BECOME AN OWNER: Reap The Rewards with Menomonie Market Food Co-op
the Chippewa Valley’s only community-owned grocer offers customer benefits with localized impact
Imagine having your own grocery store — shared with friends and neighbors — where collective gains are spread throughout the community and are returned to you, the customer, in kind. Taking ownership in your local food retailer does not have to be a dream deferred; the Chippewa Valley's sole community-owned grocery store has made it a reality.
I remember my introduction to a cooperative-driven way of consumption, through the humble yet mighty storefront of the former Just Local Food Co-op (1117 S. Farwell St., Eau Claire).
Initially seeking a nearby grocery option close to the UW-Eau Claire campus, I quickly became captivated by the stories shared by the co-op's staff, the farmers who supplied it, and the other shoppers.
Amidst casual conversations at the register counter, staff members — who I quickly considered friends — encouraged me to deepen my involvement with the co-op by becoming an owner.
By becoming an owner, you support the local economy and help ensure fair wages and good working conditions for farmers, growers, and producers. By prioritizing people over profits, co-ops ensure that more money stays close to home. –Measha Vieth, outreach and education coordinator at Menomonie Market Food Co-op
As this Eau Claire cooperative evolved over time — now merged into the Menomonie Market Food Co-op (MMFC), which has one location in Menomonie and another in downtown Eau Claire — ownership impact reigns true and has grown over time.
But what does the investment of ownership mean for the consumer? According to the MMFC’s ownership application, to become an owner means you possess a share of their business, with added benefits which range from products and services, to education and communal reciprocity.
“At the co-op we are inclusive, accepting, and welcoming to everyone,” April Aken, MMFC’s marketing manager, shared online. “Our buildings are owned by thousands of families here in the Chippewa Valley and will not be bought by corporations ever.”
When purchasing an ownership share at MMFC, the investment not only provides the cooperative with capital needed to operate the business, but also “helps you save more on groceries, and gives you a say in our future,” according to its ownership brochures.
At the beginning of each new year, MMFC hosts a month-long owner drive, where customers are encouraged to learn more about the incentives, perks, and impact ownership brings to local communities across the Chippewa Valley — beyond your purchase at the register.
Crystal Halvorson, general manager of MMFC, said in just this year alone, both storefronts have seen an increase in residents visiting the co-op for the very first time — followed by an increase in new owners.
(Ownership is) a great opportunity to put your money where your mouth is. –Crystal Halvorson, general manager of Menomonie Market Food Co-op
“It’s an indication of people resisting (and) finding ways to double down on where (consumer) values are at, and what kind of world they want to create,” Halvorson said. “(Ownership is) a great opportunity to put your money where your mouth is.”
While the annual report for this year’s ownership is still in progress, 2023-2024 annual reports indicate 62% of sales are attributed to the 5,482 active owners within the cooperative.
According to Aken and the co-op ownership application, the one-time $100 investment in a MMFC equity share grants customers an extra 10% off cooperative deals, exclusive coupons and in-store promotions, admissions to the MMFC annual owner meeting and monthly board meetings, the opportunity to vote or run in the annual board elections, and more.
Not to mention, these equity shares give back to programs and community outreach initiatives fostered by the cooperative at large. The MMFC ownership brochure notes, “with your equity share and patronage, we are able to provide great products and services, as well as social and economic benefits to the community.”
“By becoming an owner, you support the local economy and help ensure fair wages and good working conditions for farmers, growers, and producers,” Measha Vieth, outreach and education coordinator at MMFC, shared online. “By prioritizing people over profits, co-ops ensure that more money stays close to home.”
Whether you want to save a little bit more on your weekly (or in my case, daily) grocery runs — or reinvest in community change — MMFC ownership allows customers to take control of their food and funds.
Visit either of the Menomonie Market Food Co-op store locations – 814 Main St. E., Menomonie; 206 N. Barstow St., Eau Claire – to learn more about ownership and to submit an application. Applications can also be submitted virtually, through the cooperative’s website.