Frequently Asked Questions about
Great Bay Food Co-op
What is a food cooperative?
What is Great Bay Food Cooperative ?
A co-op is a group of people working together to produce or distribute
goods or services for their mutual benefit. Co-op members are the owners,
workers and consumers. The Great Bay Food Co-op is a recognized UNH
student organization that supports sustainability and runs a weekly food
store on the UNH campus. We have been on campus since 1976. Co-ops sell
food and related non-food items to its members at prices that are often
lower than those at privately owned retail stores. This is possible
because we are a nonprofit organization, and because the coop is run
entirely through the volunteer labor of our members. Cooperating as a
group, many costs can be reduced, and the savings passed on to our
members. Membership in the Great Bay Food Co-op is open to everyone.
Although many people join a coop to save money, there are other reasons
as well. One of the more important benefits of belonging to the Great Bay
Food Co-op is that the members determine all of the policy decisions.
Thus, we have decided as a coop to buy organically grown food when
practical, to purchase from local growers and manufacturers, and to
minimize our dependence on large corporate producers.
In a society increasingly oriented toward mass production and mass
marketing, often to the detriment of the interests of the consumer and our
environment, coops are among the few institutions in which we can exercise
some control in what we buy and how we buy it. In a coop, the voice of the
membership truly counts.
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Who Can Shop at Great Bay Food Co-op
?
Who Can Join GBFC? Why Join GBFC?
GBFC is open to members and non-menbers. It is not necessary to be a
Co-op member to shop at our co-op. Non-members pay a markup on the things
they buy at co-op. Membership is also open. GBFC is a UNH student
organization and most of the members are UNH students (undergraduates and
grad students), UNH staff and faculty, and UNH alumni. However, Co-op
membership is open to all interested people in the community even though
it is a UNH student organization. To find out more about joining co-op
stop by and talk to the folks at the Membership table. Additional
membership information is also available on our homepage. Joining Great
Bay Good Cooperative not only gives you the opportunity to purchase
quality food at discount prices but it also helps to support member-owned
shopping. As a co-op member you will receive the lowest possible prices
and you will be able to order directly from our distributors.
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Where is Great Bay Food Co-op
located?
Currently, our Co-op is located in Hubbard Hall on the University of New
Hampshire campus. We have been investigating the possibility of moving to
another location, either on or off campus. Our on campus search has not
yet yielded any feasible location. We will post updated information on our
location as soon as any change occurs and we will announce this change in
The New Hampshire (UNH Student Newspaper) and in the Transcript (Durham's
local newspaper). In addition you can call the Co-op Hotline # (862-2616)
for updated information on our relocation plans.
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When is Co-op Open?
Co-op is open year round -- every Wednesday from 4:30
until 7:00 pm.
with these exceptions:
We are closed when the University is closed either for
holidays or for snow days.
Check the calendar or call the Co-op Hotline number for
more specific information.
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How does the Co-op Operate?
How is Co-op Organized?
Great Bay Food Cooperative is operated on a self-service basis. After
you have shopped and helped yourself to the items you want, the cashier
will oversee the money transaction. In addition there are certain items
such as bread and organic produce which are preordered: ordered and paid
for one week, and picked up the next.
The markup on most items sold in the store is 25% above our cost (higher
for nonworking members and nonmembers). This markup generates our
operating capital, and covers expenses such as supplies, phone bills,
shipping charges, and losses due to spoilage. In addition it provides
money with which we are able to expand our inventory. The markup on most
preordered items is only 10% for working members.
Most coop decisions are made at the General Membership Meetings. These
meetings are held every month, and provide an opportunity for all members
to participate in making policies, sharing ideas, and getting to know
other coopers. Meetings are generally started with a pot-luck dinner,
followed by a discussion of business matters. Although most people come
for the whole meeting, you can come for just the business meeting if you
prefer. The date and location of meetings is announced in the coop
newsletter.
In order to keep the coop running smoothly, several departments have
been formed each with a separate responsiblity. The following is a brief
description of some of the departments and jobs that are particularly
suited to new members of the coop.
- Retail Department: The Retail Department takes care of the operation
of coop during coop hours. Jobs include setting up coop at the
beginning, breaking things down at the end, and stocking the shelves.
All jobs are on Wednesdays before, during or after coop hours. Any of
these positions are good for new members who want to meet other coopers
and learn how things work.
- Merchandise Department: The Delivery Committee is a good one for new
coopers to join. It meets on Monday afternoons and involves meeting
deliveries from Northeast. It is generally an enjoyable committee, and
you get a chance to see what products are being bought for resale in
coop first hand..
- Education Department: A central part of our cooperative mission is
education of our members and of the general community. The Education
Department organizes workshops and food demonstrations at co-op,
maintains a lending library for co-op members, publicizes co-op and
co-op principles to the larger community, publishes a monthly
newsletter, provides information on food products available at co-op,
and much more. The jobs of the Education Department are as varied as the
creative energies of our members.
- Front-End Department: This department includes the cashiers who run
the check-out table every week. One of the best jobs for new folks is
that of cashier. It's a great way to meet people and to really know
what's going on at Co-op.
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For more information about Great Bay
Food Cooperative
We invite you to come visit us some Wednesday.
You can also contact our UNH Co-op Hotline.
862-2616
Leave your name and phone number and your questions.
A co-op member will return your call.
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