Why choose to shop our co-op?

(November 2006) — In a community with many grocery stores, what exactly makes choosing to shop at our local co-op so important? Is it that PCC is dedicated to partnering with local growers and producers? Is it that our co-op supports the local economy and community organizations?

Or is it that co-ops are a better business model? Maybe we share your values of community ownership, equity, social responsibility and environmental sustainability.

Co-ops are based on people coming together with a common goal of helping each other economically and socially, where a sense of community is as important as profit.

In a culture dominated by impersonal, money-hungry corporations, the cooperative business model is designed to help create a society that better provides for the needs of our communities. Developing personal relationships with local farmers and small business owners plays an important role in our success.

In a world where so many choices are made for us, co-ops such as PCC also preserve the person’s right to choose. We advocate the right to know what’s in our food and the right to an informed choice.

Each and every member/owner has a role to play in the co-op’s operation, through public forums at member meetings, suggestion box ideas and queries, letters to the editor, and by voting in annual elections.

The cooperative values of community ownership, democracy, honesty, and social and environmental responsibility are the very values that we aspire to live by every day. It’s inspiring to know we can choose to spend our grocery dollars at a store that offers an opportunity for us to realize the full significance of our values and to renew our commitment to them regularly.

Why you choose to shop co-ops such as PCC is important. But it’s the fact that you do shop our co-op that makes the difference — not just for you and your family, but also for generations beyond.

(Revised and adapted from an article by Krishnee Rapport, in the Food Front’s “Frontline” publication)