Organizers of the planned Wild Onion Market food co-op say they’ve reached a key milestone — more than 1,000 households have signed up to become founding members.
Evanston resident Lisa Gibbons, who’s vice-president of the co-op board, says having 1,000 owners is seen as making a co-op a viable and credible project by banks and funders.
That level is also seen as an important target by the national Food Co-op Initiative.
Wild Onion has been organizing since 2014 and Gibbons says it has doubled its membership in the past two years. It reportedly reached 748 members last May.
Gibbons says the planned market will serve Rogers Park, West Ridge and Evanston. A site for the store has not yet been selected. She says most of the new owners who have joined over the last 18 months have been Evanston residents.
She says the organizers plan to sell affordable, healthy, local and organic foods and support sustainable agriculture.
“It’s so powerful to see our community taking action following a time of unprecedented supply chain disruption, food insecurity, and global uncertainty,” said Jillian Jason, Wild Onion Market Board President. “Cooperation is the way forward. It’s our tool for creating a food system that works for us and an economy that works for everyone.”
The price to become a co-op owner is $250. Details are available on the co-op website.