By Kenna S. Eaton, from the April 2000 Newsletter
(with some help from Eric at First Alt.)

Travel this land and you can visit hundreds of natural food cooperatives in almost every state. You can also visit nearly two hundred stores operated by two large natural foods grocers: Whole Foods and Wild Oats. The co-ops are united by principles but operate as separate businesses, while Whole Foods and Wild Oats are chain-store operations. The power of many stores operated by one corporation creates significant economic benefit to a chain-store operation. This economic power is a force that Co-ops can and should learn to harness.

Each of the hundreds of cooperative grocery stores acts as a buying agent for its own membership. Products are selected, prices negotiated, and deals are made by each in order to put the freshest food at the best price on the shelves. Can we learn to cooperate as cooperatives in order to be even better buying agents? In the Northwest we are doing just that. A group of a dozen co-ops from Washington, Idaho, Oregon, and Montana are working together as an organization named the Northwest Co-operative Grocers Association (NWCGA). Every part of this country now has a regional co-op grocers association, and a national association exists as well.

Working together we have been able to negotiate a buying contract with our major distributor, Mountain Peoples Northwest. Many prices all over the store are dropping and since our buyers are now able to negotiate some group purchases, this will result in even greater savings to you (see Vicki's and Carrie's April Newsletter articles).

The NWCGA is the coolest thing I have ever been involved with as Co-op manager. For many years we have seen chain stores growing stronger and the co-ops weaker. But by working together we are able to begin to turn that trend around. The NWCGA works not only to combine purchasing power, but also to share ideas and solve problems as well. The NWCGA consists of Ashland Community Food Store, Ashland, OR; Central Co-op Madison Market, Seattle,WA; Community Food Co-op, Bozeman, MT; Community Food Co-op, Bellingham, WA; First Alternative Co-op, Corvallis, OR; Food Front Co-op, Portland OR; Moscow Food Co-op, Moscow, ID; Olympia Food Co-op, Olympia, WA; PCC Natural Markets, Seattle, WA; Skagit Valley Food Co-op. MT. Vernon, WA; Sno-Isle Natural Foods Co-op, Everett, WA; and The Food Co-op, Port Townsend, WA.

Together we are working to create stronger, more responsive consumer food co-ops in the Northwest and nationwide.

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