Whenever I feel homesick, I always reminisce about funny childhood memories. Last week, in bed with the flu and desperately missing my mother’s helpful care, I thought back to all of my “grocery store adventures”- ranging from cart surfing to accidently knocking down food displays to free cookie samples from the supermarket’s elusive “cookie club.” But, the main highlight of every grocery store trip was convincing my mom to purchase the special “kids” food products with the “free” prizes inside. After all, how could I deny the promise of a special surprise from an inviting, adorable cartoon beckoning me to place the box inside my mother’s cart?

But like most good things, my grocery store rendezvous eventually hit a very dark turn. Even with a rather “undeveloped” palate, I slowly realized that the kids’ foods with special prizes inside were “yucky.” And after multiple disappointing cheap, plastic “surprises,” I developed a growing sense of distrust—Tony the tiger and that creepy little Lucky Charms leprechaun were nothing more than big fat liars!

I now realize that it wasn’t poor, innocent Tony the tiger but rather, Big Food at fault. The food options available to the majority of Americans are so terrible, that these massive corporations have to lure children through bribes of “free” prizes that, in turn, are completely dreadful and substandard in their own right.

Unsurprisingly, these same marketing tactics are employed on adults too. Wholesale-product discounters such as Wal-Mart, Sam’s Club and Costco were smartly established to take advantage of our continual search for that “free” prize. Loads and loads of unhealthy processed foods that taste bad, but are cheap and available at special “membership” discounts were warmly and enthusiastically accepted by most Americans. Free stuff, you say? Yes, please!!

But, Big Food couldn’t fool us all for long.

“We wanted to establish a healthier and more responsible place to purchase food,” says UC Berkeley sophomore Matthew Kirschenbaum. “We didn’t want another unhealthy or fast-food option.”

Four years ago, Panda Express wanted to move into a vacant store space across the way from Sproul Plaza, the epicenter of UC Berkeley’s campus. A group of students, dissatisfied with the prospect of yet another unhealthy food option, decided enough was enough! Like true Berkeley students, this collection of individuals protested and managed to secure initial grants from The Green Initiative Fund (TGIF) allowing them to purchase the store space. With more funds secured through grants from Bears Breaking Boundaries and the New Alumni Challenge, the Berkeley Student Food Collective (BSFC) opened its doors on November 15^th, 2010.

As owners of a brand new health food store (the most challenging of food business types), these Berkeley students took on a huge undertaking. Through motivation, dedication and a progressive business plan, the BSFC has, amazingly, established itself as a successful non-profit food supplier.

Part of the reason for the BSFC’s prolific success was the decision to establish itself as a collective.

Collectives are often viewed as an irresponsible or “hippy-dippy” business model that cannot yield substantial profits. This perception couldn’t be farther from the truth (well, except for the hippy part).

According to Fortune Magazine, “the Park Slope Food Co-op (PSFC), the largest consumer-owned single-store co-op by sales in the U.S., had $39.4 million in sales during its [2010] fiscal year, raking in more than $6,500 per square foot annually.” This is nearly four times what a “successful” Trader Joe’s store in California earned in sales that same year, making just $1,750 per square foot.

How is this possible?

Under the Park Slope cooperative model, all customers must be members of the co-op. Every member is a part owner of the business. In addition to a one-time membership fee, all food cooperative members must work a set number of hours at the store per week. Additionally, all purchasing decisions are made through a democratic, anti-hierarchical process.

Fortune Magazine reports that, “the two biggest expenses for a grocer are labor and the cost of goods.” With mandatory membership work obligations, the labor expenses are substantially (if not entirely) minimized within a collective. This allows for greater investments in higher quality products that don’t need to be sold at jacked-up prices. Additionally, members have an invested interest and direct say in what foods are supplied. This ensures that the products purchased are exactly what the customers demand (healthy and affordable not junky or exorbitantly expensive).

Under this cooperative business model, there is no need to offer “free” prizes or mass amounts of cheaply produced, unhealthy options. Tony the tiger can be released back into his natural habitat of cartoon jungle-land instead of subjugated to a faulty marketing ploy.

The BSFC follows this same collective structure but does not require membership fees and will sell to any and all prospective customers, not just members (although all members are awarded an additional 10% discount). With nearly 100 active members dedicated to providing the most ethical and affordable food options possible (all organic, local and humane) through a well-organized, progressive and incentive-based business plan, the BSFC is breaking the perception that healthy food has to be expensive and that ethical businesses have to be profit-adverse. “I’m learning from real-life experience how to run a responsible business while also working towards making healthy food available for everyone,” says Kirschenbaum.

Unlike Big Food and their deceptive marketing experts, the BSFC works from a radically different mindset. By aiming to engage customers as well as train future ethical business leaders through a collective business model, the BSFC is not only providing affordable and nourishing food products, but is also building a movement. The Berkeley Student Food Collective is showing us that it’s entirely possible to take control over what we choose to eat if we act together, as a collective whole.

Check out the Berkeley Student Food Collective on Facebook! And stop by their store at 2440 Bancroft Way, #102, Berkeley, CA 94704.

Trending Articles: