[ Flying Kite ] Fixing Fresh Food: Greater Philly's Co-Ops Find Their Way

For some, the concept of food co-ops may conjure up images of leafy greens, and granola, with members sharing the work. Although this model still works in some areas, the co-op of today is just as likely to be a modern storefront offering a full range of groceries, with an emphasis on the healthful, locally grown, organic, economically conscious, and/or fair trade.

It's clear that the co-op model is still an attractive one, as evidenced by seven new start-ups in Eastern Pennsylvania, from Chester to Doylestown and an eighth in Scranton, in addition to the six established ones in the Philadelphia Metro area. From Virginia to New York, 31 co-ops have organized into the Mid-Atlantic Food Co-op Alliance.

"People are becoming savvier about food," says Glenn Bergman, general manager of the Weavers Way Co-ops. "They like to know where their food is coming from and where their money is going. By shopping at a co-op, they know they are keeping their money local and reinvesting in their own community."

The current burst in co-op development is only a small part of a larger dynamic -- the same dynamic that brought First Lady Michelle Obama to Philadelphia as part of her "Let's Move" program, stating, "we want to replicate your success here in Pennsylvania all across America."

After having had the second-lowest number of supermarkets per capita of major cities in the United States a decade ago, Philadelphia has... [ READ MORE ]