What is a food co-op?

Simply put, a food co-op is a group that buys food and household items for its members. The co-op helps members obtain access to products of desired quality at the best possible price. Many co-ops sell primarily natural foods; however, some co-ops offer a full line of groceries. Some food co-ops operate out of retail facilities. These stores are open to anyone who wishes to shop there, though they may provide special services, prices, or benefits to members only. Food co-ops may also offer a wide range of products and services aside from groceries, including cooking and nutrition classes, house wares, food service and catering. 

Why a food co-op?

The primary mission of City Foods is to provide healthy produce, meats and dairy products that are locally grown and produced. The co-op will obtain foods of desired quality at the best possible price and will offer a retail environment that is free of coercive sales influence with full disclosure of product qualities and value. Co-op members will receive discounts at the store, but we will welcome everyone to shop. 

What does local mean?

In very simple terms, buying food locally means supporting area farmers, growers and business people financially. Carbon emissions will be reduced as truck loads of produce will not need to be shipped across the country. Jobs in Lafayette will be created.  

What are the benefits of shopping locally?

·         Protect Local Character and Prosperity: Downtown Lafayette is a cultural and social center. By shopping locally, you can help Lafayette maintain and develop its own distinct flavor. City Foods will provide you with a spot where all your food items are as local as possible. You won’t have to worry about how far your food traveled before it came into your hands.

·         Community Well-Being: Locally owned businesses build strong neighborhoods by sustaining communities, linking neighbors, and contributing to local causes. City Foods has already created a new community in Lafayette, bringing together people in the area from diverse backgrounds.

·         Local Decision Making: Local ownership means that important decisions are made locally by people who live in the community and who will feel the impacts of those decisions. As a cooperative, City Foods will put the power in the hands of the members: you will be making the decisions.

·         Keeping Dollars in the Local Economy: Your dollars spent in locally-owned businesses have at least two times the impact on your community as dollars spent at national chains. When shopping locally, you simultaneously create jobs, fund more city services through sales tax, invest in neighborhood improvement and promote community development.

·         Public Benefits and Costs: Local stores in town centers require comparatively little infrastructure and make more efficient use of public services relative to big box stores and strip shopping malls.

·         Environmental Sustainability: Local stores help to sustain vibrant, compact, town centers, which in turn are essential to reducing sprawl, automobile use, habitat loss, and air and water pollution.

Check out this article from The Economist citing specific examples of the positive effect of shopping locally: http://www.economist.com/displaystory.cfm?story_id=14140238#  

What is the purpose of City Foods?

Our mission is to serve the nutritional, social and economic needs of our members and community by providing a market for local, fair-trade, sustainable, independent and healthful goods and services in a friendly, cooperative environment.The purpose of City Foods is to promote and support the development of member-owned cooperative businesses and services, especially in and around Lafayette, Indiana. City Foods is a not for profit organization for member benefit.

Who is in charge of the co-op?

Members run the cooperative, so you are in charge of City Foods. Each membership is allowed one vote toward board member elections and other important decisions. As of now the board members and officers are: President, board member: Cara FisherVice President, board member: Cody HallTreasurer: Stephanie HanslowSecretary, board member: Ben AlkireBoard Members at Large: Jenny Hilton and Julie Huser The next public meeting and board election is planned for February 2010. 

What are the benefits of becoming a co-op member?

You will…

• Enhance your community through your donation.
• Empower City Foods volunteers to collect more donations, grants and loans in order to create a storefront in downtown Lafayette.
• Be provided with products and services direct from your community.
• Become a part of a new community of Tippecanoe County residents who are interested in supporting downtown businesses and cultures; local farmers, producers and craftspeople; and tasty natural food.

• Shopping at a community-owned and grown grocery in downtown Lafayette upon our storefront opening.
• Vote in board elections and other referenda that help set the direction of the co-op.
• Run for the Board of Directors and serve Board committees.
• Savings on groceries through member only sales promotions.
• A patronage refund or shopping discounts (to be decided by members)
• Being an active participant in this business, which means empowering the community.
  • Member investments in the co-op makes the community stronger by pooling resources to solve our own food needs
  • Improved local economy: the co-op creates jobs in Lafayette and a thriving market for the local agricultural community

• A capital certificate indicating your ownership share of City Foods.
• Discounts on classes and workshops sponsored by the co-op.

 How do I become a member?

In order to become a member, you must fill out the member application (available online or in our brochures, which are floating around town) and provide City Foods with a one time, fully refundable fee of $200. This fee can also be paid in increments of $25 or more as long as the full membership is paid for within 1 year. After filling out the application form and paying the membership fee, the City Foods membership committee will review your application and return to you (via postal mail) your signed share certificate, membership card and copy of the bylaws.   

When are you opening the store?

The City Foods Co-op goal is to reach 500 members by the end of 2009. With 500 members we will be able to open and operate a complete grocery store and deli in downtown Lafayette by the end of the summer of 2010. 

Where will the store be?

We hope to open a store in downtown Lafayette at the end of the summer of 2010.

Why downtown?

• Downtown is a cultural center, the core of the city.
• Trolley and proximity to bus station
• Proximity to University
• Food desert—downtown really needs more healthy food shopping for its population base 

Can I shop at the store once it opens even if I’m not a member?

Non-members will not receive discounts at the store, but everyone will be welcome to shop. 

Can I become a member after the store opens?

You are welcome to become a member at any time, but it is key that we recruit members in the early stages of organization in order to accumulate capital and investor interest. The store will not open if the community will not support a City Foods before the physical location is established. City Foods is a value proposition. Consider the VALUE of having…

• A full-service grocery in downtown.
• A business with possibly $2+ million retail sales annually.
• Thirty employees working downtown (with benefits). 
• A downtown destination anchor and magnet.
• One less empty storefront.
• Year-round point of sale for locally grown produce.
• Local money kept as local as possible.

 How can I get involved?

Send us a note at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or come to one of our meetings. We have lots of work to do, so everyone is welcome to help the co-op grow!