Alpena Food Co-Op

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Alpena Food Co-Op Our goal is to create a quality grocery store in Downtown Alpena, Michigan that is owned by and operated for the community.

Join the movement today and help us get there!

Members of a cooperative are also members of a greater community with its own unique needs. In general, co-ops prioritiz...
10/13/2026

Members of a cooperative are also members of a greater community with its own unique needs.

In general, co-ops prioritize people over profit. This can be an expanding ripple of care and concern for the community that looks like creating jobs, funding development projects, expanding access to resources,
and so much more.

Cooperatives serve their members most effectively and strengthen the cooperative movement by working together through lo...
10/12/2026

Cooperatives serve their members most effectively and strengthen the cooperative movement by working together through local, national, regional and international structures.

It is important to spend time learning and teaching about cooperatives to people in our co-op, the general public, and o...
10/10/2026

It is important to spend time learning and teaching about cooperatives to people in our co-op, the general public, and our youth.

Co-operatives provide education and training for their members, elected representatives, managers, and employees so they can contribute effectively to the development of their co-operatives.

It is key for a co-op to be controlled by its members, as a self-directed, independent, or autonomous organization. Coop...
10/09/2026

It is key for a co-op to be controlled by its members, as a self-directed, independent, or autonomous organization.

Cooperatives are autonomous, self-help organisations controlled by their members. If they enter into agreements with other organisations, including governments, or raise capital from external sources, they do so on terms that ensure democratic control by their members and maintain their cooperative autonomy.

Members have paid into the co-op and have a say in how that money is controlled. There is rarely a traditional return on...
10/08/2026

Members have paid into the co-op and have a say in how that money is controlled. There is rarely a traditional return on investment with this money; it is used to build the cooperative.

Later on, in a successful food co-op, the year's profits are divided between re-investing in the business and paying a portion of profit to members based on how much they spent at the co-op that year.

Cooperatives are democratic organisations controlled by their members, who actively participate in setting their policie...
10/07/2026

Cooperatives are democratic organisations controlled by their members, who actively participate in setting their policies and making decisions. It's key for member-owners to use their decision-making power and participate in the control of the cooperative. Often, this looks like each member-owner holding one vote and voting for board members who serve as elected reps accountable to the voting body.

Cooperatives are generally places to come together and, through joint ownership and democratic control, create what we n...
10/06/2026

Cooperatives are generally places to come together and, through joint ownership and democratic control, create what we need to meet our common needs.

Each co-op has its own requirements to become a member-owner, yet this first cooperative principle is rooted in openness, no matter your gender, social, racial, political, or religious status.

We'd like to introduce you to the seven co-operative principles that guide food co-op operations. 1. Voluntary and Open ...
10/05/2026

We'd like to introduce you to the seven co-operative principles that guide food co-op operations.
1. Voluntary and Open Membership
2. Democratic Member Control
3. Members' Economic Participation
4. Autonomy and Independence
5. Education, Training, and Information
6. Cooperation Among Cooperatives
7. Concern for Community

This week, we will take a look at each one of these guiding principles!

A few of our co-op representatives were able to participate in a tour of the operations of Bonz Beach Farms in Onaway. W...
10/01/2026

A few of our co-op representatives were able to participate in a tour of the operations of Bonz Beach Farms in Onaway. We were blown away by their facilities and passion for local agriculture and sustainability.

Along with its 4,400+ Maple Taps, Bonz Beach Farms is roughly 2 acres of a large, deer-proof garden, several hoop houses, and an edible playground for the chickens and ducks. The farm yields a broad range of seasonal produce, including tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, garlic, squash, lettuce, carrots, radishes, beets, onions, beans, and herbs.

These are the growers and producers we are excited to be able to support.

What is a food co-op? Who can shop there (spoiler alert: everyone)? And what are the benefits of food co-ops? A brief ex...
09/25/2026

What is a food co-op? Who can shop there (spoiler alert: everyone)? And what are the benefits of food co-ops? A brief explanation.

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Alpena, MI

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