October is Co-op Month and co-ops are getting major international attention from the UN this year: They declared 2025 as the International Year of Cooperatives! In today’s world where corporate decisions are governed by profits and individualism is the norm, cooperation is truly radical. Now is the time to lift up the people-centered businesses at the heart of our communities and economies.

Under the theme “The Future is Cooperative,” this year’s Co-op Month is an opportunity to envision a cooperative future. The United Nations International Year of Cooperatives 2025 (IYC 2025) was launched at the ICA Global Cooperative Conference and General Assembly held in New Delhi in June 2024. The conference attracted around 3,000 delegates from over 100 countries who discussed how cooperatives build prosperity for all.

IYC 2025 highlights cooperatives’ contributions to sustainable development across social, economic and environmental dimensions and emphasizes the unique ability of cooperatives to foster inclusive growth and strengthen community resilience. According to the United Nations General Assembly, the resolution “notably focuses on the capacity for cooperatives to drive inclusive development, particularly in developing countries. It recognizes the role of cooperatives in promoting the economic status and capacity building of women and the wellbeing of vulnerable and marginalized people.”

Co-ops continue to be organized by communities across the U.S. and the world, anywhere people are interested in exercising more control over the kind of products and services they’re able to buy.

• There are more than 30,000 cooperative businesses in the U.S.
• The food co-op communities across the country that own National Co+op Grocers (NCG) work together collectively to strengthen our ability to positively impact our food system and grow the cooperative economy in an inclusive and environmentally regenerative manner.
• Thirty seven percent of food co-ops’ sales come from organic products (compared to 3% at conventional grocers), and 24% of sales at co-ops are from local products (as opposed to 2% at conventional grocers).
• Annually, $9 million was collectively donated to local community organizations by NCG co-ops.
• Co-ops work within our supply chain and industry and with the federal government to advocate for product labeling, disclosure of potentially harmful ingredients or contaminants, and protections for workers within our supply chain.

Want to know more about how to support cooperatives? Here are a few ideas:

• Look for the Co-op Trade signs around food co-ops to find cooperatively owned brands.
• Learn more about the history of food cooperatives.
• Read the Cooperative Values and Principles, which serve as guidelines to provide a democratic structure for co-ops around the world.
• Find a co-op near you and start shopping there!

Saint Paul, MN – Food co-ops that belong to National Co+op Grocers (NCG) last year achieved same-store sales growth of 4.7%--compare this with the overall US retail food market of less than 3% for 2024. NCG member co-ops also outperformed traditional retailers in shares of local, organic and fair trade products sales.

In their just-released 2024 Food Co-op Impact Report, NCG credits food co-ops’ community ownership model and commitment to building local supply chains among the factors contributing to their success. The annual report analyzes the collective economic, social and environmental impacts and achievements of its community-owned member food co-ops.

Now with 165 food co-ops, NCG continues to work to maximize members’ success, inclusivity and impact, and to grow the cooperative grocery sector in size and scope in an environmentally regenerative manner. Today, more than 1.3 million U.S. residents belong to an NCG food co-op.

Food co-ops are industry leaders when it comes to supporting local farmers and entrepreneurs The average NCG food co-op purchases from 175 local farms and producers, more than four times as many as similarly sized food retailers report (41 farms on average). Twenty-four percent of the average food co-op’s sales come from local products, compared with just 2% of sales at a conventional grocer.

Food co-ops continue to lead in organic product sales, with NCG reporting that 37% of food co-ops’ combined annual $2.8 billion sales come from Certified Organic products, compared with 24% of sales at other natural grocery retailers, and conventional grocers just 3% (according to 2024 SPINS data).

NCG reports Fair Trade Certified products made up 6% of food co-ops’ total sales, higher than other natural grocery retailers (4%) and conventional grocers (0.5%).

Sales of B Corp Certified products made up 9% of the average food co-op’s total sales, higher than other natural grocery retailers (6%) and conventional grocers’ (2%). B Corp Certification is a label that speaks to a company’s rigorous commitment to social and environmental sustainability. NCG has been a certified B Corp since 2011.

