Springfield Food Co-op turns 25

Imagine a late 20th-century food co-op and you might picture a group of hippies in tie-dye and sandals busily rinsing sprouts, filling bulk bins with homemade granola, and helping unload pickup trucks full of local produce.

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Springfield Food Co-op turns 25 BY KAREN ENGDAHL, The ShopperJuly 1, 2017 Springfield Food Co-op Photo by Karen Engdahl. SPRINGFIELD, Vt. – Imagine a late 20th-century food co-op and you might picture a group of hippies in tie-dye and sandals busily rinsing sprouts, filling bulk bins with homemade granola, and helping unload pickup trucks full of local produce. The Springfield Food Co-op may have looked that way when it opened in 1992, but since then the community-owned organization has changed in response to the demands of the modern marketplace. Now celebrating its 25th anniversary, the Springfield Co-op is a successful mainstream organization, still working to stay true to many of its original core values. Springfield Co-op Board members, staff, and Co-op membership gather at the Hartness House. Photo by Karen Engdahl. The Springfield Co-op board of trustees, management staff, employees, and general membership met recently at the Hartness House to celebrate the milestone anniversary and hold their annual meeting. Still member-owned, the Co-op conducts much of its business via Australian ballot and many members were present at the meeting to cast their ballots. The gathering, however, had a festive air as those present proudly reflected on the accomplishments of the organization. General Manager Neomi Lauritsen highlighted the store’s recent accomplishments, including working on employee compensation, staff training, and projects such as truckload sales and developing a coffee/juice bar. The continuing success of the Co-op presents new problems, notably running out of space. Lauritsen and the board are looking into possibilities for expansion. Springfield Co-op Marilyn Scholl, Board consultant, and Neomi Lauritsen, General Manager. Photo by Karen Engdahl. With over $1,800,000 in sales last year, the Co-op is a solid member of the local retail community. Management and staff have worked diligently to respond to customer needs, which have moved over the years from a bulk-food orientation to a focus on healthy prepared foods, including grab ’n’ go cafe items. Once staffed primarily by volunteers who received discounts in exchange for hours worked packaging food, stocking shelves, and filling bulk bins, the Co-op is now staffed almost entirely by paid employees. According to Lauritsen, this is due to liability issues. The new Co-op volunteer is a member of the board, not someone actually working on the sales floor. The Co-op customer base has expanded as well as more and more consumers look for healthy organic, fair-traded options when shopping for groceries and personal care products.