Stretch Your Food Dollar: Are Food Co-ops Economical?
This is lucky number 13 in our weekly series about food budgeting. Thanks for all of your feedback the past few weeks. I’ve gotten some great ideas for posts from ya’ll. And in response to a question from Gabrielle two weeks ago, I wanted to talk about food co-ops today.
Many of us are worried about genetically modified foods and try to eat organic as much as possible. However, one of the biggest downsides to organic living is the cost. Take this simple price comparison at Trader Joe’s: organic bananas are 59⊄ each, while non-organic bananas are 19⊄ each. On other items the price difference isn’t so stark: a bag of non-organic baby carrots is $2.29, while organic baby carrots are $2.49. But when you’re pinching your pennies, those small price differences can add up.
One reason that organic foods cost more is that the farming methods are more labor intensive. However, many proponents of the organic food movement would say that the cost of food must be weighed against the larger environmental and societal health costs associated with genetically modified foods. Additionally, there’s a smaller market share for organic foods, so farmers have to charge a higher price in order to make a profit.
Food co-ops are one mechanism for building the marketability of organic foods. They are owned by their members, and membership is not restricted. Most food co-ops allow you to volunteer at the store to earn a discount on food. And they are an excellent resource for anyone who wants to maintain an organic lifestyle. However, do the social and environmental benefits outweigh the cost factor?
When I was living in Tempe, AZ, I was fortunate to have the Gentle Strength Food Co-op just a few blocks from my house. At the time, I didn’t own a car and I was limited by how far I was willing to walk or bike to shop for food. The Co-op was the perfect solution. I would walk there on my way home from school, pick up a few items, and continue home. I was very fortunate to receive a discount because I was putting in “sweat equity” by working in their community garden 10 hours a week. I mainly raked and pulled weeds. But it was awesome. Unfortunately, the Gentle Strength Co-Cop was put out of business a few years ago because of the gentrification of the downtown Tempe area, and the neighborhood lost a tremendous resource. A Whole Foods was supposed to take its place, but now that real estate development has ground to a halt, the construction of that Whole Foods has been postponed indefinitely, and there’s no longer a neighborhood grocery store in the area.
Many co-ops are suffering a similar fate, since Whole Foods has national buying power and often strong arms suppliers into accepting a much lower price because of the size of their orders. Small co-ops just can’t compete. And as a result, you will pay a much higher price at the check out line. One thing that Whole Foods doesn’t provide, though, is the sense of community that comes from shopping at a co-op. And can you really put a monetary value on community?
Yesterday I went to the Food Conspiracy Co-op here in Tucson to do a little price shopping for this article. Some of the produce was comparably priced to Sunflower Markets and Trader Joe’s. Organic heirloom tomatoes were on sale for $2.29 a pound. I got organic broccoli for $1.19 a pound. (I paid the same for non-organic broccoli at Trader Joe’s this week.) Canned beans were $1.19 a can, which is about 10⊄ more than I pay at Sunflower. But that’s 40⊄ more than I would pay at Trader Joe’s. The one item that really shocked me was the almonds, which were $12.29 a pound. This was truly outrageous, because California has had a bumper crop of almonds this year and the price was down to $3 a pound at Sunflower just a few weeks ago. This week they’re back up to $5 a pound, but the price difference is still staggering. Don’t get me wrong – I do appreciate that the Co-op provides a large selection of bulk goods like lentils, granola, and dried beans. I re-use my plastic bags several times and I think buying in bulk has environmental benefits in addition to the price difference. But you really have to be a savvy shopper if you want to get the best deals, whether you’re buying organic foods or not.
I can only speak for my own experience. So I want to open up the discussion to our readers. Have you had any experience with food co-ops? And what is your opinion of the organic food movement? Do we have to look at more than just the price? Or is it really about the bottom line in these troubling economic times?
