Retailer Spotlight: People's Food Co-op

People's Food Co-op in La Crosse, Wisconsin has been in business since 1973! Their second location in Rochester, Minnesota was originally called the Good Food Store.

It started in 1975. Both stores began as small buying clubs for bulk purchases and grew from there.

The two stores merged in 2012 as People's Food Co-op, and remains member-owned with more than 10,000 members!

Not bad for two little buying clubs started in the 1970s.

They are a natural foods store, specializing in local and organic produce, meat and seafood, health and wellness items. 

Both stores have full delis with bakeries and coffee bars, and make their Co-op’s Own™ deli and bakery items in-house using the freshest ingredients with no artificial additives or ingredients. 

And all profits stay in the La Crosse and Rochester communities.

They source from local farmers and producers as much as possible and believe in an ethical, transparent food system so that the customers can feel good about the food that they put on their family table.

They know many of our farmers by their first names; take seriously their role in supplying shoppers with the best quality foods from the rich farmlands of Southwest Wisconsin and Southeast Minnesota.

They also have a vibrant community outreach program, providing classes in cooking and wine tasting, yoga and kids’ classes. 

These offerings delight their diverse customer base.

And you do not need to be a member to shop (though you can take advantage of all sorts of sales and discounts if you are)!

Being the only downtown grocery store in La Crosse, people come from nearby neighborhoods and travel in from the surrounding area.

The Rochester location is just blocks away from Mayo Hospital, so they serve people from around the country and the world! 

There’s really nothing else like People’s Food Co-op in La Crosse or Rochester. A welcoming, open space for people to find food, classes, and community.

People's Food Co-op La Crosse WI - image courtesy of Chad Johnson