The history of the St. Peter Food Co-op begins with a Gustie. In 1979, John Ramsley teamed up with the All Co-op Assembly of Minnesota and placed an ad in the St. Peter Herald for anyone interested in starting a store. A small group of community members pooled their resources and rented a place on the corner of Front St. and Broadway Avenue. The store was a community effort, run entirely on the time and good will of volunteers. It sold mostly grains and bulk goods, but also provided local produce whenever possible.
As the years passed, interest and membership grew. In 1990, the structure of the business switched from a worker co-op to the current structure of a consumer co-op, bringing in greater funds for the co-op. This allowed the store to buy more local produce and goods to sell to the community. It wasn’t long before the demands of consumers outgrew the tiny Front Street building, and in 1994 the store moved up the road to its recognizable location on the corner of Highway 169 and Broadway Ave.
The shop’s continued emphasis on running a democratic, socially responsible business only helped to increase its popularity in the region. The unique set-up of a cooperative promotes community involvement and input, setting it apart from standard grocery stores.
Member-owners buy a share of the co-op through a one-time fee. In return, the members get equal ownership of the business, which includes voting rights on company decisions, discounts and special monthly prices. The Board of Directors votes on the allocation of excess profit, and on occasion members will receive patronage payments. All this allows for an honest, equal partnership between member-owners that the St. Peter community has embraced.
This overwhelming community response made it apparent that the demand from the people outgrew the co-op’s second location. They found a space in the old Nielsen car dealership on Highway 169 and Mulberry Street. However, more funds were needed in order to make that dream reality. Through what General Manager and Co-op Founder Margo O’Brien describes as “a creative financing package,” the community was able to raise over $900,000 to renovate the building.
“The members of this community really wanted to do more with the St. Peter Food Co-op than what we could provide because of that building. We really are able to serve the needs of the community with a better facility. It’s easier to shop, it’s easier to work, it makes more sense for what we needed,” Produce Manager Erik Larson said.
The new building opened in April 2011 and doubled the space of the co-op compared to its previous location, providing a plethora of quality food and a welcoming atmosphere. As O’Brien describes it, “it’s wonderful to work around great food – food with integrity.”
One of the highest priorities of the store is to stock the best quality food possible, which often means going organic. Larson estimates that somewhere around 75 percent of the produce is organically grown. They are also committed to helping out farmers who are looking to transition to organic growing methods by paying them organic prices for products that may not yet have reached certification.
During the region’s prime growing seasons much of the produce in store is locally grown as well. When winter comes it is difficult to find local produce for obvious reasons, but many other locally produced and manufactured products are stocked year round. For example, a wide variety of cheeses, dairy products and meats are available to consumers. The store takes pride in being able to connect customers directly to the suppliers of their food. They’ll often host days were local growers and manufacturers come into the store and share their experience. “[It’s] the story behind the product and the people behind the product, not just the product [that matters],”O’Brien said.
Students interested in becoming more involved with the co-op have the option of participating in the student membership program. For a yearly fee of $25, students get in-store discounts and access to monthly specials as well as newsletters and mailings. Starting this fall, they will also begin offering wellness classes that are free and open to the public. Anyone interested can get more information through St. Peter Community Education.
Another way to get to know the co-op is to stop down and visit. The new facility has a variety of options for lunch or dinner, including a salad bar, hot food bar, soups, pastries and a new menu of hot, made to order sandwiches. The co-op is “a great place to gather where you can go and know where your food is coming from,” Deli Manager Shyama O’Brien said.
Today the co-op has expanded from its tiny beginnings on Front Street to a communal entity with almost 1,700 member-owners. Anyone is welcome; members and non-members alike. So, next time you can’t stomach the thought of another wrap from the Marketplace, head down to the co-op and experience a St. Peter tradition.