FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: MAY 1st, 2014
All over the country, people are looking for quality, healthy food. The renewed excitement about good food sourced with integrity has led to the emergence of new food cooperatives as well as the expansion of well established co-ops to meet this demand. Whether brand new or well loved in the community, food co-ops find the challenge of opening a new store eased by the help they give each other.
Recently, the Marquette Food Co-op (MFC) received much appreciated help from the Keweenaw Food Co-op in Hancock, Oryana Food Co-op in Traverse City, People’s Food Co-op in Kalamazoo, and Chequamegon Food Co-op in Ashland, Wisconsin, each of which sent employees to Marquette to help put up shelving and stock the shelves in its new store. The National Cooperative Grocers Association, a business services co-op of which the MFC is a member, visited to offer advice about merchandising. This is just one of the many exchanges that have occurred in the region. In 2011, a contingent of people from the MFC visited the People’s Food Co-op in Kalamazoo to offer the same help. This system gives each co-op extra, experienced staff at the time they most need it. The co-ops offering their assistance gain valuable experience that will help them manage the growth of their own business.
In addition to assistance from other Co-ops, the MFC also received help from its owners. Co-op owners came to lend a hand, eager to get a sneak peek at the new building, see the new products, and glad to take an active ownership role. “I wanted to be able to see the Co-op before it was finished, to be able to appreciate how far it has come,” said owner-volunteer Tina Hall. “I also wanted to see what new products are being brought in, and to know where everything would be located before the store opened.”
Construction continues at the Marquette Food Co-op’s new location, 502 W. Washington. Thanks to the help of fellow cooperatives and owners, the MFC hopes to open mid May. For up-to-date photos on the construction process you can visit the MFC facebook page, facebook.com/marquettefoodcoop.
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