What a great response. Yes, I always mistakenly call it Annie’s, instead of Amy’s. I wholeheartedly agree about the values I am choosing to support when I shop there. Perhaps other Amy’s lovers can buy huge pallets with me! Hah!

Thanks again,

I appreciate that you are eager to support co-op values, and I hear what you are saying about a rather disturbing difference in some prices. We certainly are not benefiting from the cost differential between our prices and Target’s. Because we are a small, independent and locally owned store, far from any metro area distribution warehouses, we are paying a heckuva lot more for our foods like Amy’s Organics frozen foods, which a huge national chain like Target can buy by the pallet, while we can only buy a case or two a week.

This is not true of all of our products. On many items, we are comparable to bigger stores, and we stock more of these than a conventional supermarket ever would: in organic produce, bulk foods, wine- and beer-making equipment, non-synthetic supplements, and specialty foods for vegetarian, gluten-free, low-glycemic and ethnic diets. Our markup in most departments, including grocery, refrigerated and frozen foods, is very small, but there is simply no way to compete with the volume discounts that Target is able to get, when it owns its own warehouses closer to its stores and is able to buy far more inventory at any given time.

As you point out, the decision to shop the co-op is, in part, a commitment to the values we espouse. It is a vote for locally owned business, social responsibility, ethics in food production and independent values. Because we are a small store, we place an emphasis on what our customers would like to see here. We like to think that we are nimble, and can get almost any product a customer might need. Shopping with us is a vote against big box stores that undercut smaller businesses and aren’t founded on ethical principles, as we are: with the goal to sustain the community with whole foods, better nutrition and support a community of farmers and organic producers, locally and in-state. Our mix of products includes fresh tomatoes, carrots, lettuce and berries all summer long from farms in Cook, Babbitt, Embarrass, Meadowlands and Brimson. In season, we have Minnesota pumpkins, squash, onions, beets and rutabagas. We carry whole grain breads made in Minnesota, locally made health & beauty products, delicious local pork, grass-fed beef, non-homogenized organic milk from a farm in Minnesota where the cows are encouraged to graze on grass… you get the drift. These cooperative values define our store.

We hope that you can support us by buying the products you can because you agree with these values, too. Many shoppers start coming to the co-op to get just a few things that they can’t get anywhere else. Shopping the co-op in a price-conscious way is easy when you take advantage of all of our organic in-season produce and bulk foods (spices, beans, grains, flours, teas, snacks and baking basics). There is no comparison to the variety and the freshness of our bulk foods anywhere in town. Plus, every month, we have a wide range of items on sale, and these sales help prices, too. You can look for sales in our monthly newsletter, available at the checkout counters and online.

You are right to identify that we are a community of shoppers. The co-op came about because neighbors got sick of all the chemicals and additives in its foods. They decided to start a buying club, and to share a 50# bag of stone-ground flour, a case of organic tomatoes, a whole truckload of goods. From this small, cooperative effort, the store has grown, and still we have volunteers helping us unload the big delivery we get each week. Our members are owners. In addition to the 10% discount they receive on the 1st and 2nd of every month, members are entitled to be a part of our annual meeting, to run for the board, to vote for new board members, and to continue to shape the co-op’s direction.

Thanks for taking the time to write.
Jen
Member Services

Yesterday I came down from Babbitt to stock on some favorite Annie’s frozen foods. I opted to shop there, instead of Target, in order to support the kind of business you run.

However, I was disappointed to see that the Annie’s burrittos were a full 50 cents more expensive than Target down the street. And, the Annie’s meals (like the Indian, etc) were 2.30 more EACH!

While I want to contribute and be a part of your community, it’s so hard to pay such an extreme price.

Just thought I’d give you that feedback, as a potential new Co-Op member.