Welcome
Triad Buying Co-op: An Introduction
What is it? (TBC) is a co-operative organization, democratically governed and operated by its members, who pool resources of talent, time and money to purchase high quality natural products at prices at or below those available in retail outlets. We order and receive goods every four weeks at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship on Robinhood Road in Winston-Salem. TBC has a web-based ordering system, and much of our communication is by email, therefore, access to the internet is required.
What do you get? Our first priority is to support local farmers and businesses. We order local organic and non-organic produce, meats, bread, bagels, cheese, honey, prepared foods and soap. Produce that is not grown locally or is out of season is purchased through a local distributor. We also order from United Foods, a warehouse that supplies well-known brands of all natural groceries. For herbs and supplements, we order from Frontier Natural Products; for fresh cheeses and butter, we order from Cornucopia Cheese. We also order nuts, cookies and several other high quality, all natural foods directly from the producers.
How much does it cost? There is a New Member Set-up Fee of $88 which includes a refundable deposit of $50. These fees must be paid before a new member can begin to use the online ordering system. New members will also receive a copy of the United Natural Foods catalog to get started, and then may decide whether to purchase a subsciption ($14/year, highly recommended). All members pay a 2% “bump”, or markup, on purchases, which offsets materials costs (bags, labels, etc.). Members also pay NC sales tax on all purchases. At this time, there are no annual membership dues, though the Co-op may need to return to charging dues, depending on the financial situation.
Will I save money buying from TBC? It depends on your current shopping habits. If you usually buy all your food and groceries from a whole foods grocery, you might save quite a bit. Some products are considerably cheaper, maybe 50% less, while others may be slightly less or similar in price to local grocery stores. It helps to know what current local prices are.
You will also need space to store your food if you buy in large quantities (not everyone does) and containers to put your bulk food in.
What do I have to do? TBC is a co-op, which means everyone has a job, and you must be capable and available to perform your job on a regular basis. Most co-op members work 3-4 hours per month. Don't worry, we'll train you. We rely on one another to help the Co-op run smoothly, so it is very important that you are able to do your part. Your application and available times will help us determine what job and time slots you are offered. You must work every month, whether or not you ordered that month. If you are going to be out of town or otherwise unable to work, you must arrange for another TBC member to take your place at your work time.
When do I have to be available? Our delivery date is every four weeks (13 times a year) on a Wednesday and pick-up is the next day, Thursday. Your Co-op job will likely be on Wednesday or Thursday. You must be able to pick up your food between 10:30 am and 5:30 pm on Thursday.
What are other benefits? It's fun to work together for a common purpose. Co-op members are interesting people. You can reduce your trips to the grocery stores, reduce the amount of packaging you use, support local and organic growers and producers, support sustainable agriculture, and enjoy healthy and great tasting food!