The Ypsilanti Food Co-op is a food cooperative located in Ypsilanti, Michigan. Located in historic Depot Town, it is Michigan's only solar-powered grocery store. Also owned by the Co-op is the River Street Bakery, which features the only wood-fired brick oven in commercial use in Washtenaw County. The Ypsilanti Food Co-op, in turn, is owned by its membership and governed by its Board of Directors. The shared building also is home to two beehives that are part of the Local Honey Project, managed by members, and they live in the adjacent called "Honeybee Alley".The Co-op is a member of the National Cooperative Grocers Association. It is Ypsilanti's primary host of events concerning sustainability, ecology, and food-related issues; in addition, it is a sponsor of and promotes external activities such as Ypsilanti's farmers' markets and other local-food initiatives. The Co-op provides card-reader services for both Ypsilanti farmers' markets, allowing all vendors to accept payment by credit card, as well as EBT/Snap cards.HistoryThe Ypsilanti Food Co-op was founded in 1975 on Sheridan St between Elm and Oakwood and is now located at 312 N. River Street in Ypsilanti's Depot Town neighborhood. The Mill Works Building, in which the co-op resides, was originally a foundry that made wheels for grinding flour. The food coop became Michigan's only solar-powered grocery store when a volunteer group, called Solar Ypsi, installed solar panels in 2005.Structure and governanceFood cooperativeAs a cooperative, the Ypsilanti Food Co-op follows the 7 Cooperative Principles and offers natural foods, with an emphasis on organic and locally-grown and -made produce and groceries. Unlike a common corporation, decisions about how to run the Ypsilanti Food Co-op are not made by outside shareholders, and it is therefore able to manifest a higher degree of social responsibility than its corporate analogues. Much of the revenue made by the Co-op is returned to its local economy.
