Iowa City, IA, National Co+op Grocers (NCG) — the business services cooperative for retail food co-ops across the United States — today announces Oshkosh Food Co-op as its newest member.
Based in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, Oshkosh Food Co-op is preparing to open its first retail location in the third quarter of 2021.
“In the face of myriad health and economic headwinds this year, co-ops continue to thrive, and that not only includes existing co-ops, but also start-up co-ops looking to build the cooperative economy in new communities,” said C.E. Pugh, Chief Executive Officer, NCG. “NCG is very happy to be involved in the great work Oshkosh Food Co-op is accomplishing today and in the years to come.”
Oshkosh Food Co-op began as a start-up in 2011 and was incorporated in 2013. Since then, the co-op has been moving through the stages of organizing, member recruitment, research and fundraising. To date, the co-op’s volunteer leadership has signed up more than 1,300 members and raised more than $1.6 million in member loans, grants and donations.
The mission of Oshkosh Food Co-op is to provide a thriving, member-owned, full-service grocery store in the heart of Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Upon opening, the co-op will operate out of 4,500 square feet of retail space and will have minimal commercial debt as a result of its strong fundraising results.
NCG’s board of directors approved the membership application from Oshkosh Food Co-op at a meeting on Sep. 22, and the new membership took effect Oct. 1.
About NCG
National Co+op Grocers (NCG), founded in 1999, is a business services cooperative for retail food co-ops located throughout the United States. NCG helps unify food co-ops in order to optimize operational and marketing resources, strengthen purchasing power, and ultimately offer more value to natural food co-op owners and shoppers everywhere. Our 148 member co-ops operate more than 200 storefronts in 38 states with combined annual sales of nearly $2.1 billion. NCG is a winner of the dotCoop Global Awards for Cooperative Excellence and a certified B Corp. Find a map of NCG member co-ops. To learn more about co-ops, visit www.welcometothetable.coop.
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Media inquiries may be directed to Eric Davis (eric@harvest-pr.com; 612-424-7545).