FAQs
How do I become a member?
Click here to find out about becoming a member of the San Juan Island Food Co-op
Is Volunteering required?
Our co-op is mostly volunteer operated. Our manager Anna and our volunteer coordinator Simona are currently our only paid staff. Thus, everything you see got that way through the efforts of volunteers. While volunteering is not required for membership, it is strongly encouraged. Members who are unable to work regularly should in any case take responsibility for the upkeep and security of the store–sweep and take out garbage once in a while, restock receipts from the file drawer, report unusual occurrences, and of course be friendly and helpful to newcomers.
How do I place a special order?
Members are welcome to place special orders through the Co-op for 5%, 10% or 15% markup over wholesale costs depending on the supplier and your membership status. If you are interested in placing a special order, please pick up a special order instruction sheet at the co-op or contact us for instructions.
How local and regional is it?
The Co-op’s purpose is to support local and regional farmers and food producers. Our sales continue to grow. The 2011 percentages are 24.8% local, defined as San Juan County, and 16.6% regional—mostly Puget Sound region but including Washington, Oregon, and British Columbia. These regional amounts reflect items procured directly from producers; however, a very large amount of regional shelf and cooler stock comes to us through our big distributors, UNFI and Azure Standard—beans and grain products, chocolate and ice cream, tofu and frozen produce, dairy and beverages, for example–making the totals far greater. According to Kathy Pryor in her Keynote address to the 2012 Farm-to-Table Trade Meeting, the goal is that 50% of what people eat should be sourced locally, which is generally defined as within 300 miles; our Co-op already meets or exceeds that goal. We put our food $$ right back into our economy by supporting producers from San Juan County, nearby Puget Sound Counties, Washington State, and our neighbors, Oregon and British Columbia. Eat well! Eat local! Support the Co-op’s Mission!
Want to sell stuff at our co-op?
Do you grow something or make things you would like to sell? Contact Anna, the manager for guidelines.
Don’t see something you would like us to carry?
Write a little note, including manufacturer, distributor and put it in the suggestion box at the co-op. We make buying decisions based on where an item comes from, how sustainable the packaging is, if it contains gmo’s, if it sold in the past. Anna, the manager pins up responses on our bulletin board when an item will be stocked or why we won’t carry it.
How do we choose what we carry?
Our Food Forum meets monthly to discuss and research new products. All members are welcome to participate and to help us insure that the items we carry are in line with our mission of local, organic and/or sustainable growing practices. Contact us for meeting times.
How can I post events/pamphlets on the bulletin board?
Put your dated poster with a sticky note containing your contact information in the basket on the office door. We’ll hang it up if it fits our policies. If your event has something to do with food, we will want it there. In other cases we’ll make a case by case decision.