Community invited to learn about grocery co-op

A community information and feedback event for the upcoming Waseca Area Food Cooperative will take place at The Mill in Waseca on Sunday, Oct. 25. Waseca councilwoman Stacy Schroeder will open the session; featured speaker will be Keri Johnson, human resources manager at the St. Peter Food Co-op.

 

Before the introduction, guests will be invited to grab drinks and appetizers while mingling and having a look at interactive displays and reading material. People will be encouraged to consider questions and the benefits of a co-op, including access to healthy foods and how that benefits local agriculture. How it helps to have neighbors connect.

 

There will be committee introductions where they will explain why community input is so important and what they hope to learn. The mission statement for the co-op is: “A vibrant Waseca community where everyone has access to healthy food, local agriculture thrives, neighbors connect through shared experiences, and community ownership creates a resilient and sustainable future for generations to come.”

 

Keri Johnson, HR Manager at the St. Peter Food Co-op & Deli will give a 15-minute presentation on ‘Why a community should own its grocery store. Why local food systems matter and what happens when a community invests in themselves.” 

 

There will also be a question/answer session explaining how ownership of a co-op works, tableside group discussion, and opportunities to become a member of the co-op. They will also be looking for someone with experience in food co-ops, community-owned businesses, local food systems, and economic development. They will also have informational handouts to take home.

 

There have been many steps to reach this point including:

 

May 2026 – The Waseca Area Food Cooperative is authorized as a legal entity under the laws of the State of Minnesota. The authorization allows the cooperative to enter into contracts, apply for grants, and begin formal fundraising.

 

June 2026 – The co-op initiated a feasibility study with Paul Vesey, CPA (Inactive) Business Consultant Small Business Development Center.  The study will be completed by the end of October.

 

August 2026 - Sabri Fair, Environment & Sustainability Planner with Region Nine and Jim Boerboom met with Chu-Yen Pai, Assistant Professor of Marketing at MSU. They discussed how supply chain management courses could support the Waseca Food Co-op.  Holly Callaghan, Economic Development Specialist from GreenSeam introduced Sabri and Jim Boreboom to Dr. Yen in July.

 

September 30 - Dr. Yen shared a course syllabus where students would address five focus areas. They are: 1. Understand School Lunch Customer Needs; 2. Compare Existing Cooperative Partners’ Offerings; 3. Explore Local Produce Sources; 4. Design a Voucher Program Process and 5. Plan Food Rescue Logistics.

 

Dana Srp, who is helping to coordinate the get together at the Mill said, “This is to create an energetic, welcoming community experience that introduces residents to the vision of a community-owned grocery store, allows them to shape that vision, answers their questions and concerns, connects them with local food producers, and inspires them to become owners, advocates and participants in making the store a reality.” All Waseca residents interested in a new grocery store in town are invited to attend.