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People’s Food Co-op of La Crosse, Wisconsin |
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 People's Food Co-op first started offering its members Equal Exchange products
in 1989, when both organizations were very different than they are today. The
co-op, founded in 1973, was the result of a class on whole foods offered
through the "Free University" program at University of Wisconsin-La Crosse.
In a relatively short period of time, what had started as an idea turned into a
modest storefront. By the time Equal Exchange coffee started to partner
with the co-op in 1993, People's was located in a somewhat larger but
unassuming storefront on Adams St. in La Crosse. It was a only a 5-person
operation whose membership consisted of 200 households.
 For eleven years, the People's co-op community kept growing, eventually
moving to a newer, downtown location. The store recently expanded into
12,000 square feet of retail space with a full service deli, community
room/classroom, and a second-floor restaurant called Hackberry's; and
membership grew to 2,800 households. During a time when many other co-ops
have folded, People's success is a testament to the vision and commitment of the
members and staff.
People's Food Co-op is more than the largest single-location co-op in
Wisconsin; it's also a place where the workers and members have demonstrated
a great concern for where the food they sell comes from. This is evidenced
by the store's commitment to Equal Exchange Fair Trade products, its participation
in a producer tour of Nicaragua and its recent hosting of a visiting coffee cooperative
representative from Peru.
The history between Equal Exchange and the People's Food Co-op is long and
dynamic. Since the very first day, the partnership between the two groups has allowed
each to reach its goals and has helped each to become stronger. In a recent conversation,
Sanja Dojcinovic, Marketing and Outreach Director for the Co-op, commented on the
relationship. "We are so proud to offer Equal Exchange coffee to our customers," she
said. "In fact, we serve only Equal Exchange varieties both in our deli and at Hackberry's.
We've made a commitment to our shoppers and members to provide the best in
foods. Equal Exchanges is clearly a part of that commitment."
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