A Decade to Celebrate

Sponsored Content

Co-Op Market Grocery & Deli Brings Service, Sustainability, and Social Responsibility to Fairbanks

Tucked into a circular building in downtown Fairbanks, you’ll find Alaska’s first member-owned, cooperative local grocery store. Filled with a rich selection of local produce, meat, fish, dairy, bakery, deli, frozen foods, wellness items and an impressive bulk department, the Co-op Market makes every shopping trip a chance to connect with community. This values-driven, locally owned store in Interior Alaska began as the seedling of an idea in the early 2000s. In 2013, after years of planning and fundraising, this dream came to fruition.

In Fairbanks and Interior Alaska, access to local, nutritious food can be challenging. The Co-op’s mission is to “work for health and sustainability by providing healthful foods and products, promoting local suppliers, and offering consumer education in an open, community-centered environment, through a viable business.” Amber Quesenberry, the Co-op’s general manager, strives to contribute to the Fairbanks economy in positive ways. “It is our top priority to continue to support local business owners who provide healthy, sustainable products to our shoppers.”

The Co-op exists today in large part thanks to early support from dedicated owners and investors. Rich Seifert, an original owner, investor, and former Board Treasurer, says “Everything about local production is better for the community-its producers and its residents.”

The Co-op emphasizes Alaska-grown foods and produce from the Pacific and Inland Northwest, minimizing the store’s carbon footprint. By supplementing this stock with other grocery items from the Lower 48, the store functions as a full-service grocery. They partner with organizations such as National Cooperative Grocers to provide healthful foods at an affordable cost.

Every summer, the Co-op hosts a seedling swap where the community can freely swap plants. This is a great way to help educate people about plant species and growing methods. The store started a “Local Love” event, too, inviting local vendors to showcase handmade gifts, crafts, or food products.

Board Chair Hilary Shook shops at the Co-op regularly. “Co-op Market remains the first place I go in town to get my groceries. I know that for the Co-op to be financially sustainable and to thrive into the future, my dollars spent at the store matter.”

Anyone can shop at the store-not just members. Many do so because the Co-op has products that can’t be found elsewhere. For just a one-time investment of $200, shoppers can become owners, which helps build capital to sustain Co-op Market. In return, owners participate in a democratically run business. They can vote and run for seats on the board of directors and attend meetings, select recipients of the charitable Lend-a-Hand program, receive 10 percent off shopping trips during owner appreciation days several times throughout the year, and are eligible to place special orders for many items at a reduced price. Over the past decade, ownership has grown to nearly 5,000 local community members.

Reaching this 10-year anniversary is no small feat, especially given the many challenges Co-op Market has faced during the past decade: increased shipping costs, extreme weather, a global pandemic, ongoing supply chain problems, inflation, rising energy costs, road construction… the list goes on. But through it all, the Co-op has persevered by giving back to the community.

To support the Co-op is to support the entire Fairbanks community, because the Co-op is an engine of philanthropic support. Through the Lend a Hand program, Co-op customers may opt to round up their shopping bill to the nearest dollar at the register. 100% of that difference gets donated directly to charitable organizations. This program has generated nearly $225,000 and counting, giving back to dozens of nonprofits including the Fairbanks Community Food Bank, Stone Soup Café, Green Star of Interior Alaska, the Interior Alaska Center for Non-Violent Living, and more.

The board, general manager, and owners look toward the next decade with optimism. They continue to define the store’s role in the local food economy and honor the values upon which the store was founded. The store seeks to increase partnerships with Alaskan vendors, increase the variety of local selections, and educate the community about nutritious food. Longer-term goals include infrastructure upgrades, increased employee support, and expanded fundraising efforts. The best is yet to come!

If you live in the Fairbanks area or plan to visit, do stop in. And in the meantime, follow the Co-Op on social media. Shop local to support local, for the good of all.

907-457-1023
coopmarket.org
526 Gaffney Road, Fairbanks

This sponsored content was originally published in the Spring 2023 issue of Edible Alaska.