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.

Interview with Preston Moore of NewBo City Market, pt. 2

The NewBo City Market is a year-round indoor and outdoor market located in the New Bohemia District in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Since its opening in 2012, the market has been selling local and homegrown foods, arts, and crafts, as well as putting on events for the community. Due to new interest in organic food and local businesses, the NewBo City Market has been bustling each day since its opening. We talked to Preston Moore, Director of Marketing & Special Events at NewBo, about the market, local food, and the future of city markets.

Tell us a little about your Learning Garden. What's growing there now?

Right now, the only thing growing in the learning garden is the number of inches of snow spilling over the top of the raised beds. 

Joking aside, the Learning Garden is a tremendous asset to the market. This past summer, a Master Gardener was on site each Saturday to teach children (and even some grownups) about where food comes from and how to care for grown food. You can see a list and description of the items that were grown in 2013 here: http://newbocitymarket.com/about/learning-garden/.

What do you think is the future for local food markets like NewBo?

I think as we look to the future, places like NewBo City Market are going to be opening up shop everywhere. The desire for fresh, locally produced food (both whole foods and prepared) has grown by leaps and bounds in recent years. I only see that desire expanding. I don't exactly know what the future holds for markets like ours, but our entire existence is based on the mission of helping the public gain access to quality and fresh foods. With that said, I think we're in store for a very successful future.

Can you tell us about any similar markets in the Midwest for readers who might not be close to Cedar Rapids?

More and more are opening every day. There's a public market in Milwaukee, WI; Columbus, OH; Lincoln, NE; Detroit, MI... the list really goes on and on. I can't stress how important public markets are to local economies and small businesses, so if any of your readers are anywhere close to one, I strongly encourage them to take an afternoon to check it out! (And if any of them are ever in Cedar Rapids, I'd love for them to swing by NewBo City Market and say hello.)

Interview with Preston Moore of NewBo City Market, pt. 1

The NewBo City Market is a year-round indoor and outdoor market located in the New Bohemia District in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Since its opening in 2012, the market has been selling local and homegrown foods, arts, and crafts, as well as putting on events for the community. Due to new interest in organic food and local businesses, the NewBo City Market has been bustling each day since its opening. We talked to Preston Moore, Director of Marketing & Special Events at NewBo, about the market, local food, and the future of city markets.

Despite being located in downtown Cedar Rapids, which is still recovering from the 2008 floods, the NewBo City Market has thrived. What do you think are the biggest factors contributing to NewBo's success?

Cedar Rapids as a whole has come a long way since the floods of 2008. Parts of town have recovered much more quickly than others, and NewBo City Market is very fortunate to be in a neighborhood that has rebounded with what I would consider to be considerable speed. The biggest single factor that has contributed to the success of the market has honestly been its people. From its very inception, NewBo City Market has had the support of some very passionate people--and as with most successful projects, our passionate people were loud and ardent advocates for our existence. We simply wouldn't be here (even in the form of an idea) without the support of those that truly wanted the market to be here.

Local markets and food have been rapidly growing in popularity. How do they benefit communities? How does NewBo benefit Cedar Rapids?

Public markets have always served a wide variety of purposes in their communities. A trend that has popped up in recent years is the development of public markets in towns/areas that have, for whatever reason, faced a decline. Our neighborhood's decline was a literal one due to the 2008 flood, but other communities' issues aren't always as transparent. In the case of Cedar Rapids, and more specifically our neighborhood, I think the main benefit of NewBo City Market is that we have encouraged economic and community growth. It's hard to ignore a bright red 20,000-square-foot building that takes up an entire square block. People who had been eyeing this neighborhood as a potential launching point for their businesses took note of the success our market was experiencing and said to themselves, "This neighborhood will work." There is a sense of stability here that we aren't entirely responsible for, but I certainly believe we contributed to.

NewBo is more than just a city market; it's part of the New Bohemia neighborhood. What is the atmosphere New Bohemia tries to create? How does the market play a role in that?

The general atmosphere of any Bohemian neighborhood is driven by artists and creators. Our neighborhood is home to galleries that house some of the greatest artists in the Midwest. We also have what are arguably the most visited restaurants, bars, and shops in the downtown area. I think NewBo City Market plays a role in that by giving our merchants and vendors a space to "test the waters," so to speak. Our vendors and merchants are the smallest of small businesses, and without a space like the market, some of them would have never have gotten off the ground. We're very fortunate to have a the space we do in that sense.

We also work hard to partner with other organizations in the community, as well as artists and musicians, to make sure everyone who wants visibility is able to get it. We see jugglers, balloon artists, dancers, gymnasts, and a wide array of street artists visit the market every single week. We love being the sort of "town square" that those people need in order to gain exposure.

Check back next week for the second part of this interview!