I belong to the Park Slope Food Coop in Brooklyn, NY, which is the oldest member-run food coop in the United States. Because you have to work to buy any food there at all, it’s a pretty cool community. There’s also only a 21% markup on wholesale, which is much lower than most grocery stores. That said, I buy much fancier food (organics, weird stuff i would never have heard of, fancy granolas) than I would at a regular grocery store, so I’m not sure I really save any money. The produce is fairly inexpensive and so much fresher than anywhere else nearby, though, so it’s worth it. I just need to stay away from the meat/cheese areas–organic, free-range, imported–whatever you want. they don’t even *sell* non-free-range meat. but…that means it’s relaly expensive to hold a dinner party for friends if i want there to be any meat at all.
Thanks for the comment, Zach. If someone doesn’t have the time to work at the co-op, how would they take advantage of the price break? I guess that’s my biggest critique of co-ops is that you have to have a certain level of time available before you can even start tapping into the financial benefits. But you mention a great point – the availability of unique food items is definitely a plus.
When i lived in bellingham, wa – the local farmers co-op had a great deal for home delivery of seasonal fresh, locally raised produce. sometimes it was a bit more than i could handle in terms of volume and i shared with colleagues but having food raised in my community at such a good price (15/week for a rubbermaid bin) was terrific!
Related to coops, food production and quality of life, a group i was turned on to a number of years back: http://www.slowfood.com/ – slow food is an international movement begun in europe and has come to the US. you can find information the US site: http://www.slowfoodusa.org/ for local chapters, cooking and shopping tips. the book that got me interested was: Slow Food Nation: Why Our Food Should be Good, Clean and Fair, by Carlo Petrini. should be avaible in used copies at a bookstore near you – reduce, reuse, recycle 🙂
I don’t have personal experience with co-ops other than going with a member to co-ops as a guest and through the LDS church welfare program. People can work in the cannery and the buy the foods at cost. I feel that it is a good system. Food is bought in bulk, and then either dry processed or canned or bottled. I’ve worked in the cannery on various occassions. Much of the food produced is shipped off to humanitarian causes.
As far as the quandry over organic versus non-organic foods go there are several thoughts. Having grown up with growning our own garden and raising our own animals for slaughter and chickens raised free range I know the benefits of having organic food first hand. It tastes better.
One other form of cooperatives that hasn’t been mentioned in your article is when neighbors band together and order in bulk – then divide the cost with each other. My mother has participated in a group like this, every month the leader makes up a price list with all the items available – and they order together. Because the food is delivered to one location – and everyone goes there to pick up their individual items the “middle man” and warehousing costs are eliminated.
As a nurse I am very aware of all the articles and medical evidence pointing to additives in food and pesticides being cause for numerous diseases including cancer, birth defects and behavioral disorders. I guess it comes down to being willing to pay for “good” food now to keep a healthy body or paying with ill health later which society is already doing. The cost of treating those illnesses doesn’t come to mind perhaps as you are shopping the ailse, saving your coupons, and figuring in gas – because in hard economic times we focus not on the long range but on the short range goals of food for the belly and a roof over head.
Thanks again for bringing some very informative topics to the forefront.
I am actually very intrigued by Food Co-ops. What’s a good way to not only find one in your area, but also find the one with the best buying power?
Co-op produce can be a fun treat! Last night we had purple broccoli which was purchased at the local co-op.
Kelly, thanks for the great websites and the book suggestion. I’m a huge fan of Alice Waters, who is a big proponent of the slow food movement here in the US. She started the “Edible Schoolyard” project in the Berkeley area, where elementary school kids plant gardens at their schools. Lunches are prepared from the food the kids grow.
Margaret, that’s a great suggestion about pooling resources to get better deals. Can you tell us what company your mother orders from?
Also, I think you hit on the heart of things – when you’re watching your budget right now, it’s hard to feel like things will pay off in the long run. But eating healthy food really does add up when you consider the health costs associated with poor eating habits.
Waymon, check out the website for the National Cooperative Groceries Association. They will have lists of co-ops in your area. The only way to figure out if the costs are competitive is to know your local market. I’m fortunate that I work from home, so I have time to compare the prices by looking at food ads. I also shop at the farmer’s markets and get a basket each week from our local CSA. So if you know what prices to expect, especially on staples, you can make sure you’re getting the best deal.
interesting post!