Showing solidarity, food co-ops prioritize products that are produced by other co-ops, such as dairy, chocolate and coffee farmer co-ops. Cooperatively produced products make up 5% of food co-ops’ total sales, higher than natural retailers (3%) and conventional grocers (1%).

Food co-ops are owned by the people in the community who shop at the co-op and have chosen to make a one-time investment in a lifetime membership (usually a $100-200 purchase of stock). The members then elect a board of directors among themselves.

This democratic process and local ownership model mean that food co-ops don’t change their values depending on which way the wind blows. They are rooted in their communities and participate in the international cooperative business movement, a business model driven by democracy.

Local ownership means that stores are responsive to community needs, profits remain in the community and support local economic development. Food co-ops invest in their communities—collectively, food co-ops donated more than $9 million to local groups last year, and NCG contributed an additional $1 million to organizations working to advance co-ops’ advocacy priorities at regional and national levels.

National Co+op Grocers (NCG), founded in 1999, is a purchasing and business services cooperative for retail food co-ops located throughout the United States. NCG helps unify food co-ops to optimize operational and marketing resources, strengthen purchasing power and ultimately offer more value to food co-op owners and shoppers everywhere. Our 165 member co-ops operate more than 240 storefronts in 39 states with combined annual sales of $2.8 billion. NCG is a winner of the dotCoop Global Awards for Cooperative Excellence and a certified B Corp. Find a map of NCG member co-ops. To learn more about co-ops, visit grocery.coop.

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Media inquiries may be directed to Eric Davis (edavis@curiousplot.agency, 612-202-9407).

Content posted with permission from grocery.coop. Find recipes and articles about your food and where it comes from at grocery.coop.

We are thrilled to announce that over the weekend, we were proud recipients of the 2024 Live Green: Friend of Sustainability Award. 

This award recognizes locals who are dedicated to creating a more sustainable and resilient future through various efforts such as the use of renewable energy sources, conservation, recycling, water conservation, and improving the quality of life for all Greensboro residents. 

We would like to express our heartfelt congratulations to all the other outstanding award recipients who have shown remarkable dedication and commitment to making a positive impact on sustainability efforts within our community.

And that's not all! We are excited to highlight one of our exceptional owners, Beth McKee-Huger, who took home the Quality of Life award. With over 40 years of dedication to sustainable projects in the community, Beth has been a driving force in advocating for food accessibility, affordable housing, health equity, and clean energy advancement. Her leadership at Mary’s House, Habitat for Humanity of Greensboro, and the Greensboro Housing Coalition has made a significant impact on those in need by creating positive change through innovative fundraising, program initiation, and community dialogue.

Join us in congratulating Beth for her outstanding contributions to our community.

"Joining the board wasn't just a decision, it was a calling—a chance to channel my fervor for community and sustainability into meaningful action. I leaped at the opportunity to join the board because I saw it as a stage to amplify the connections between our food, our people, and our impact. Deep Roots isn't just about the sustenance on our shelves; it's about nurturing the roots of community and watching the beautiful intertwining of lives and dreams.

In my role, I've reveled in creating a symphony of voices where each member's input becomes a part of our collective melody. It's a thrilling endeavor to uphold our values—empowering every individual, championing fair trade, advocating for fair pay, and bolstering the presence of local, Black-owned farmers and businesses that add rich notes of diversity and strength to our cooperative song. What I cherish most is the chance to be the torchbearer for equity and mutual support. Deep Roots Market shines as a beacon of hope, a place where solidarity is the cornerstone in a sometimes fragmented world. My service is a daily adventure in fostering unity, and every day is a testament to the spirit of collaboration.

Together, at Deep Roots Market, we're more than a marketplace; we're a beacon of togetherness, celebrating the power of community and the magic that happens when we all pull in the same direction."

- V. Ashleigh Odom, Board President

"I’m enthusiastic about playing a role in supporting a local food system and access to healthy, fresh, locally grown, organic, and fair-trade foods and products. I appreciate how Deep Roots’ cooperative ownership model plays a role in moving toward a more equitable society. Finally, Deep Roots stands for the values that are most important to me: wellness and health, the environment, community and connection, true democracy, equity, and justice."

- Suzanne Wilcox, Board Member since 2023