Rachel Heard
Equinox Staff
Karina Barriga Albring / News Editor: The Monadnock Food Co-op is located on 34 Cyprus Street, less than a mile away from KSC.
Tucked behind the hustle and bustle of Keene’s lively downtown area is a grocery store very different from most of the big name chains. The Monadnock Food Co-op, which opened this past April, is a grocery store featuring locally grown, organic and natural food.
“We offer healthy food choices, including products with alternatives to commonly allergenic ingredients. Our purchases support local and organic farmers and socially and environmentally conscious producers whenever possible,” the co-op’s website stated.
The Monadnock Food Co-op is different than most grocery stores because it is in many ways owned by its members. Members of the community can become a member of the co-op by paying $200. In exchange the co-op is run democratically, General Manager, Michael Faber said.
The Monadnock Food Co-op opened in May 2013. Currently, it has just under 2000 members. The Co-op offers a variety of deli products.
“The member-owners are the ones who ultimately influence the direction that the store heads and how it is governed and run, so it is the members who elect the board of directors who set the broad policies and goals for the store,” Faber said.
Faber stressed that the main purpose of the co-op is to serve the community. There was a need in the community that was not being met in years leading up to the opening of the co-op, “People wanted a place where they could go shopping all year round and be able to purchase locally and sustainably produced and grown foods and that their purchases would benefit the farmers and the local economy here,” Faber said.
A first time Co-op shopper and local farmer said you can expect to pay more at the co-op but the justification is obvious, “I like to support the local farmers and producers because I know how much work it is, we do it ourselves at our farm at home, so I appreciate the abundance that they have here.”
“You get what you pay for” is a phrase several shoppers mentioned including General Manager Faber.
“Large factory egg producers that have thousands of chickens in confined barns can sell eggs that are cheaper and on the other hand the eggs that we have where the chickens are actually out on grass foraging, those eggs cost more,” Faber said.
The products sold at the co-op are carefully selected on a departmental level. Department heads meet with a variety of local producers to see if what they offer is a good fit for the store.
“We’re going to ask them questions about how the product is raised or grown. We make sure that it fits within our idea of being sustainable and sustainably produced,” Faber said, “but ultimately it’s the member-owners and the customers who, in their shopping choices, decide on our product selection.”
Long-time shopper and supporter of the Co-op, Melissa Cellender and her family, live on a strict Paleolithic diet. Often referred to just as paleo, this diet consists of only fish, grass-fed pasture raised meats, eggs, vegetables, fruit and nuts. “There’s a lot more options for us here and it’s a one stop shopping trip as opposed to trying to go to three stores to get it all together,” Cellender said.
Residents of Keene and surrounding areas are not the only community members that the Co-op hopes to meet the needs of and serve. Faber identifies the Keene State College community as an important part of the co-op.
Faber said, “As we say in our advertisements, everyone can shop and anyone can join, so absolutely we want KSC students to come and be a part of this in whatever way they’re comfortable with. If they are interested in becoming a member-owner, that’s great. If they just love our hot food bar and salad bar, that’s great too.”
KSC junior and occasional Co-op shopper, Kelsey Kimball, said she does not believe many students do a full grocery trip at the Co-op, but it is still affecting the college community in a positive way.
“[The Co-op] is one of the only grocery stores within walking distance and it’s downtown where people actually hangout. I think students are more into the hot foods, deli and salad bar more than the actual grocery but that’s still good because I know they use a lot of local products for that and it’s better than just eating at McDonalds or something, it’s a healthy local option,” Kimball said.
After five full months of being open and operating, the Co-op has just under 2,000 members and “that number is expected to keep growing,” Faber said.
Rachel Heard can be contacted at rheard@keene-equinox.com