Local co-ops are vital community institutions

Many of us have spent time wandering the aisles of food co-ops in Vermont or elsewhere. Even though each is distinct—some have a polished feel with gleaming floors, sleek shelves, and cool lighting while others exude a more cozy, funky atmosphere with wooden floorboards, twisting aisles, and vintage hardware—every co-op is thoughtfully stocked to meet the needs of their community and to support local producers. Coolers loaded with fresh produce; delis with hot and cold meals to-go; an abundance of beautiful cheese, meats, and poultry; ciders, beer, and wine; and of course, bulk bins offering grains, rice, nuts, cereals, snacks, and a plethora of pantry staples. Not surprisingly, Vermont has been a leader in the food co-op scene for nearly a century.

To learn more about these vital community institutions, I sat down with Erbin Crowell, executive director of the Neighboring Food Co-op Association, or NFCA, and a member of Board of Directors of the National Cooperative Business Association. He shared a fountain of information about the intriguing history— and inspiring power—of the co-operative movement in the United States and beyond.

Edible Vermont: Tell us about the Neighboring Food Co-op Association.

Erbin Crowell: The NFCA is a federation of food co-ops in New England and New York State that are working together toward a shared vision of a thriving co-operative economy, rooted in a healthy, just, and sustainable food system, and a vibrant community of co-operative enterprise.

Food co-ops in the Connecticut River valley started working together in the early 2000s, sharing ideas on how they could support each other’s success, and not reinvent the wheel. I was hired in 2010 to incorporate the association, and my job is to help co-ops work together to navigate a competitive marketplace while delivering greater benefit for their members, their communities, and the farmers in our region.

“The NFCA is a federation of food co-ops in New England and New York State that are working together toward a shared vision of a thriving co-operative economy, rooted in a healthy, just, and sustainable food system, and a vibrant community of co-operative enterprise. ” –Erbin Crowell

How many co-ops do we have in Vermont?

EC: There are 15 food co-ops in the state, locally owned by more than 50,000 members, generating $164 million in revenue, and providing jobs for more than 1,000 people. That ranks them among the top 25 employers in the state.

What sort of economic role do co-ops play?

EC: Every year we do a survey to measure the collective impact of food co-ops across the Northeast, where there are 60 co-operatives with more than 290,000 members. These businesses employ more than 3,000 people and generate $625 million in revenue, reported an average of 30 percent of sales from local products, compared to 2 to 5 percent in supermarkets. No one would ever guess these statistics just by stopping in at their local food co-op.

Can you give a brief overview of co-ops in general?

EC: The history of co-ops is certainly a passion of mine, and it’s amazing to see the way people have used the co-operative model over time. In fact, co-ops have been part of the development of our nation since its beginnings, and Benjamin Franklin is credited with organizing one of the first formal co-operatives in America, a mutual fire insurance company, in 1752. Co-ops really emerged during the Industrial Revolution as a self-help model for working people. They generally didn’t have a lot of capital, but they did have purchasing power as shoppers, or their labor as workers, or for farmers, their agricultural production. The co-op model enables people to harness this economic activity to build community infrastructure. Most of our food co-ops began when a small group of people realized they could use their collective purchasing power to create change in the food system.

“Vermont is home to Adamant Co-op, just north of Montpelier, which started in 1935 and is the longest continuously operating food co-op in the United States. When you think about a small store like that going strong for nearly a century, it’s an amazing story of community resilience.” –Erbin Crowell

Where does Vermont enter this history?

EC: Vermont is home to Adamant Co-op, just north of Montpelier, which started in 1935 and is the longest continuously operating food co-op in the United States. When you think about a small store like that going strong for nearly a century, it’s an amazing story of community resilience. Another example is Putney Food Co-op, founded in 1941, which was also part of this wave of co-ops that grew out of the Great Depression and people working together to find practical ways to deal with food insecurity.

And after that?

EC: The second wave began in the early 1970s, with its focus on back to the land, healthy food, and supporting local farms. This includes Hunger Mountain in Montpelier, along with Middlebury and Brattleboro co-ops. Buffalo Mountain started in 1975 and really launched the local food system in Hardwick by creating an economic anchor in the town. And now, we have a new wave of co-ops with Morrisville opening in 2017 and in Caledonia [County], St. Johnsbury planning to open in 2026.

So, this sounds somewhat cyclical.

EC: Exactly. You see successive waves of co-ops based on what’s going on around us in society and the economy. It’s often at times of hardship and economic disruption that you see people turning to co-operation. And as they work together, you can see the beginnings of a co-operative economy: a web of economic relationships that contribute to greater resilience, greater sustainability, and economic participation.

And co-ops aren’t limited to the United States—they’re prevalent internationally.

EC: Yes! In fact, the United Nations has recognized 2025 as the International Year of Co-operatives. There’s about a billion co-op members worldwide, and co-ops employ about 12 percent of the global population. Still, co-ops don’t receive a lot of attention in the media, educational institutions, and government. A large part of NFCA’s work is spreading the word about the powerful impact that co-ops have in our communities.

What distinguishes a co-op from say, a natural or health food store, or a standard supermarket?

EC: In basic terms, a food co-op is a business that is owned by its members, the people who use it to meet their shared needs. They are member-owned and member-benefiting, and any surplus is reinvested in the enterprise or returned to members based on their economic activity—how much they use its services. As a member in a food co-op, you also contribute operational capital to support the enterprise over time.

I’m a member of the Middlebury Co-op even though it’s two hours north of me. I feel good about shopping there and loading up every time I drive through town. I’m just really impressed with the quality and range of products and the good folks who work there.

EC: That’s so good to hear! What you’re doing is steering your purchasing power to create the outcomes you want to see in your community, and the wider region. The beauty of it is when you actively shop at a co-op, you know you are contributing to good jobs and ensuring that there’s a retail outlet for local producers. You don’t have to be a millionaire investor to make a difference. All you have to do, as you just pointed out, is make it a priority to stop in and do your shopping there because you know you’re contributing to all those good things you want to see in the community. And if we don’t do that, those things can go away. I don’t mean to be glib, but use it or lose it, right?

Speaking of Middlebury, in preparing for this conversation, I came across something called the Middlebury Manifesto. Tell me a little bit more about that document.

EC: As leaders from our co-ops were first talking about what they could accomplish together, they gathered at Middlebury Food Co-op in 2007 to approve a formal statement of their goals. From my point of view, it’s a gorgeous document that talks about growing the co-operative economy, furthering the ideals of democracy, pursuing public as opposed to private happiness, strengthening the regional food system, and cultivating the bonds of friendship and mutual respect. When I first saw it, I knew that’s what I wanted to work on.

Anything else on your mind?

EC: What I’m often trying to get across, particularly in this current environment, is the power of the cooperative model. When I first learned about the co-ops in an independent study class in college, my mind was blown. I was concerned with how to build a more just and sustainable economy, and here was this movement that for more than 175 years has enabled people from all walks of life to work together to meet their needs and to create change in communities around the world.

When we think about the challenges we’re facing today, whether we’re talking about food security, inequality, or political disruption, the goal is to build strong, resilient, inclusive communities. And people have in their hands this tool to do it themselves.

So, that’s a long-winded way of saying I really want people to see the impact that co-ops and credit unions have in our communities, what makes them different, and co-operatives can help them to make change. It’s an effective, proven model for mutual self-help that’s particularly important at times like the ones we’re facing right now.

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