Nice post, I appreciate the financial comparisons and the ruminations on the cost of food. It seems like one strategy is trying to eat food grown close to you. There are regular farmers markets here in Northern California that offer organic veggies. And as Serena mentions Community Supported Agriculture are almost always a real deal and keep you in touch w/ the seasonal changes of food production.
The co-ops ’round these parts are a chain of (six?) along the north coast and into Oregon. They don’t have working shares where you get a discount, so there isn’t much ownership, it is more like a Sams club for hippies. But they do have very good peanut butter.
The only reason I can think of for the weird price fluctuation in almonds is theft. Yeah, that actually sounds kinda weird/funny, but it’s a reality here in CA. Last year there was a report of crop thefts of almonds and walnuts (I think it was walnuts) totalling more than a quarter of a million pounds. I haven’t heard any reports of weather or fire related issues with the almond harvest this year. But given the fact I’m in southern part of the SF bay ara and a lot of the almond/nut crops are in the central valley, we may not hear about it.
also, where does one find a food co-op? My mother is just about to retire and it would be nice to find a local place like that.
I know it is frustrating to try to buy certified organic at a good price. My solution is to to all of my produce shopping at a farmer’s market and to not necessarily stress about *certified* organic. If I can talk to the farmer and ask how she grows the food, I can feel good about eating it. Granted, I’m lucky to live in California, where everything is fresh and local pretty much 12 months out of the year. Because I don’t drive much a coop is out of the question for me in a sprawled out city like LA! The farmer’s market comes to me.
Kathryn, that’s so interesting. I haven’t ever heard of something like crop theft before. That’s so intriguing! You can find a co-op near you by logging onto the National Cooperative Groceries Association’s website. If you’re in California, I’m willing to bet that there are also great farmer’s markets in your area, like Fran says about LA. When I was living in Long Beach, I had local organic produce delivered to my house each week from a service called Paradise Organics. Check to see if they have delivery in your area, because their rates were very reasonable. One advantage to their service is that you can tell them what veggies or fruits you don’t like so that they omit them from your basket. Also, their drivers are unionized, so if there is ever another grocery strike in California, you can still get groceries without worrying about crossing a picket line.
The nearest food co-op to me is 30 miles away, so I have only been there once. The atmosphere, and the choices, were terrific, but the co-op is just too far away.
I like having the option of buying organic, which I can find in the local supermarket. I don’t buy organic with regularity, which means I am a poor supporter of the organic movement, and maybe a bit of a hypocrite. But if the price between organic and non-organic is close, I often opt for the organic. I’m not sure that the food is healthier, but I am convinced it is better for the environment on several levels.
I recently have been reading Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants. Since reading that book, I have been struggling with some of the issues mentioned in that book including trying to balance my schedule and food budget with the desire to eat as little processed food as possible. One of the problems that we face in Idaho is that there is limited access to organic vegetables. However, we try to shop at the farmer’s market during the summer. I have only purchased a few things from the local co-op since the the selection is limited and the prices are high.
I wish that there was a better way to get organic food in low and working class communities. The food co-ops and farmer’s markets that I have seen in the DC area are generally in the middle class neighborhoods and the prices prevent working class folks from shopping there.
There is also a critical need for public education campaigns targeting working class people to help improve their/our food choices. Because, in some cases, fast food restaurants are most likely to be found in poorer neighborhoods, that has a huge impact on the choices people make regarding food.
Michael, you have a really good point. In South Central LA, the city council recently passed a law banning the construction of new fast food restaurants for the very reason you cite – people need healthier options. The ironic thing is that the city government was responsible for bulldozing the South Central Farm 2 years ago – a community garden in Watts that did provide working class people of color with options.
Have you looked into Community Supported Agriculture (CSA)? You have to pay quite a lot of money at front, but that money goes directly to the farmer so the farmer can get all of the supplies, seeds, etc that they need for the season, and once the farm starts producing, you get a box full of fresh, organic (assuming you go with an organic farmer) veggies every week.
Farmer’s Markets are also a great place to get fresh, organic vegetables without the markup of a grocery store.
I have friends who work on farms and sell at the farmers market, so whenever they have an excess of produce or things that are still good but won’t sell, they give them to me and other friends and they are always very giving when its time to gather food for our local Food Not Bombs chapter.
Michael, I agree with you about only the priveledged middle to upper class people being able to afford healthy food. It’s a shame that so much edible food gets wasted each day in our country, yet there are so many people who are homeless and starving.
Actually I could keep going on and on about access to food. My senior internship was at the housing authority for my city where I was the community garnden’s coordinator. We developed community gardens in lower income and public housing communities.
Hooray for Food Not Bombs, Babe. I used to volunteer with FNB in Phoenix and that’s how I learned a lot about food politics and what prompted me to eventually go to culinary school. I LOVE cooking and sharing vegan food with people, and I believe that it’s important to re prioritize food in our political discussions. Storing FNB donations at my house is really what enabled me to afford shopping at the Tempe Co-op. Since we had so many leftovers each week, I really only had to spend like $10 a week on food. Ah, for the good old days!
In addition to food-cops, what about the idea of community gardening where everyone takes responsibility for one or two crops in a shared plot of land? That’s what we’ve been doing, sort of. I’d like to look into it more. But, then again, being anal retentive I like to have total control over my garden. But, yeah, food co-ops are sweet! We have one in Champaign-Urbana, IL called Common Ground Food Co-op. They ask for a one-time $60 membership fee (equity investment). That’s it. With the membership fee, you then get the discounted rate on food. If you decide to work at the co-op, you can earn additional discounts. It’s a nice system. Check it out at http://www.commonground.coop.
Kevin, you’re so lucky – that’s a cheap membership fee for your co-op. The one in Tucson costs $180 to join!
In the Phoenix metro area, Bountiful Baskets Food Co-op has organic fruit & vegetable co-ops as well as conventional. For organic everyone chips in $25 ($27 first time). You can volunteer and arrive an hour early to help distribute the fruits & vegetables, or be there at the appointed pickup time. You get a lot of fresh produce, and since it’s a co-op there’s no markup on it. For more information visit http://OrganicAZ.BountifulBaskets.org
For Conventional produce it works about the same as organic except everyone pays $15 ($17 the first time). It’s a lot of food. Usually it will be around $50 worth of fruits & vegetables.
I don’t do this because there is too much for two people, but I know others who do and they love getting their nice, fresh, local produce.
Good discussion–this is a great column, Serena!
Unfortunately my beloved food co-op in Boulder, CO went under. In order to keep the food costs down they asked for people to buy memberships ($25.00 per year). Then, members got extra discounts on some things. Still, offering discounts did not generate enough of a membership base for stability. Thus, even in an affluent area like Boulder food co-ops are incredibly difficult to run.
Damn you Serena, now you’ve got my interest peaked… I’m moving to Madison and I’m betting they have a co-op. It’s a really good idea from so many perspectives. Health, economically, and green friendly, one wonders how much longer it will be till the big box stores try to capitalize on it the way they have with “organic” foods.
Thanks for the info
Organic food is a luxury. period. Especially in these though times, buying organic is not an option. I miss my hometown because there are always farmers on the back roads with fruit stands. I liked that I got to buy straight from the farmer instead of the store. I’ve only been to a co-op once, then benefits are there, but its inconvenient with a hecktic schedule.
yay for co-ops:)
I have a hard time shopping at the Food Conspiracy, only because it is so darned expensive. I also understand the ethics behind it as well as environmental concern; however, sometimes I literally just don’t have the money. I will say though, that I am totally boycotting Whole Foods in Tucson right now — they have terrible, horrible no good very bad customer service. rude, rude, rude. So I stick with TJs.
Jane, thanks for the great resource!
Jadi, I think you’ve mentioned a really important point about co-ops. It’s not just enough for people to have good motivations. The bottom line is that it’s a business. And unless you have people who care about the bottom line, it’s not going to be sustainable.
