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Sno-Isle Natural Foods Co-op is the only cooperatively owned and operated,
not for profit grocery store in Snohomish and Island Counties. Over 100 million
Americans buy and use goods and services provided by nearly 50,000 cooperatives
across the nation. These transactions represent $500 billion in annual economic
activity. Co-ops are everywhere and touch nearly every part of our lives. A
basic concept that inspires and informs every cooperatively owned and operated
enterprise is the greater economic fairness. Co-ops are created by the people
who want the product a co-op provides. The product may be electricity or telephone
service, insurance clothing and recreational equipment, or food and body care products.
The producers are as varied as life itself but the need is the same – the desire
to obtain these products in a manner that is economically fair and environmentally sound.
A cooperative is an autonomous association of persons united voluntarily to meet
their common economic, social, and cultural needs and aspirations through a jointly
owned an democratically controlled enterprise.
Cooperatives are based on the values of self-help, self-responsibility, democracy,
equality, and solidarity. In the tradition of their founders, cooperative members
believe in the ethical values of honesty, openness, social responsibility, and caring
for others.
The cooperative principles are guidelines by which cooperatives put their values
into practice.
Sno-Isle Natural Foods Co-op is the only cooperatively owned and operated, not
for profit grocery store in Snohomish and Island Counties. Over 100 million Americans
buy and use goods and services provided by nearly 50,000 cooperatives across the
nation. These transactions represent $500 billion in annual economic activity. Co-ops
are everywhere and touch nearly every part of our lives. A basic concept that inspires
and informs every cooperatively owned and operated enterprise is greater economic
fairness. Co-ops are created by the people who want the product a co-op provides.
The product may be electricity or telephone service, insurance clothing and recreational
equipment, or food and body care products. The producers are as varied as life itself
but the need is the same – the desire to obtain these products in a manner that
is economically fair and environmentally sound.
The people who helped create Sno-Isle Natural Foods Co-op nearly 10 years ago were
people in search of healthy whole foods, foods minimally processed such as natural
brown rice and whole grain wheat flour, flour that contains bran and germ. They
were also in search of a neighborhood source for locally grown vegetables, vegetables
grown without the use of artificial fertilizers, weed and pest control agents. And
they were in search of a fair price – economically and environmentally fair to both
the consumer and the grower, fair to the earth and generations to come.
Sno-Isle Natural Foods Co-op continues to grow and improve, providing the very best
natural food and body care products. It is our owner-members who ultimately make
the decisions that guide our business practices. Come visit and shop at our store,
and if you decide to join our cooperative enterprise we welcome you.
Come into the store and ask any staff member. We will be happy to assist you in joining the coop.
The Mission Statement of Sno-Isle Natural Foods Co-op is to
operate a regionally-based community-supported consumer natural foods
cooperative that will:
- Feature natural, bulk and organic foods
- Encourage its members to contribute and participate in its
growth
- Be supportive of local growers and producers
- Be a resource for the community for education toward a
healthy lifestyle
- Welcome diversity in its membership
- Be as eco-friendly as possible
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