Interview with Jenifer Angerer of New Pioneer Co-op, pt. 2

New Pioneer Co-op has been providing the Iowa City corridor with fresh, organic, and locally grown food since 1971. For decades, they have paved the way for other Iowa markets interested in providing their own communities with local, organic food. Today, New Pi has expanded to be more than just a grocery store. The market has grown, and New Pi plans to open a new store in Cedar Rapids early next year. The University of Iowa Press asked Jenifer Angerer, the marketing manager, some questions about the expansion, what New Pi offers its members, and the future of buying local and organic.

Alemar Cheese at New Pioneer Co-op, image from Facebook

Why do you think supplying the community with locally and regionally grown food is important?

When you support your local farmers and producers, you are putting your money back in to the community in which you live. You are also reducing the carbon footprint your food consumption leaves on the planet, and local food is about as fresh as you can get (short of growing it yourself). Iowa is one of the world’s largest producers of agricultural crops, yet we import over 90% of the food we eat. In Iowa, we don’t grow many crops for human consumption, and we’d love to see that focus shift.

Why do you think there has been an increase in demand for local and organic foods in the past few years? Do you think the trend will continue or level off?

Community concern and awareness about “where their food comes from” continues to expand into the mainstream and we believe this trend will continue. With global warming and other environmental issues continuing to be a major concern for the world, finding ways to improve our collective carbon footprint will continue to grow.

The dishes on your food blog look delicious! Who writes the posts and makes the dishes? Does everything come from food available at New Pi?

Thank you! Our Catalyst newsletter Editor, Allison Gnade, writes and cooks most of the posts, though other staff members and co-op member-owners contribute to the blog as well. Our Co-op community is deep in food knowledge and, at this time when cooking knowledge is disappearing, it seems like a shame not to share what we know. And yes, the great ingredients come from the Co-op shelves. Flavorful ingredients make it easy to put a delicious meal on the table! We love sharing hidden gems from the store, like our 32-Bean Soup Mix, cooking seasonally, and sharing cooking tips and tricks.

Can you tell us more about the Earth Source Gardens? What's growing there now?

Earth Source Gardens is a community garden offering over 60 garden plots to New Pioneer member-owners, who have the opportunity to sign up annually for a plot to grow annual vegetables and flowers organically (plot registration is available through March 25!). New Pioneer has planted orchards, berry bushes, and annual demonstration plots in the garden for community enjoyment and education as well. Everyone’s welcome to community Garden Parties during the summer – stay tuned for our Equinox party in June – we’d love to see you there!

Interview with Jenifer Angerer of New Pioneer Co-op, pt. 1

New Pioneer Co-op has been providing the Iowa City corridor with fresh, organic, and locally grown food since 1971. For decades, they have paved the way for other Iowa markets interested in providing their own communities with local, organic food. Today, New Pi has expanded to be more than just a grocery store. The market has grown, and New Pi plans to open a new store in Cedar Rapids early next year. The University of Iowa Press asked Jenifer Angerer, the marketing manager, some questions about the expansion, what New Pi offers its members, and the future of buying local and organic.

The original New Pioneer Food Co-op, image from Facebook

New Piooner has expanded to more than just a market. It also encompasses a newsletter, blog, classes, membership, and more. What are some of the most unusual additions to New Pi? What inspired this expansion?

New Pioneer Food Co-op believes that, beyond providing local and organic groceries, supporting the local economy and enhancing our member-owners’ community is one of our primary roles. We accomplish this through our many outreach programs, including, as you noted, cooking classes, gardening classes, and our Soilmates education program, which provides free K-12 education about gardening, composting, and feeding the soil.

New Pi also hosts a community garden for our member-owners called Earth Source Gardens, which is open to the public for educational garden parties each summer. Not only do member-owners get an opportunity to plant their own garden, but they can learn more about gardening and soil management and also have the opportunity to give back to the community by donating their extra produce to the Crisis Center Food Bank.

We continue to expand ways that we can provide community education on organic and local foods, including through our email newsletter, social media (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest), and our food blog, New Pi Eats.

New Pioneer has been incorporated as a cooperative business since 1971, which means we operate differently than a regular profit-driven business. As a cooperative grocery, we’re owned democratically by our member-owners (who each purchase a lifetime share in the company for $60), and are driven by the Seven Cooperative Principles:

1. Voluntary and Open Membership: 
Cooperatives are voluntary organizations, open to all people able to use its services and willing to accept the responsibilities of membership, without gender, social, racial, political, or religious discrimination.

2. Democratic Member Control
: Cooperatives are democratic organizations controlled by their members—those who buy the goods or use the services of the cooperative—who actively participate in setting policies and making decisions.

3. Members' Economic Participation: 
Members contribute equally to, and democratically control, the capital of the cooperative. This benefits members in proportion to the business they conduct with the cooperative rather than on the capital invested.

4. Autonomy and Independence: 
Cooperatives are autonomous, self-help organizations controlled by their members. If the co-op enters into agreements with other organizations or raises capital from external sources, it is done so based on terms that ensure democratic control by the members and maintains the cooperative’s autonomy.

5. Education, Training, and Information: 
Cooperatives provide education and training for members, elected representatives, managers, and employees so they can contribute effectively to the development of their cooperative. Members also inform the general public about the nature and benefits of cooperatives.

6. Cooperation among Cooperatives: 
Cooperatives serve their members most effectively and strengthen the cooperative movement by working together through local, national, regional, and international structures.

7. Concern for Community: 
While focusing on member needs, cooperatives work for the sustainable development of communities through policies and programs accepted by the members.

Grinnell Heritage Farm at New Pioneer Co-op, image from Facebook

After many years exclusively in the Iowa City area, you have announced that you will be opening a location in Cedar Rapids. When does the new store plan to be open? How will this new store be different from the Iowa City and Coralville locations? Do you hope to expand beyond the corridor in the future?

We’re very excited to fulfill our member-owners’ long-time request for a Cedar Rapids store. We have submitted our site plan for the Cedar Rapids store to the City of Cedar Rapids and are awaiting its approval (a process that can take over a month), which governs the schedule of the rest of the work that follows. Once the site plan is formally approved, then we will be in a position to finalize the project schedule and announce an opening date. Our Board of Directors bases any decision to relocate or expand to new locations on what is most economically prudent for the Co-op.