Category: Announcements

Study Underway for Shared-Use Kitchen Incubator Facility

April 20, 2011
by Gary Huber

The Iowa Food Cooperative is working with several local small business owners to determine the feasibility of developing a shared-use commercial kitchen incubator facility in the greater Des Moines metropolitan area. This facility could be used by small businesses to add value to locally-produced foods, which in turn will stimulate business development and create local jobs.

“We’ve had inquiries from a wide range of people asking if there are licensed facilities they can use to process various foods for local markets,” says Iowa Food Cooperative General Manager Gary Huber.  “Whenever you have lots of people asking for something, that’s evidence of a demand. But to know if it is feasible, we need to know more about their needs.”

An online survey is being used to gather information on the needs of potential tenants (www.surveymonkey.com/s/foodprocessing).  To date 38 surveys have been completed, but organizers would like to double this number before beginning the next phase.

“We need more responses, “noted Karen Hegge, owner of Victoria’s Table, which produces artisan jams and jellies. “Once we have a good handle on who wants to use a facility for what purposes, we can start to match up this information with potential sites.”

Organizers will work over the next several months to further develop the concept. Anyone interested in learning more about the shared-use commercial kitchen incubator facility should contact Gary Huber at  gary@iowafood.org.

Iowa Food Coop Open House!!

November 27, 2010
by Gary Huber

Come and join us for our holiday Open House!

We are hosting some of our best Producers in an open house celebration at our pick up site in Merle Hay Mall!

December 4, beginning at 11am our fabulous producers will be giving away samples of their products.  Meet the fine folks from Wild Rose Pastures, Grandma’s Soap, Griffieon’s Family Farm, Ebersole Cattle Co., Wheat Grass To Go, Wagner Enterprises, Raccoon Forks Farm, Hedgeapple Farm, Anna’s Place Poultry Products, Two Cedars Weaving just to name a few!  Meats, fall veggies, soap, poinsettias, baked goods, candy and much much more will be available for purchase too.

If you have family or friends who are still undecided, this would be a good time for them to sample what the coop has to offer before joining.  If there was something YOU wanted to try before buying this is a good opportunity for you too.  I’m not kidding, Ebersole’s jerky AND beef sticks are out of this world!  Wagner Enterprises caramels are a delicious treat, and don’t you deserve that after all that Christmas shopping?

So come out to our pickup site at Merle Hay Mall, its located on the southside, just inside the doors across from the parking garage, we are next to the Post Office. We will be sampling from 11am to 4pm, and gift memberships will be available too! 

See you there!

Merry

Lynn Fallon Kicks-Off August Membership Drive

July 28, 2010
by Gary Huber

Dear Friends,
Happy Summer!

I am very excited to share the good news that we now have nearly 450 members! When I first visited with Gary and Jason last December, one of the things I was impressed with was their ambition. They set a high, challenging goal of getting 600 members by the end of September. I, for one, like a good stiff  challenge – especially when it’s for a good cause.

But I’m also a big believer in the power of community, and I know that’s what has gotten us this far. Many of you have hosted a house party (and I’m hoping many more will do so in the future!) and they have been very successful. Others share information about the Iowa Food Cooperative with family, friends, and co-workers whenever you have the opportunity and that too has generated new members.

We want to up the ante and tell you about the next big push to reach our goal of 600 members before the first of October. And, we want to provide some incentive to you to help. During the month of August, each person who brings a new member to the Iowa Food Co-op will receive a $10 gift certificate to the IFC. But for those who like a good challenge – we’ll have three gift baskets that will go to the three people who bring in the most new members. These gift baskets will, of course, have a food theme: a Breakfast Basket, a Lunch Basket, and a Dinner Basket.

Many of our producers are donating to the baskets, so you know they’ll be good!

When you invite someone to join, just make sure they put your name in Section 5 where it says, “Please give more detail.” We’ll tally up the new members on September 1, and announce the winners in the September newsletter.

Let’s make it happen!
Lynn

2nd Distribution Site: Village of Ponderosa

July 1, 2010
by Gary Huber

Iowa Food Cooperative Pick Up Location at Village of PonderosaOn our next distribution on July 15th, you’ll be able to pick up your goods at a second location in West Des Moines! A special thanks to LADCO members Jeremy Moore and Charlotte & Dennis Reynolds for making this happen!

The new location is near the West Des Moines Gateway Market Cafe,  just west and North of West Glenn Shopping District. The distribution site will be in “Building C”, also known as “The Bike World Building”.

The address of the building is:
5950 Village View Drive
West Des Moines, IA 50266