The document discusses the importance of food co-ops in building resilient local economies, highlighting their role in community organizing, resource pooling, and building an inclusive economy. It presents data from a 2019 survey indicating that food co-ops collectively generated substantial revenue while reinvesting in local communities and supporting sustainable practices. The text emphasizes that food co-ops empower community members through shared ownership and participation, ultimately fostering long-term community benefits.

1. The Future is
Co-operative
*2019 data based on Neighboring Food Co-op Association member
survey.

2. Economic
 Disruption of local economies.
 Depression level unemployment.
Food System
 Increased consolidation & concentration
of control.
 Family farmers and farm workers at
increased risk.
Social
 Most vulnerable impacted most.
 Isolation, disconnection,
disempowerment.
LONG TERM IMPACTS OF THE PANDEMIC

3. What do Food Co-ops bring to
the table?
 How is the co-operative
movement particularly
relevant at this moment?
 We don’t even have a
grocery store, yet. How do
we make our case?
 What is the future we are
trying to build — together?
MAKING OUR CASE IN A NEW CONTEXT

4. How Do Food Co-ops Help Build a Better Future?
 Build on Local Skills & Assets
 Pool Limited Resources for Scale & Impact
 Build an Inclusive Economy through Community Ownership
 Focus on Meeting Needs, Rather than Financial Return
 Maintain Good, Local Jobs
 Grow a Sustainable Food System & Economy
 Build Community Infrastructure for the Long-Term
 Anchor Wealth in the Community
LET’S REBUILD RESILIENTLY

5. Food Co-op Organizing is
Community Organizing!
 Co-ops bring people together to identify
shared needs and create solutions.
 They build on local skills and experience,
and strengthen community participation.
 Co-op Members do not just share in the
ownership – they are participants in
creating a better future.
 More than 12,000 people joined their
local Food Co-ops in 2019, alone!
FOOD CO-OPS BUILD ON
LOCAL SKILLS & ASSETS
Urban Greens Co-op Market, Providence, RI, opened in 2019.
*2019 data based on Neighboring Food Co-op Association member survey.

6. Community Members Pool
Small Amounts of Money…
 Average cost of a Member Share is
about $150.
…to Build Community
Infrastructure & Impact!
 Average Food Co-op revenue is
almost $12 Million.
 And together, our co-ops generate
$347 million in shared revenue.
FOOD CO-OPS POOL LIMITED RESOURCES
TO CREATE ECONOMIC SCALE
Portland Food Co-op, Portland, ME
*2019 data based on Neighboring Food Co-op Association member survey.

7. Your Neighboring Food Co-ops
include 29 Food Co-ops and 10
startups across New England and
New York State!
 Locally-owned by 150,000 people like you!
 Democratically governed on the basis of
one member, one vote.
 60% of Board Members are women and
50% are under 45 (compared to 19% and
3% on S&P 500 Boards).
 Co-ops are working together to be more
inclusive of their communities.
*2019 data based on Neighboring Food Co-op Association member survey.
FOOD CO-OPS BUILD
A MORE INCLUSIVE ECONOMY
Leverett Village Food Co-op, Leverett, MA

8. Food Co-ops serve their
Members — the people
who use the business to
meet shared needs!
 Resources are reinvested in the community,
rather than in financial returns for investors.
 $4.9 million distributed to Members in
discounts and patronage rebates.
 $729,000 in additional discounts distributed
to people on limited incomes.
 $789,000 in donations to community
organizations.
FOOD CO-OPS FOCUS
ON MEETING MEMBER NEEDS
GreenStar Food Co-op, Ithaca, NY.
*2019 data based on Neighboring Food Co-op Association member survey.

9. Your Neighboring Food
Co-ops employ more
than 2,300 people!
 More than 60% of staff are employed
full-time.
 Over 65% of employees are also
Members, sharing in the ownership of
their local Food Co-op.
 $3 million in employee discounts
distributed to to staff.
FOOD CO-OPS BUILD
GOOD, LOCAL JOBS
Monadnock Food Co-op, Keene, NH
*2019 data based on Neighboring Food Co-op Association member survey.

10. $93+ Million in Local Product Sales
 The average Food Co-op purchases from 250
local suppliers with local sales comprising
29% of annual revenue.
$97+ Million in Organic Products
 Supporting community health and combating
climate change.
$18 Million in Co-op Products
 Working with other co-operatives to build a
more sustainable & inclusive economy.
$14 Million in Fair Trade Products
 Supporting community empowerment and
economic justice around the world.
FOOD CO-OPS BUILD A
SUSTAINABLE FOOD SYSTEM & ECONOMY
UMass Amherst intern, Dunya Mahmood representing our food co-ops
at the NOFA Summer Conference, Hampshire College
*2019 data based on Neighboring Food Co-op Association member survey.

11. The average Food Co-op
has been in business for
more than 30 years!
 10 years or less: 5 Co-ops
 10+ years: 24 Food Co-ops
 30+ years: 17 Food Co-ops
 80+ years: 2 Food Co-ops
FOOD CO-OPS BUILD
COMMUNITY INFRASTRUCTURE
Celebrating 25 Years of Co-operation — in 1961! — at
Hanover Consumer Co-operative, Hanover, NH.
*2019 data based on Neighboring Food Co-op Association member survey.

12. Food Co-ops are
Community-Owned!
 Because they are rooted in the
community, Food Co-ops will not
leave in search of higher profits.
 Co-ops are democratically
governed and therefore very
difficult to buy out.
 Your local Food Co-op is a
community asset, owned by and
accountable to the community!
*2019 data based on Neighboring Food Co-op Association member survey.
FOOD CO-OPS
ANCHOR WEALTH IN THE COMMUNITY
Urban Greens Co-op Market, Providence, RI.

13.  4,700 members of 9 startups.
 More than 600 people joined
our startup co-ops last year.
 3 new jobs for startup
project/outreach managers.
 1 new food co-op opened in
2019 (Urban Greens Co-op
Market, Providence, RI!).
 2 co-ops in negotiations for their
store
*2019 data based on Neighboring Food Co-op Association member survey.
FOOD CO-OP STARTUPS:
ALREADY MAKING AN IMPACT!
NFCA’s Startup Day 2019 in hosted by Monadnock Food Co-op

14. WE LOVE OUR CO-OPS!