Local Love
We define local as anything grown or value-added in the state of Vermont or within 100 miles of our co-op. Local is ingrained in every aspect of what we do and our support of local goods and vendors can be found on every shelf, in every department.
These are just a few of the ways you and the Co-op had a huge local impact last year:
- $9.9 million in local product sales, 40% of our total sales
- 491 Vermont vendors provided goods & services
- 36,944 gallons of local milk sold
- 59,446 dozens of local eggs sold
- 93,592 pounds of local apples sold
- 10,360 pints of local maple syrup sold
You can check out our latest Impact Report here to read more of our many local impacts.
Our local products include a wide variety, many of which are among our staff’s favorites. Kingdom Creamery Ice Cream is loved by our Lead Buyer, Olivia, who says, “It’s incredible ice cream made across the road from their fourth-generation family farm. Their roadside stand is a summertime travel destination after a day in the sun, but this time of year I like to buy it with a pint of strawberries from the Co-op and top it with Santa Cruz chocolate sauce.”
Our Wellness Buyer, Michael, loves the Elderberry Syrup form Samhain Herbs, saying, “It’s deep immune support for the cold winter months. With a really nice flavor profile, it’s a great way to stay healthy during cold and flu season or all year long!”
Assistant Grocery Manager Doni uses two products he loves for pizza night. “Maplebrook Fram Fresh Mozzarella is the only cheese I ever buy for making pizza. Every week, I buy two balls for our weekly pizza night, and couldn’t imagine using anything else. I aspire to make my own pizza dough, but I often don’t find the time to make it the day before. At those times, I am always glad to be able to pick up Co-op made pizza dough. No stress, easy, and it tastes great,” he says.
Check out more of our Local Love staff picks on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
Another way we shine the spotlight on our local vendors is by having them in for live product demos. Throughout February, we’ve got a great lineup, including: Shelburne Farms on Feb. 15 from 3 – 6pm, Big Gear Coffee on Feb. 20 from 11am – 2pm; Fieldstone Pizza on Feb.22 from 3-6pm; Baird Farm on Feb. 23 from 11am – 2pm; goodMix on Feb. 27 from 2-5pm; and many more. You can see the full listing and get more information at our event calendar here.
Every month, we also feature a local nonprofit organization as the recipient of our Give Change program. Customers have the chance to round up their purchase to the next dollar and that “change” becomes part of a collective effort to support those organizations and their programs and has a direct impact on our local community. Good Samaritan Haven (GSH) is our featured community partner for February. On Valentine’s Day, Thursday the 14th, we will be matching all of the funds donated through our customers rounding up at the register. All of the change you can give on that day will be doubled and provide even greater support to GSH.
Dedicated to transforming the lives of people experiencing homelessness, Good Samaritan Haven is more than just a homeless shelter. They have four different facilities with a total of seventy-seven beds, where they can provide items like food, clothing, toiletries, showers, and laundry for those in need, and there is never any kind of charge or fee. Going above and beyond providing those basic needs, they also provide case management, referral services,
Along with the Give Change recipient, every month we highlight other community partners as well. Our Local Featured Vendor for this month is Baby Bundts of Vermont, check out our profile of them here. We also have a local artist, Merry K. Schmidt, exhibiting through our Art in the Cafe program until the end of the month. Read her story here.
