CAZENOVIA — Recently, local resident Tom Lampros has been leading an effort to explore bringing healthy local foods to the Cazenovia community marketplace through the establishment of a Cazenovia food cooperative.

A food cooperative, or co-op for short, is a business that is owned and democratically operated by its members.

According to Lampros, members are residents of the immediate community and surrounding communities, and they can be anyone from students and senior citizens to the farmers who provide their products.

Members often pay either an annual or lifetime fee and they each get a say in the decisions the co-op makes regarding its structure, products, management, and operations.

“Much is yet to be decided by the membership at large, but the way I’ve seen it work at other stores is that one need not be a member to shop at the co-op, but being a member qualifies [a shopper] for a discount on prices as marked, typically around 5 percent,” said Lampros. “From the consumer side, it’s just like shopping in a corporate grocery store. At check-out, members show their card, and the discount is applied.”

Lampros presented an informational/organizational meeting on the possible establishment of a Cazenovia food co-op on Feb. 17 at the Cazenovia Public Library.

“I’ve had a 60-year relationship with Cazenovia,” Lampros said. “I’ve moved in and out of Caz over four phases of my life. In between, I’ve lived in larger cities and towns smaller than Cazenovia, and in nearly all those places, there have been food co-ops available. I’ve always enjoyed the artisanal cheeses and breads, the organic fruits and veggies, and the reduced costs of bulk items available in co-ops. As a retiring solar engineer, I returned to Caz in 2020 with my partner, and we have been working to establish a homestead and market farm.”

Lampros said while he and his partner take advantage of the availability of local products at Cazenovia shops such as 20|EAST and HeartStone Artisan Bakery, shopping for the products they feel help them maintain a healthy lifestyle often takes them to Hamilton, Syracuse, and Ithaca.

“Hearing that our neighbors often do the same [led] me to reach out to see if more people would be interested in organizing a co-op here,” he said.
Lampros pointed out that a centrally located food co-op in Cazenovia would not only be convenient for local shoppers and farmers, but it would also serve neighboring communities.

“In addition, the co-op will increase the resiliency of the local economy by keeping more of our purchasing dollars here in Caz,” he said. “. . . Seeing the vitality of the farmers’ market and the success 20|EAST has had bringing in local produce, dairy, and meats has been inspirational. [It] would be my hope that the co-op works co-operatively with existing businesses.”

After receiving positive feedback from community members on the idea of starting a co-op, Lampros began researching the steps involved and got in touch with Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) of Madison County and the Small Business Development Center at Onondaga Community College.

According to Lampros, both organizations have been helpful and are guiding the process.

“CCE provided a contact at Mohawk Harvest, a recently formed co-op in Gloversville, which has prepared a guide — funded by Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education — specifically on starting a food co-op,” he said. “We called for a meeting on the Caz Moms Facebook page and had a very good response. So, we booked a room at the library, and I prepared a presentation on the history of co-ops and how we might structure this one.”

The Feb. 17 meeting was attended by about 18 people.

Recognizing that several interested individuals were unable to make it to the meeting due to other commitments, Lampros decided to present the same material again on March 1, from 3 to 5 p.m. in the library community room.

An online survey has also been prepared to gather feedback on what form the community would like a Cazenovia co-op to take.

“True to the democratic nature of co-ops, the members will determine the direction of the organization,” Lampros said. “Will it be a buying club and meet once a month? Or will it be a brick-and-mortar store [that’s] conveniently located with regular hours? If [it’s] a store, would it be in the village or outside of town? Will it just be bulk foods, or will it feature local organic produce and ethically raised meats? What other items will be offered? Cleaning? Healthy cosmetic choices? Healing lotions and potions? Those questions are posed on the survey we’ve prepared.”

On Feb. 20, Lampros reported that based on the survey responses so far, he expects that the co-op would feature locally grown and raised products, preferably organic; sustainably harvested fruits and vegetables; and ethically raised and responsibly harvested meats.

Other offerings may include bulk products, such as GMO-free organic grains, nuts, dried beans, seeds, and dried fruits, as well as fragrance-free shampoos, detergents, and cleaning products.

The consumer would select the volume to be purchased from a bulk bin or dispenser and place the product in a container from home or one provided by the co-op.

According to Lampros, the co-op would also seek to minimize plastic packaging.

Recognizing that the mission of the co-op would ultimately be driven by input from its members, Lampros proposed the following vision statement:

“Caz Co-op welcomes neighbors, connects community, and contributes to local economic vitality by supporting a healthy community, and by bringing together the farmers who have developed a local food system with sustainably grown produce and responsibly raised animals with the residents of Madison County and surrounding communities.”

For updates on the potential establishment of a Cazenovia food co-op, visit facebook.com/groups/cazfoodcoop.