We hire staff who reflect the neighborhoods in which we operate.

70% of staff employed by the co-op in the last year resided within walking or biking distance (1.5 miles).

The percentage of staff who identify as BIPOC employees ranged from 36% to 38% throughout the year.

18% of Seward Co-op staff identify as multilingual.

We invite everyone to become a co-op owner through flexible payment options and a needs-based discount.

Community members become owners of Seward Co-op for a number of reasons. Many people join to support a community-owned business that works to sustain a healthy community. Everyone is welcome at our co-op. You do not need to be an owner to shop.

22,385 total co-op owners

967 new co-op owners

• 33% needs-based payments
• 6% installment-payments
• 61% payments in full

Education is a Co-op Principle

Seward Co-op builds respectful relationships that cultivates trust within our cooperative. We hope to provide fun, educational opportunities that reflect the culturally diverse community in which we live. Classes are generally focused on natural foods, health, food justice and cooperative education. Throughout the pandemic we have shifted in-person classes to a virtual format.

Last year, Seward Co-op offered 72 virtual classes and events offered to the public and received 11,420 RSVPs.

Co-ops Exist to Meet the Needs of Its Owners

The overarching goal of the cooperative movement is to create organizations that serve the needs of those who use them. Cooperative businesses provide goods and services in a way that keeps community resources in the community. 

Over the course of the fiscal year, Seward Co-op made 343 product changes per customer requests.

We prioritize and promote giving back to our community.

Seward Co-op lives its Ends Statement to “sustain a healthy community” through robust community grants. The SEED program is a simple yet powerful community giving opportunity that allows customers to “round-up” (or add a donation of any amount) to their grocery bill for recipient organizations that share our commitment to a healthy community. All funds donated at the register are given directly to the recipient organization at the end of each month, often totaling several thousands per month. Seward Community Fund grants are smaller $1,000 grants funded with co-op resources. We also offer a small grant each year to a bike-related organization as part of our People Powered Perks program.

Selection of SEED recipients is led entirely by a committee of co-op staff, the majority of which are cashiers. This grant committee takes great care to evaluate all applications and selects eight of the twelve. Those eight become our Staff Pick SEED recipients. The committee also nominates eight organizations to be considered by community members, all of which will receive a $1,000 grant through the Seward Community Fund, whether or not they are ultimately selected as a SEED recipient. Four of those organizations become Community Choice SEED recipients. We accept applications from potential recipients throughout June. Seward Co-op owners and customers are invited to select four of twelve 2022 SEED recipients each October.

Since its launch in 2011, SEED has raised over $2,500,00 and supported 54 (and counting) local non-profits! These funds are directly from co-op owners and shoppers who give generously by rounding up to the nearest dollar on their purchases.

$163,177 in customer SEED donations

$71,277 in other grants, donations and sponsorships

67 paid employee community service hours

Socially Responsible Investment

When you join Seward Co-op, you join a community of more than 22,000 other Minneapolis households that own a cooperative business. The Friendship and Friendship stores serve our community’s need for wholesome, ethically sourced food, and enable us to connect with neighbors. One of the benefits of ownership in the co-op is the opportunity to invest more than your initial share requirement by purchasing Class C stock.

Class C stock is an investment option with local impact. Investing additional dollars in Seward Co-op may be the most socially responsible investment you can make. You can walk in the door and see your money at work. Class C stock:

• provides resources to reinvest in the co-op’s buildings and equipment

• reduces the co-op’s dependence on bank financing

• helps make the co-op more sustainable