
- Everyone pays - Local/regional farmers &
- Scholarships available producers
- 1 member 1 vote - Larger grocery distributors
(Democracy only thing not
for sale at DPFC) STAFF
- 13 employees, 11 FTE now
STORE SALES - Have employed 22 people
- Gross income from sales - GM must ensure fair wages
~$1.4M last yr and access to health
coverage for FT employees
FUNDRAISING
- For dedicated and special OTHER BUSINESS EXPENSES
projects - Utilities
Dill Pickle Prom > capital - Staff development
for move - Marketing
PRE-OPENING
- Member equity HOO VOLUNTEER PROGRAM
- Member loans - Help keep labor costs down;
- Fundraising more important, keeps
- TIF/SBIF funding members involved

8. So, What’s Next for the Pickle?
2011 Logan Square Chamber of Commerce 2011 New Business Award
2012 Chicago Reader ―Best of 2012‖ Best Local Grocery
2013 World domination? Nah, EVEN BETTER...more room for all this!

10. WHAT IS THE SUGAR BEET CO-OP?
• a full-service community grocery store
• a nonprofit organization
• a center for sharing and learning
• a commercial kitchen and incubator for food entrepreneurs
• a vibrant market for farmers and producers
• a community table for eating and celebrating together

11. EDUCATION
+
ACCESS
=
A DEEP ROOTS
APPROACH THAT
WILL CHANGE
OUR LOCAL FOOD
SYSTEM

12. OUR FIRST YEAR ORGANIZATION
• incorporated with the State • outreach events
• developed a strong board • community forums
• mission statement • farmers' market
• 501c3 app./ fiscal agency • working groups
• attended conferences • programming
• established a brand and • partnered with organizations
marketing strategy • blogs, social media
• business plan • newsletter, website
• developed membership and • networking
capital campaign • public service

13. THE SUGAR BEET CO-OP
EDIBLE GARDEN TOUR
GARDEN TO TABLE
COOKING CLASSES
FARM TOURS

14. GROWING
THE SUGAR BEET
CO-OP
CONNECTING
COLLABORATING
SUPPORTING
INSPIRING
CELEBRATING
COMMITTING
mmm...and eating

15. 2013: THE SUGAR BEET GROWS
• sell 600 memberships by July 2013
• community events, coffees, outreach
• achieving nonprofit status
• continue programming
• develop new working groups
• unite new members
• apply for grants and other funding
• feasibility and market studies
• approach banks and members for loans
• lease a site and begin construction

16. A program of Walnut Way Conservation Corporation

17. Introduction
 Our goal is to increase access to  Corner Stores are abundant in
fresh foods by helping corner Lindsay Heights
stores sell quality fresh fruits and
 The Lindsay Heights Healthy
vegetables
Corner Store Initiative was born
with the combined efforts of Walnut
 We are a dynamic group of Way the Milwaukee Health
community partners that bring Department, the Medical College
together the rich assets of our of Wisconsin, and Alice's Garden
neighborhood
 We are in year 2 of a two-year
pilot grant funded in part by the
 The work began more than two Healthier Wisconsin Partnership
years ago when community Program to work with three stores
members convened at Walnut Way
to discuss how to improve healthy
food access in their neighborhood

18. Strategies
1. Community Outreach and Marketing
We mobilize youth to provide
leadership in growing and marketing
vegetables for the stores
2. Distribution
We support store owners in identifying
fresh food distributors
3. Infrastructure
Participating stores are provided
$2,500 stipends towards infrastructure
improvements (e.g. new coolers, label
machines, etc.)

19. Lessons Learned
Barriers Successes
Complex realities of owning a store Building relationships with store
owners
Infrastructure/equipment costs
Partnering with local restaurant
Cooperation with property owners
supply company
Working with our neighbors in
Navigating City Departments
Washington Park to learn from their
neighborhood standards in order to
create our own
Developing relationships with city of
Milwaukee regulatory agencies

20. HEALTHY GROCERY STORE
CAMPAIGN
Transforming the environment from the
Community and Up
Good Food Festival & Conference
Chicago, IL
March 15, 2013
Tatiana Maida- 16th Street Community Health Centers

21. Healthy Choices Program
“Through family education and community advocacy,
Healthy Choices strives to improve
the home and neighborhood environment for adults and
children in Milwaukee’s Southside‖

22. Community Advocacy Group
 Increase healthy food access
 Increase access to safe parks and streets
 Expand education and physical activity

23. Healthy Grocery Store Initiative
 NEMS Nutritional Environmental Assessment Studies 2010 and 2012
 Great variety and price for fruits and vegetables
 Latino supermarkets offered fewer healthy options and, with the
exception of fruits and vegetables, the healthy items were more
expensive.
Community group wanted…

24. Project Partners

25. Approaching Grocery Store Owners
Ernesto Pete
Villarreal Tsitiridis

27. Marketing

28. Food Demonstrations &
Recipe Handouts

29. Evaluation & Next Steps
 Customers enjoyed/purchased food items
 Marketing materials (shelf talkers and posters) were not visible
 All partners considered project was successful
 El Rey: education and cooking training to kitchen staff
(food demos and deli expansion)
 Pete’s: cooking classes project with a local school conducted
by community leaders

30. Conclusions
 Dream big: be positive and change will come
 Have a clear vision and share it
 Collaboration leads to a more comprehensive project with
different perspectives
 Learn how to overcome challenges (different perspectives)
 The community voice is critical and should come first

31. Panel Discussion and Q & A
Kathleen Duffy, Dill Pickle Food Co-op
http://dillpickle.coop/
Cheryl Muñoz Sugar Beet Co-op
http://sugarbeetcoop.com/
Alex Barnett, Walnut Way
http://www.walnutway.org/
Tatiana Maida, 16th Street Health Clinic
Tatiana.Maida@sschc.org
http://sschc.org/healthy-choices-elecciones-saludables/
Lindsey Day Farnsworth, UW Community & Regional Food Systems Project
www.community-food.org, www.cias.wisc.edu