We are on a mission to open a food co-op:  a community-owned grocery store that serves our needs, not the needs of big corporations.  We source our products as close to home as possible, and are the first open 7 days a week, year-round outlet for Kitsap County farms. By sourcing locally, selling sustainable and natural products, and sending any profits back to the community, food co-ops keep food money in the local economy, instead of heading straight out of it. 

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Who we are

We are more than 900 people who believe in the power of food to transform our bodies, our community, and our planet. We believe that healthy food should be accessible and affordable for everyone, and are working together to fix our local food system.

How we got here

In 2017 Kitsap Community Food Co-op launched a small but successful pop-up store in downtown Bremerton, Washington- a USDA classified food desert.  At under 200 sqft, the pop-up carried a limited selection of local, natural, and bulk foods. Despite its tiny size, it attracted more than 200 customers and recovered all initial startup expenses in less than three months- confirming the need for quality produce and groceries within the local community.  Now we are building on that success and preparing to open our first permanent storefront in Spring 2019!  

Our vision

We secured our own location in 2018, and adopted a plan to open the store in two stages. Through the humbling generosity of our member-owners, volunteers, and partners we’ve already made great progress in bringing our vision to life. We’ve begun the process of turning a former pet store into a fully functioning grocery store – including repairing floors, upgrading plumbing and electrical, and retrofitting the space with energy efficient LED lighting. Through the generosity of our major startup donors, we've already raised over 2/3 of our $50,000 stage-one fundraising goal.  While we are off to a fantastic start, your gift of any size will help fund the remaining construction, equipment, and operational expenses to complete Stage One.

Stage One Highlights:

• Launch date: Spring 2019
• Hours: daily from 11:00 AM – 7:00 PM
• Staffing: 4-5 paid jobs created
• Retail area: A modest but sustainable 800 sqft.
• Featured products: fresh produce, essential bulk staples, and locally-produced meat, eggs, and dairy
  

Stage One Budget

• $10k in infrastructure
• $20K in working capital
• $20K for startup inventory and supplies

Stage Two

Our initial remodel was specifically designed to allow for efficient expansion into Stage Two of our plan, sometime in late 2019 or early 2020. This expansion will significantly increase our retail space, enabling us to broaden our selection of products, add in-house prepared foods, an outdoor seating area, exterior renovations, built-in refrigeration systems, and a point-of-sale system upgrade.  We’ll also expand our hours and hire additional staff.

HOW TO HELP

The best way to support us is to become a member-owner today!  You can  purchase an ownership share at our website and enjoy the long-term benefits our co-op will bring to you and your community. A full share investment in our co-op is $200, payable in one lump sum or in monthly payments. Anyone can shop the co-op, but member-owners will receive special discounts in store, and be eligible for profit-sharing when the store is done growing.

If you’re already a member-owner, or if you’re not quite ready to join, please consider making a contribution right here, today. We’ve got some great perks at various donation levels, listed along the right side of this page. And if you're not a Kitsap County resident, remember that we all benefit when local food systems flourish, no matter where there are!

Lastly - please share this campaign with your friends and family, and encourage them to support us, too.  Every contribution helps, no matter the size.

If you are interested in donating time, skills, or materials to this capital campaign please reach out to info@kitsapfood.coop and introduce yourself!

Thank you

Thank you for taking the time to learn more the Kitsap Community Food Co-op.  We hope you see the value we bring to our member-owners, partners, and overall community, and will help us in our mission to BEET the industrial food system!  

 Keep in touch on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, or you can always send us an email.

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