The Story of the Iowa Food Cooperative
Our Founding
The Iowa Food Cooperative began with a vision from our 21 founding members. They wanted to create a marketplace that would connect consumers and food producers in their area. Initially they helped launch a distribution business in Ames called “Eat Iowa” and tried to work with Loffredo; then they received a 2 year planning grant from the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture thanks to the first general manager, Gary Huber. This was the beginning of the cooperative.
The Early Years
Our first physical location was in the Merle Hay Mall, which allowed us to use their space for free. The catch was, since we weren’t paying, the mall would frequently move the shop whenever it was convenient for them, sometimes with short notice. We would then need all hands on deck to transport our commercial freezers, fridges, and odds and ends across the shopping center.
Even without frequent moves, the mall could be chaotic – imagine producers wheeling carts of vegetables around shoppers to deliver their promised goods to the co-op. When a space became available at the nearby Franklin Plaza Shops (and the price was right), we seized the opportunity.
Growth
In our first shopping cycle, November 2008, we had 44 members order $3271 in product from 18 different producers. As of early 2025, we have now sold products to 3,509 total members from 363 total producers, resulting in over $5,500,000 in total sales. Not only do we have our storefront near the Franklin library, we also have several satellite locations around the Des Moines metro where customers can pick up their orders closer to their homes or workplaces, and even a delivery option for ultimate convenience.
In 2022, we implemented a new software called Shop.Eat.Local developed by Cultivate: Local Food Connections. This software fosters more connection between producers and consumers. Each producer has their own page where they can explain their background and practices, so shoppers can make an informed decision about which items suit their needs. We are the first company to use this software, but it is now open-source, and other markets may be following in our footsteps soon.
The Co-op Today and Tomorrow
We want to encourage community around food. Our storefront is open to shopping for all, members and non-members alike. We host workshops taught by local business owners and host our producers for pop-ups in warm weather. Creating a network built on personal interactions is our goal. Making people think about food is difficult in today’s world of grocery giants and factory farms but we believe it is still possible to create a better world where people appreciate their food more because they know who produced it.
Press
For some, the scariest part of October isn’t Halloween, but the last day of the farmers market. Des Moines area residents, however, need only pay a visit to www.iowafood.coop to buy fresh, local produce all year long.
Paul Brennan, Little Village
The Warren County Extension Office recently became a satellite of the Des Moines-based Iowa Food Cooperative, a hub of homegrown and handmade items from across Iowa.
Mark Davitt, Independent Advocate