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The Sacramento Natural Foods Co-op moved into its current 47,000-square-foot store on R Street in 2018 . Its produce section has been 100 percent organic since 2000 .
little over 8,000 active member owners and over $ 3 million in ownership assets .”
A friendly bet on who would hit $ 1 million first
Sacramento , even with its much larger population in 1972 , began more modestly than Davis , but grew steadily . Both Evans and Mueller remember they had a bet about who would first hit the $ 1 million mark in annual sales , and Davis won by reaching the number in mid-August 1982 . Mueller attributes Davis ’ fast start to its smaller , more centralized population area , while Sacramento initially was focused on its downtown , less affluent residents .
“ Originally we were drawing from what you would call at the time the hippie population ,” says Mueller , who acted as the store ’ s first manager . “ But it was a pretty good location , and we had a fair amount of foot traffic , but basically it was all word of mouth . Eventually , we made enough money so that we could finally think about getting a bigger place .”
The Sacramento moves continued , first into a larger space in 1974 on Freeport Boulevard , then in 1989 to Alhambra Boulevard at the corner of S
Street , doubling its size and employees while adding a fish , meat and poultry counter and wine and beer . The store has offered an all-organic produce section since 2000 . A second store in Elk Grove , however , lasted only about two years , from June 2004 to January 2007 , after not reaching anticipated sales numbers .
Sacramento moved into its current 47,000-square-foot store on R Street in 2018 . Today , Sacramento is one of the largest single-store co-ops in the country , with $ 48 million in sales last year , more than 11,000 members and around 200 employees , Larkin says . A full share membership is $ 300 , or $ 25 every six months until the $ 300 is reached .
Today , food co-ops are commonplace , with almost 170 in the National Co-ops Grocery System . Non-members can shop at nearly all co-ops , including those in Davis and Sacramento , and they ’ ve become a popular alternative to mainstream supermarkets . Fifty years later , has the spirit of 1972 held up ?
“ I think the co-ops are built on this whole foundation , and having these founding philosophies ,” says Larkin . “ Coops work together ; co-ops support their communities . That ’ s what makes it different from traditional businesses . Our members invest in us , and they reap the benefits of the business .”
Evans says her early days forming the Davis co-op dramatically shaped her life . “ We always say we were food rebels who were UC Davis students ,” Evans says , adding that the co-op was one of the first UC Davis student-run businesses . “ We wanted to change the food system and I ’ d say , together with the movement at the time , we were somewhat successful .”
Steve Martarano was a reporter at the Sacramento Union for 10 years before working in public affairs for both state and federal agencies in Sacramento . On Twitter @ MartArchives .
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30 comstocksmag . com | August 2022