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Visiting Author Jon Steinman on The Promise of Food Co-ops in the Age of Grocery Giants

This Saturday, author Jon Steinman will be visiting Honest Weight this weekend as part of his tour of food co-ops to celebrate his new book, Grocery Story: The Promise of Food Co-ops in the Age of Grocery Giants. Grocery Story makes a compelling case for how food co-ops, as alternatives to corporate grocery giants, are spurring the creation of delicious local food economies and stronger communities, while changing the global food system for the better. 
 
Stop by the Co-op on Saturday between 11am and 6pm to meet Jon and ask any questions you have about food co-ops or the grocery industry. All books sold during the event will come with a packet of organic seeds from High Mowing!
 
(Also on Saturday, enjoy Earth Month Doorbuster Deals and the final weekend of our Easter coupons!)
 
Jon Steinman will be visiting over 100 food co-ops across the U.S. and Canada as part of his tour. Grocery stores owned by their customers are nothing new. They’ve been around in a lasting and meaningful way for the better part of the past century – and yet, very little has been written about them– particularly in book form. In a new book from author Jon Steinman of Deconstructing Dinner, the role of consumer food co-ops is examined through an eye-opening account of the history of grocery retailing in America, the rise of chain grocers and the impact these grocery giants have had on the entire food system from farm to plate.
 
To launch Grocery Story: The Promise of Food Co-ops in the Age of Grocery Giants, Steinman is
embarking on an extensive tour across the U.S. and Canada throughout 2019 with visits to upwards of
150 food co-ops from coast to coast.  “I couldn’t imagine any other way to launch this book,” says Steinman of the ambitious book tour. “Grocery stores represent the most vital, and yet often forgotten link in the food system. This book was written to both remind and introduce eaters to the significant influence consumer-owned food cooperatives can have in reshaping global and local food systems and economies. I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to meet face-to-face with food cooperators across the country.”
 
Steinman will be visiting existing co-ops with storefronts and those only just emerging. There are presently 230 food co-ops across the United States with more than 300 locations among them. Another 100 are in their start-up phase.
 
Grocery Story will be of particular interest to existing and soon-to-be members of food co-ops and to
anyone passionate about expanding access to healthy, clean, local food in their communities.
Foodmakers of all sizes are also encouraged to attend events. Steinman devotes considerable attention
in the book to the challenges and opportunities smaller-scale foodmakers encounter when working
within the dominant food system channels.
 
The tour will run from April through December and more information on the book and tour locations
can be found on the book’s web site, www.grocerystory.coop.
 
 
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In Grocery Story, Jon Steinman shines the light on the long and steady work of consumer-owned food co-ops and their relentless and remarkable work to remain relevant and impactful in their communities
even in the age of modern chain grocery giants. Grocery Story tells a tale of food coops through common values and shared mission-driven work. Impressive metrics and inspiring momentscollectively create the story of a movement helping to redefine what’s possible when a grocery store is actually a place to inspire community. This book weaves together many food co-ops into an inspiring historic and very current picture of the ground-level community change happening as the co-op movement continues to grow and adapt and stay relevant in the evolving food landscape dominated by supermarkets and a demand for low-cost food. This book offers an important consideration of the impact that can happen when going to the grocery store becomes an activity and not a chore, and when a grocery cart can ultimately become a vehicle for social change.
 
-Melissa Cohen, General Manager, Isla Vista Food Co-op
 
 
Jon Steinman has studied and worked with all things food for over two decades. He was the producer and host of the internationally syndicated radio show and podcast Deconstructing Dinner, once ranked as the most-listened-to food podcast in Canada. Jon is the writer and host ofDeconstructing Dinner: Reconstructing our Food System–a television and web series currently streaming online. Jon coordinates and curates the annual Deconstructing Dinner Film Festivalof compellingfood documentaries and was an elected director from 2006-2016 of the Kootenay Co-op–Canada's largest independent retail consumer food co-op, serving as Board President from 2014-2016. He lives in Nelson, BritishColumbia.

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