ABOUT US

Hillsboro Food Co-op is a community-owned, cooperative grocery store start-up coming to the downtown area of Hillsboro, Oregon. The Co-op became incorporated with the State of Oregon in 2013. Today the Board of Directors continues to be comprised entirely of volunteers who are passionate about bringing a grocery cooperative to downtown Hillsboro. In 2020 the Board completed a Market Study, and in 2021 the Board began the formation of our Site Selection, Business Plan, and Capital Campaign committees. These three committees are working in conjunction with each other to prepare our cooperative for the critical step of committing to a site and securing the funding needed for the expenses that will help us reach opening day including construction, hiring a general manager, and more! As of early 2023, the Capital Campaign Committee is working to prepare us for a robust Capital Campaign so that our Site Selection Committee can engage with a realtor to select a site.

The Board is working under the guidance of a national nonprofit consulting firm, Food Co-op Initiative (FCI). The initiative was formed with the specific function of helping startup food cooperatives.

As a startup, we are a volunteer-driven organization. It is thanks to the tireless work of our volunteers that has brought us to this exciting stage and helped us recruit the support of nearly 900 owners. Want to help make a difference in our community? Your time and talents can help as a volunteer can help us reach opening day sooner!

To follow our progress and receive our monthly newsletter, you can sign up to join our email list.

To learn more about what the Co-op is up to, follow us on Facebook and Instagram. Board meetings are always open to the public. View our calendar.

Vision, Mission & Values

Our Vision

We envision a community-owned grocery store that provides thoughtfully selected products, connects shoppers to our local food system, and strengthens our community.

Our Mission

Through the feasibility and planning stage of our development, we will follow our mission to mobilize our community to open a cooperatively-owned grocery store in Hillsboro that supports our region.

Our Values

CARE

We extend compassion and care to our neighbors, and our store (building, staff and selection) will demonstrate empathy and inclusiveness of the community.

SUSTAINABILITY

We prioritize systems, procedures, and products that protect and regenerate the natural world.

COLLABORATION

We communicate with our owners, community leaders, local government, other cooperatives, and partners in the grocery/food industry about how to develop our co-op into a financially, socially, and environmentally sustainable business.

TRANSPARENCY

We create trust within the Co-op through honesty and intentionality which encourages owners to invest their time, energy, and money into helping the Co-op flourish.

SEE TIMELINE

Because of our co-op…

Our community will have access to healthy food offered at fair prices.
Our local farmers, bakers, and artisans will have a new option for selling their products.
We will improve our community through outreach, charitable contributions, and investments in local products.
Our region will become more aware of food, environmental and sustainability issues.
Owners, shoppers, staff, local farmers and producers, community members, and community organizations will all have a co-op that supports them in a myriad of ways.

The Co-op is incorporated with cooperative business status in the State of Oregon. Unlike most corporations, shareholders of the Co-op are community members who are investing in their community through grocery store ownership. Through the purchase of a $200 member share, and individual becomes a Co-op member-owner. Member-owners have a say in the business decisions the Co-op makes both through voting in elections and by reaching out to the Board of Directors which is composed of elected member-owners who have volunteered to represent the whole body of member-owners. Additionally, the Co-op will return surplus revenue to its members in proportion to how much they use the Co-op through patronage dividends.