Happy New Year! - Redbud Food Cooperative

Announcements

Happy New Year! We are excited to take the next step towards building the Redbud Food Cooperative of Norman, OK. We are launching a web app for ordering groceries from multiple distributors and local producers. You can find the application at app.redbudfood.coop using any computer or smart phone browser. We made a short video tutorial about the app and posted it on YouTube here https://youtu.be/5IEwCEGfaWM. You don’t have to use the app or pre-order though. You can still come to our pop-up markets and purchase what we have in stock on the spot.

This month we’ll be having weekly online orders, in-person pickups and pop-up markets, and a home delivery option. Follow our Google Calendar to see upcoming order windows and events.

Celebrating The Steps We Took in 2025

In 2025, we did a series of pop-up markets that were largely made possible by our community partners.

Our first partner is the OKC Food Hub – a much needed local aggregation and distribution center and network that is based in Oklahoma City. Through this partnership, we were able to bring local produce with NO synthetic pesticides to our community every other Friday from July through October; as well as a special holiday package in November and another in December.

These distributions would not have been possible without our generous host: St. John’s Episcopal Church of Norman. The congregation – particularly Susie Laird and Father Kirk – have been extremely supportive as they made space for us in their parish hall. Additionally, the local grocery store and refillery, ReSupply Norman, has been our companion on our quest to bring local and sustainable food options to our community. Bridget – the store manager – kindly hosted us at the 2nd Friday Art Walk in December and Kasie – the owner and founder – joined our holiday distributions to bring quality, pasture-raised meats and handcrafted soaps and spice blends.

Finally, we would like to thank Richard and Kate at the Earth Cafe & Deli, a well loved and decades old local and independent business. Thanks to their partnership, we have been able to bring in dry goods and other grocery staples for our pop-up markets. While all of these partnerships will change and evolve as we move towards our dream of establishing a brick and mortar, worker-owned, full service cooperative grocery store.

Cooperative Education Corner

What is a food cooperative?

A cooperative is a for-profit company that is owned and democratically controlled by people who are doing business with the cooperative. It can be consumer, producer, and/or worker owned. Any of these options would make sense for a grocery store. For our food cooperative, we are creating a worker-owned cooperative with substantial input from our consumers and producers. We think people who are working in a company full-time best understand what is needed to make the company sustainable in this very difficult market. We want to involve our customers and producers in a way that doesn’t burden them with day-to-day decision making, but invites them to give input on vision and strategy and make suggestions on how we can serve them better.

How do cooperatives differ from traditional grocery stores?

From a consumer perspective, there may be no obvious differences. It can operate just like any other grocery store, or it could have a unique business model, offerings, and atmosphere. Either way, you’re likely to find employees who are more committed to making the company successful and a supportive community.

Why do cooperatives prioritize people over profit?

Without control from absentee owners, the stock market, venture capital, or private equity, cooperatives can focus on creating a sustainable company that serves their stakeholders including customers, producers, workers, and the surrounding community. Cooperatives are free to fulfill their purpose without the threat of legal action if they don’t maximize shareholder profits.

How would a food co-op help with food security and community resilience?

A worker-owned food co-op would empower employees who care to put in the extra effort that it takes to source locally and support their community. Often in corporations bureaucracy, worker turnover, and apathy can cause positive moves towards local sourcing and special programs to fall through the cracks. Worker-owners can invest in lasting relationships with their producers, customers, and community and reap the rewards of those investments. We will do the right thing not just because we care, but because we have a structure and systems that make doing the right thing sustainable and rewarding.

Stay Connected

If you received a link to this newsletter via text or a personal email, please sign up to automatically receive future newsletters using the box on this page or at redbudfood.coop.newsletter.

What do YOU want in the app? Please let us know specific brands, flavors, sizes, etc. Email us at info@redbudfood.coop