Our Co-op began as a food buying club in 1972 and opened a storefront of primarily bulk foods at 16th and P Streets in downtown Sacramento. In 1973, this buying club was incorporated as the Sacramento Natural Foods Cooperative, a Board of Directors was elected and the first paid employee was hired.

With continued growth, the Co-op needed a larger space and in 1974 the store was moved to 2996 Freeport Boulevard. In 1989, the Co-op moved to 1900 Alhambra Boulevard at the corner of S Street in Midtown Sacramento. In making this move, the Co-op doubled its physical size and its employee count. The Co-op also added a fish, meat and poultry counter and wine and beer to its offerings.

The selection has continued to expand and adapt, according to a strict set of standards. Since 2000, our Produce Department has exclusively sold organically grown fruits and vegetables.

In 2001, we first opened the doors to our Cooking School & Community Learning Center, adjacent to the Sacramento store and home to cooking classes, health seminars and a variety of member meetings and special events. We are committed to serving our Co-op members and supporting our community through education, member meetings and events, outreach activities and charitable programs and projects.

In 2016, the Co-op continued to evolve and grow. The store and Cooking School moved to a new location at the corner of R and 29th streets in Midtown Sacramento.

We’ve come a long way from our buying club days, but we stay true to our cooperative roots with the multitude of discussions on product selection, member services, retail practices and ethical issues that take place every day in our business.