Our History

Our History of Food Co-op Initiative

Food Co-op Initiative began as a pilot project designed to test the theory that new retail food co-ops could open more quickly and successfully if they had appropriate guidance. Launched by a group of visionary co-op supporters in 2005, Food Co-op 500 started out by offering development grants and peer support to groups starting new food co-ops in diverse settings.

In addition to providing guidance and funding, the organization wanted to see first-hand what impact different organizing practices and community types had on successful startup efforts. Patterns and trends started to emerge and Food Co-op 500 was able to offer more effective guidance based on our experience working with these early startups.

During these first years, FC500 began building a library of resource materials that startup organizers could use. It was obvious that a small organization could not provide direct assistance to all of the swelling numbers of startup groups around the country, so online resources, webinars, and regional conferences were developed that would enable us to provide the most support possible. Today our resource library provides free access to unmatched training materials for every stage of retail food co-op development.

By 2010, Food Co-op 500 was providing resources and guidance to over 100 startup groups but was losing some of its original funding support. The governing task force decided to incorporate the project as a 501(c)3 nonprofit so that we would be eligible for new grant funding. The newly incorporated organization was re-named Food Co-op Initiative. The Blooming Prairie Foundation ensured our survival by pledging $1 million in support over the next five years. FCI was also able to obtain federal support through the USDA’s Rural Cooperative Development Program. The original founders and many other cooperative organizations and individuals continue to provide financial support that enables us to serve the many communities across the U.S. that are organizing new food co-ops.

Since our founding, over 157 new retail food co-ops have opened in the United States generating nearly $500 million in annual revenues. As we start 2021 we are working with over 80 more startup groups and get calls from more every week.

We adopted our current logo in 2015 to represent the process of opening a new retail food co-op. The first circle is for the organizing stage, as the conversation starts at the smaller “kitchen table” and grows to a larger community-driven initiative. The hard work of feasibility and planning move the startup forward in the second circle. The third circle is for the implementation stage of building out the store and opening its doors.