Tioga County/Owego, NY Food Coop

[basempires]

Tioga County/Owego Food Coop

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We are exploring the possibility of creating a food cooperative based in Owego, NY. The idea is to model the coop after Greenstar in Ithaca, NY. We are in the process of attempting to schedule a meeting with the powers that be there so as not to reinvent the wheel as they are very successful. Anyway, the idea is both to provide the local community with healthful locally grown meat/produce, etc and to provide another sales outlet for the farmers in the area.

Scott Davis is the person who originally came up with the idea. We are athttp://www.meetup.com/Owego-NY-Food-Coop/members/ for those that would like to check it out. We are in the early infancy stages and could use all the support, ideas, etc. in order to make the project a successful reality!

If interested, please log on to http://www.meetup.com/Owego-NY-Food-Coop/members/ and become part of our planning group.

Thank you!

[shellyr44]

I applaud your idea for a food coop for your area. I live not far from Ithaca and work in the area also. GreenStar is very popular, but is very expensive. They are open to everyone but if you become a member you can work a number of hours there to get discounts off your purchases. I think they are popular because of the type of community that Ithaca is and because of Cornell and Ithaca College. I think that you have a great idea, but I think that you have to take a survey to see if what sells in Ithaca will sell in Owego. There are people in Ithaca with money willing to pay the high prices for organic and health foods that GreenStar sells. A lot of the items I've seen in GreenStar, I've seen in larger super markets for a lot less and you can get some of their produce that is sold to them from the local growers at the farmers market much cheaper or at the farms themselves. Do a survey, see what the local community wants in a market like this and if they think it would work. Those same people could be your customers. Good Luck!

[anniew]

I agree with Shelly. Your communitiy is not like Ithaca, with it's collegial population and faculties, international students, and the people who travel to the wonderful farmers market. It is kinda a mecca for several counties and people will travel to those other places and coincidentally visit Greenstar.
Your population base is also smaller overall. Think it through thoroughly and if it is a go, start small.
Does Owego have a farmers market that is well attended? If so, that might be a good place to start looking for people to establish and help support your cooperative. If not, why not. You need "foodies" to do some of these things, and I'm not sure if Owego is there yet, but certainly better than 10-15 years ago.
Good luck, but think it through thoroughly.