Erie Food Co-op is built on community ownership

Unlike traditional retailers driven by outside investors, the Erie Food Co-op is owned collectively by local member-owners who believe that access to healthy food should remain in the hands of the community itself. Each member-owner has a voice and a vote, helping steer decisions that impact the store’s direction and its partnerships, as well as its role as a community center in Erie. It is a model rooted in shared investment and shared benefit, where every dollar spent circles back into strengthening the community.

For more than forty years, the co-op has demonstrated what can happen when residents unite to create a resource designed for people rather than for profit. Whether someone chooses to become an owner or simply shops as a guest, every visit supports local farmers, local businesses, local nonprofits, and community partnerships built from the ground up.

At its core, the co-op is committed to nourishing the well-being of the community, supporting local farms and makers, and ensuring that healthy food is not a luxury but an accessible right.

Inside the cafe at Erie Co-op

A Grocery Store Built on Community Ownership

The Erie Food Co-op stands apart because it is owned entirely by member-owners rather than by investors or a national parent company. Its structure allows local shoppers to have a voice in governance, including voting for the Board of Directors and proposing or influencing store initiatives. Ownership requires a one-time purchase of a $100 equity share, which can be paid up front or in installments and refunded if the member withdraws, pending board approval.

Membership brings everyday advantages such as discounts on Co+op Deals, monthly savings on supplements and body-care items, special-order access for items not regularly carried, a coffee and juice rewards program, and the possibility of patronage refunds when the store is profitable. The co-op welcomes all shoppers, regardless of membership status, but becoming an owner ties individuals directly to the success of a local business with a community-first mission.

Becoming the Erie Food Co-op

The co-op traces its roots to early 1975 when, according to the Erie Co-op website, “a local married couple, Barb and Doug Dailey, with the support of a group of friends, decided that they wanted to see if they could obtain whole, healthy, and hopefully organic foods for a better price and of a greater variety.” In 1978, the Minority Health Education Delivery System also launched a food cooperative and bulk buying program in Erie. And by 1980, the group merged with Barb and Doug’s original store, Rainbow Foods, and evolved into the old community-supported store on 14th and Ash.

The location that exists today at 26th and Brown Ave. has been open since 2000. Though many things have changed over the years, Barb and Doug’s original mission has not. Today’s store stocks a variety of healthy, organic, locally-sourced foods and serves up many specialty items that can fit the requirements of those who have many different nutritional needs.

The co-op operates independently while participating in the National Co+op Grocers network, which helps cooperative grocers source products and maintain competitive pricing without sacrificing values.

Inside the Erie Food Co-op

Inclusive Shopping and Diverse Dietary Options

Shoppers frequently highlight the store’s wide range of natural, organic, and specialty diet products, including options for gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, and other nutritional needs. The staff is known for being knowledgeable and supportive of customers navigating dietary restrictions. In addition to groceries, the store features an in-house café and bakery offering prepared foods such as wraps, soups, and vegan desserts, which creates a welcoming gathering space rather than a purely transactional shopping experience.

Erie Food Co-op Supports Food Access for All

The Erie Food Co-op actively works to reduce barriers that prevent some residents from accessing nutritious food. Its Food For All program includes two pathways of support. The LEMon (Limited Equity Monetary Fund) program subsidizes up to seventy-five percent of the member-equity payment for those unable to afford the full amount. The LIMe (Limited Income Membership) program offers a ten percent discount on nearly all purchases for qualifying member-owners, ensuring that healthy food remains attainable.

Local Sourcing and Regional Food Partnerships

The co-op prioritizes local and regional producers whenever possible, focusing on farms and food makers located within a Buffalo-to-Cleveland radius and throughout Pennsylvania. The product policy emphasizes sustainably grown and organic agriculture, non-GMO standards, humane treatment of animals, and environmentally responsible production practices. While national brands are available through cooperative purchasing, the emphasis remains firmly on strengthening the local food economy.

Annual reports highlight local partners such as Troyer Growers Inc., Dinner Is Served by Chef Lisa, Weeping Willow Farm, Clarion River Organics, and Amish producer Emanuel Kurtz, demonstrating the breadth of Erie-area producers connected to the store.

An aisle at the Erie Food Co-op

Erie Food Co-op’s Charitable Giving and Community Partnerships

Giving back is central to the co-op’s mission. Its nonprofit initiatives are powered through reusable bag sales and customer-directed wooden token donations. The Nonprofit Bag Program features twelve local organizations per year and donates five dollars from every limited-edition bag sold to the group of the month. Beneficiaries include organizations such as Erie Latino Leadership Organization, Linked by Pink, Native American Community Services, Multicultural Community Resource Center, Sisters of St. Joseph Neighborhood Network, the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Center, Erie Women’s Empowerment, Lake Erie Arboretum at Frontier Park, NAMI Erie, Greater Erie Alliance for Equality, Barber National Institute, and Perseus House.

The Wood Nickel Program invites customers who bring reusable bags to contribute wooden tokens representing small donations to local nonprofits. Organizations including Barber National Institute, Perseus House, Companion Animal Coalition, Erie Cancer Wellness Center, GEAE, and LEAF appear as recurring partners, alongside broader community collaborators such as Emmaus Soup Kitchen, Second Harvest Food Ban,k and Inner-City Neighborhood Art House.

Together, these programs demonstrate the co-op’s commitment to environmental sustainability and meaningful community contribution.

Erie Food Co-op Strengthens Community

Through local ownership, intentional sourcing, philanthropic partnerships, and programs that support affordable access to nutritious food, the Erie Food Co-op offers a grocery experience rooted in shared purpose. Whether someone comes in for fresh produce, a cup of coffee and a sandwich, bottled water, or the chance to invest in their community, the co-op proves true to its roots: that food can be a powerful connector in Erie.