People's Food Co-Op, a 40-year-old natural grocery business currently at 436 S. Burdick St. in Kalamazoo, is working with the city's Brownfield Redevelopment Authority to relocate and expand into a block-long, mostly food-business development at 507 Harrison Street in the River's Edge district.
People's Food Co-Op will build a larger 6,000-square-foot building and hire at least six part-time employees. The new store would be located near MacKenzie's Bakery and One Way Products, two other brownfield relocation and redevelopment projects meant to make the most of land that was contaminated by a paper factory while also bringing cohesiveness to similar businesses.
The new facility will increase People's Food Co-Op by more than four times its current size and will make room for a larger prepared foods section, with seating, as well as the addition of a fresh meat section and expanded local and organic produce, grocery, bulk foods, frozen, and refrigerated items.
Once it's in larger quarters, the Co-Op expects to increase the amount it purchases from local farms and processors. In 2009, it spent $100,000. The move will also open up space for the 100-Mile Farmers Market at the new site. In addition, the project will include 1,400 square feet of space to be leased to Fair Food Matters' Can-Do Kitchen, a food business incubator that supports local entrepreneurs in the sale of unique products.
People's Food Co-Op is a community-owned business with over 750 individuals and families owning shares and receiving discounts and rebates as a return on their investment.
People's Co-Op hopes to raise at least $450,000 in loans and equity from owner-members.
"We are so excited to be able to offer a way for the community to invest in good food, in local farming, and in our own economic success," says Chris Dilley, General Manager of People's Food Co-Op.
Writer: Kim North Shine
Source: City of Kalamazoo, Chris Dilley, General Manager, People's Food Co-Op
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