Our mission is to provide the residents of Isla Vista and neighboring communities of Santa Barbara County with reasonably priced foods, products and services that promote a healthier lifestyle and environment.
The Isla Vista Food Co-op is Santa Barbara County's only community-owned grocery store.
The Co-op was founded over 45 years ago by students and neighbors who wanted to ensure that the community would always have neighborhood access to high quality and affordable food, and that our local farmers and producers would have a dedicated store to sell to.
The Co-op is open to the public and participates in many UCSB campus and community events to help share resources to make grocery shopping fun and affordable, and most importantly, to keep investing back into Isla Vista so that everyone can benefit from having a grocery store that everyone owns together. We've accepted Cal-Fresh since the day our doors opened in 1974.
WHAT'S A CONSUMER COOPERATIVE?
A consumer cooperative serves as an economic alternative founded on cooperative business principles and values that are practiced in their operating as well as through their governance policies. Co-ops aren't owned by a few people, they are owned by the community. The Isla Vista Food Co-op is owned by over 2,000 people and exists to fulfill the community's needs. Therefore, the main goal of the co-op is to create a mutually beneficial network that allows the community to thrive through healthy living and eating practices.