Reyna, I totally agree that the cost of organics is prohibitive. But I think that there are lots of alternatives to the expense of co-ops. You’re in California, so you’re lucky that you can get the delivery servie from Paradise Organics. The box is either $25 or $35 a week, depnding on which size you want. You can also go to a bi-weekly delivery schedule. You can get all veg, all fruit, or a mixed box. And the best thing is that it’s delivered right to your do – no fuss, no muss. You really ought to give them a try.
Lauryn, I agree. After the Tempe co-op went under, I have a real strong beef against Whole Foods. And I’m not someone who lets a grudge go easily. I call them Whole Paycheck, because their prices are just ridiculous. What’s even worse about it is that they strong arm their suppliers into accepting really low prices to force out their competition, and then they still get their mark up. I do take advantage of their staff in the herbal section because they are very knowledgeable. But I can get the same product at Sunflower for less money.
I’m a grrrl raised in Northern California, and I’m sad to report about the state of food in the midwest. I go to school in fabulous southern illinois. On many food levels, it is better than Peoria (April through November there is a pretty good farmer’s market). Sadly the “co-op” in town is a really neat, expensive club for those who are both economically stable and environmentally concerned. I dream of having a whole foods or even a trader joe’s. Until then, I will continue to eat my frozen vegis from the cheaper grocery store and dream of returning to California!
dope article, once again. your advice has been saving me dollars.
I belong to the same food co-op as the first commenter (Zach, PSFC). While it’s true that you have to have a certain amount of time to put into it (3 hours every 28 days, i.e. 13x a year), the co-op is cheaper than any comparable store and they try to focus on local produce.
One of the discussions our co-op members have had repeatedly is the work shifts, why we have them and if they’re necessary. The collective answers from the long-standing members usually involve the following:
– 3 hours approximately 1x a month is not a lot of time
– if you think something is important you make time for it (i.e. gardening, going to farmer’s markets which are often only on certain weekdays, etc.)
– PSFC maintains everyone does a workshift to avoid class issues; if they let the people who could afford to pay more for organic/local produce pay more, they would and we would have a store that is run on the backs of people in a lower income bracket (but people still suggest that we do it – even though they joined the co-op knowing this was one of the founding principles and that such involvement usually fosters an actually responsibility to your community and you learn how things work by exposure)
– the store runs primarily on member work and not staff work, which is how you’re getting such a price cut; if that was missing, it’d basically be like Whole Foods or Trader Joe’s…and if that’s what you want…why not shop *there*? -there are certainly enough of them
As someone else mentioned, you can do a CSA if you do not have the time to regularly work a shift (although mine does ask that we work one 4 hour shift for the entire season). The season length depends on where you are geographically and what’s farmed in your areas. In NYC it runs May to November and ours is approximately $400 per share (or $200 per half share, every other week). Because there is only a farm stand to set up and and you don’t get to pick what you get – there is no register – the manpower (and thusly your involvement in that manpower) is a lot lower.
This is a very good article about co-ops which I honestly have had very little personal experience with. Where I lived in upstate NY, the closest things we had was a co-opish restaurant called the Whole in the Wall and the organic food aisle at Wegmans. (Which took a long time to come.) I would occasionally go up to Ithaca and explore some of the more healthier, more hippie choices like the grocery I went to (near the Moosewood) and the Moosewood Rest. In Boston, when I visited it seemed like there were options for it. Though I don’t know how costly it was.
When I moved here, I would occasionally shop at the Co-op before it went to gentrification heaven, but was irritated because it didn’t have the brands that I was loyal to. (Which okay may not be good, but is nonetheless true.) And I couldn’t find
cereal that didn’t taste like processed bark or was tasty but way expensive. I do shop at Whole Foods and Trader Joes and occasionally Sunflower to break up the monotony of Fry’s and Bashas, or when I want to try different things. Some of which I never get again, like some soy drinks and some which become repeats.
I think my main problem with co-ops and whole foods and all is that it’s never possible for me to do my complete shopping there. Which may say more about me than the store. There’s always something they don’t have there that the grocery store will have.