Downtown food co-op raises over $17,000 for Feeding South Dakota

By Main Street Square

In 2000, Breadroot Natural Foods Cooperative was started by community members who wanted to bring affordable, delicious, nutritional, and local food to a single storefront. That idea has been able to keep this unique store open for over 20 years.

“When you shop at Breadroot, you are keeping your money in [Rapid City], and supporting the community you live in. You're supporting a business with integrity that builds connections with local farmers, ranchers, and producers,” stated Rachel Wester, Marketing Manager for Breadroot.

The idea of food co-ops have been around for centuries however the modern co-op has been around for 150 years. Originating in Europe during the industrial revolution, modern co-ops gained popularity in the 1960’s in the United States.

The Twin Cities currently have one of the strongest co-op presences in the Midwest and the new Breadroot General Manager Allan Burkard has brought his specialized knowledge to Rapid City. “We are pretty fortunate in Rapid City to have such a strong co-op at Breadroot. The size of the store and the offerings rival those of the Twin Cities,” said Burkard.

“What makes Breadroot so unique is we are located in the regional hub. We can offer regional producers [from] as close as Piedmont all the way to Buffalo, Wyoming. It's great to offer our community quality products at a reasonable price. That is why co-ops were founded — that and to support the local producers.”

Burkard joined the team at Breadroot in December from the Twin Cities and has eyes on expanding to match co-ops in larger cities such as Minneapolis and Portland.

“With the pandemic, we have noticed the trend to reconnect to family and that all begins in the kitchen and at the dinner table; not to mention a trend to support purchasing local during these tough times,” added Burkard.

One of the main principles of a co-op is a commitment to the community. Breadroot has made this a priority since their inception and the Board of Directors and team continue to keep giving back to the community.

Breadroot has raised over $17,000 as part of their Money Matching Drive for Feeding South Dakota and continues to make donations. Organizations such as Working Against Violence, Inc. also receive support organized by the Board and staff at Breadroot. On January 1st, Breadroot launched the “Donate a Dollar” campaign allowing customers to donate to a local organization providing essential care to those in need in our community. During the months of January and February, monies raised will benefit the Hope Center.

With the resurgence of co-ops, Breadroot will continue to offer the best regional products at a reasonable price to its members/ owners as well as the public.

Over the past 20 years, Breadroot outgrew three buildings before moving to their current location in 2015, where they continue to serve downtown Rapid City.

“Without a grocery store in downtown Rapid City, we continue to fill a void. But with the expansion of downtown living and the connection to downtown and the School of Mines, we hope to grow for the community,” stated Burkard. “With the emphasis recently on natural and organic offerings, we fill that need but also offer a variety of items including local meats and other items to promote wellness. We hope to continue to grow — there is so much potential in Rapid City and the region,” added Burkard.

Do you need to be a member to shop at Breadroot?

You don’t need to be a co-op member to shop at Breadroot, but members receive deep discounts and can partake in member appreciation events.

What does a co-op mean?

Members own the business and have a say in operations. No single person benefits from co-op profits; instead, profits are dispersed as dividends, community giveback, or reinvested into the co-op for store improvements for community benefit.

How does Breadroot choose which producers to work with?

Producers must contact the store. If approved by the managers and staff, the local products can be on the shelves within days. Breadroot currently has over 300 local products from over 30 local vendors.

Why are co-ops important?

Investing in a co-op strengthens an alternative business model that believes in putting people and planet before profit, every day. By shopping at a co-op, you're supporting companies who put ethics in the forefront of decision making when producing products.