INVE STM E N T T RAC K I N G The Slow Money Institute (Boulder, Colorado) tracks dollar flows through the Slow Money network. Each small food enterprise is a test plot for efforts to fix the economy from the ground up. Below are a few samples of recent Slow Money investments.
SLO Natural Foods Co-op
SAN LUIS OBISPO, CALIFORNIA
$87,000 | 9 Investors After more than 30 years in business, the SLO Natural Foods Co-op in San Luis Obispo, California, probably would not have continued to survive without the help of Slow Money SLO. Inspired by a desire to save the community’s beloved store, a group of investors started Slow Money SLO and in 2013 made $87,000 in peer-to-peer loans to help the co-op move from a tiny, rustic space to a much larger building nearby. Some of the lenders also assisted with the tenant improvements and even joined the board! With the help of Jeff Wade—Slow Money SLO founder and executive director—that move is proving to be beneficial not just for co-op members/ owners and other customers, but also for many local food and farm businesses, the health of the soil, the local food system, and the local economy. Farm and food products from 85 local suppliers now grace the co-op shelves, quadruple the number before the move, and co-op membership has grown from 450 to 1,150 over the past 4 years. “It’s a win-win for everybody!” says the co-op’s general manager, Gwen Schmidt. The mission of the member-owned store includes providing the community with “real food,” and buying from local farmers and suppliers. With 30% of the store’s fresh produce now coming from local family farms, SLO Natural Foods has a competitive edge over nearby healthy food chain stores. “We love working with our local farmers,” Schmidt says. “Their
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