[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.10.4″ _module_preset=”default” background_color=”#ffffff” background_image=”https:\/\/www.yelmfood.coop\/yfc\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/people-eating-healthy-food-THJKMYW-scaled.jpg” parallax=”on” min_height=”460px” top_divider_style=”ramp2″ top_divider_color=”#0f182c” top_divider_height=”188px” top_divider_flip=”vertical|horizontal” bottom_divider_style=”ramp2″ bottom_divider_color=”#0f182c” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” title_text=”People eating healthy food” sticky_enabled=”0″][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.7.7″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.7.7″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.7.7″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ fullwidth=”on” _builder_version=”4.7.7″ _module_preset=”default” background_color=”#0f182c” bottom_divider_color=”#ffffff” bottom_divider_flip=”horizontal|vertical” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_fullwidth_header title=”Our History” _builder_version=”4.7.7″ _module_preset=”default” background_enable_color=”off” custom_padding=”||52px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
If the Yelm Food Cooperative were a children\u2019s story, it would probably be <\/span>The Little Engine That Could<\/span><\/i>.\u00a0 This, after all, is an organization that opened in 2007 \u2013 with just $26,000. \u201cThat\u2019s a very small amount to start any retail, let alone a grocery store that has a lot of inventory and equipment,\u201d say current General Manager Barnaby Urich Rintz. \u201cMost will start with ten times that amount before they get a brick and mortar location.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_fullwidth_header][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ custom_padding_last_edited=”on|tablet” prev_background_color=”#0f182c” admin_label=”About” _builder_version=”4.7.7″ min_height=”124px” custom_padding=”36px||4px|||” custom_padding_tablet=”|10vw||10vw||true” custom_padding_phone=”” top_divider_style=”ramp2″ top_divider_height=”50px” top_divider_flip=”vertical|horizontal” custom_css_main_element=”z-index:+99;” custom_width_px__hover=”1080px” 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global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”3.25″ custom_padding=”|||” custom_padding_tablet=”|10vw||10vw||true” custom_padding_phone=”|||” custom_padding_last_edited=”off|desktop” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.7.7″ header_font=”||||||||” header_2_font=”Noto Serif||||||||” header_2_font_size=”40px” header_2_line_height=”1.4em” custom_margin=”||0px|||” header_2_font_size_tablet=”30px” header_2_font_size_phone=”24px” header_2_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_divider color=”#FFBA5A” divider_weight=”3px” _builder_version=”3.18.2″ max_width=”80px” height=”3px” global_colors_info=”{}”] Manager Debbie Burgan puts it more bluntly: \u201cWe were insane,\u201d she says. \u201cI was sent to three different seminars to find out what you needed to start a co-op. Every single one said you needed a minimum of $1 million.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n It all started in 2005 with Laura Losada, a Yelm resident who had a vision of a local store with organic, natural and local ingredients. Others believed in her vision and soon, according to volunteer Robyn Hawk, \u201cA very small handful of people somehow got another small handful of people to get a fair amount of money so that they could start this co-op.\u201d Everyone involved volunteered hundreds of hours, raising money, learning about the ins and outs of running a co-op and applying for grants. In addition, several members of the leadership team at the Olympia Co-op contributed guidance and expertise for nearly a year.<\/span><\/p>\n The store opened its doors in April, 2007 in a small commercial building in Yelm\u2019s Frontier Village, where anyone attempting to navigate an aisle would literally rub elbows with someone coming the opposite direction.\u00a0 \u201cIt was important to open a storefront in order to begin building a history and reputation within this community,\u201d says Rintz.<\/span><\/p>\n But in 2012, the store moved to its current \u2013 and much larger \u2013 location at 308 Yelm Ave., which it shares with local landmark Gordon\u2019s Garden Center. \u201cMoving here was really important,\u201d says Manager Jutta Dewell, who has been with the store since its inception. \u201cThis location is much better equipped to handle a higher volume of sales, in terms of space and atmosphere.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Originally, the co-op was a member-owned corporation. In 2012, the board of directors asked the membership to vote on becoming a non-profit community service organization with a focus on education and food. The idea was a hit; 96% of the members who voted favored the new vision.<\/span><\/p>\n As they\u2019ve grown, the co-op staff have surveyed its customers, analyzed buying patterns, and adjusted accordingly. \u201cWe offer products that are hard to find in the Yelm area,\u201d says Rintz, \u201cnon-GMO, organic, and local items. Our success has proven that the demand from the consumer is large enough to support the store.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n However,\u00a0 there were still more challenges for the store.\u00a0 After 4 1\/2 years as a non-profit under the Yelm Cooperative umbrella, the IRS made a determination that Yelm Food Co-op was in fact a for-profit company and would have to be separated from Yelm Cooperative\\Yelm Farmers\u2019 Market operating as non-profit.\u00a0 This was an unexpected upset for all.\u00a0 Yelm Cooperative, the parent company decided to change their name to Bounty For Families and along with the Yelm Farmers\u2019 Market as their subsidiary and go their \u201cnon-profit\u201d way.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n On January 1, 2017, Yelm Food Cooperative went back to its original equity based company status.\u00a0 The original equity members who had paid equity up until 2012, before the company went non-profit, were re-established as equity members and we began accepting equity memberships again.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n We continue to operate as an organic and natural food market offering our customers and members the best quality we can.<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.7.7″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”||77px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.7.7″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_button button_url=”@ET-DC@eyJkeW5hbWljIjp0cnVlLCJjb250ZW50IjoicG9zdF9saW5rX3VybF9wYWdlIiwic2V0dGluZ3MiOnsicG9zdF9pZCI6IjgzNzMifX0=@” button_text=”More About Us” button_alignment=”center” _builder_version=”4.7.7″ _dynamic_attributes=”button_url” _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_button][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”Donation” _builder_version=”4.6.1″ use_background_color_gradient=”on” background_color_gradient_start=”rgba(165,206,199,0.15)” background_color_gradient_end=”#151f33″ background_color_gradient_start_position=”50%” background_color_gradient_overlays_image=”on” background_image=”http:\/\/sayeed.sandbox.etdevs.com\/divi\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2018\/12\/environmental-nonprofit-22.jpg” custom_padding=”117px||||false|false” box_shadow_style=”preset6″ box_shadow_horizontal=”-2px” box_shadow_vertical=”125px” box_shadow_blur=”35px” box_shadow_spread=”-80px” box_shadow_color=”#ffffff” global_module=”240″ saved_tabs=”all” global_colors_info=”{}” background_color_gradient_start__hover=”#2b87da” background_color_gradient_start__hover_enabled=”#2b87da” background_color_gradient_end__hover=”#29c4a9″ background_color_gradient_end__hover_enabled=”#29c4a9″ use_background_color_gradient__hover=”off” use_background_color_gradient__hover_enabled=”off” background_color_gradient_type__hover=”linear” background_color_gradient_type__hover_enabled=”linear” background_color_gradient_direction__hover=”180deg” background_color_gradient_direction__hover_enabled=”180deg” 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box_shadow_style__hover_enabled=”none” box_shadow_color__hover=”rgba(0,0,0,0.3)” box_shadow_color__hover_enabled=”rgba(0,0,0,0.3)”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”3.25″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.27.4″ text_font=”||||||||” header_font=”||||||||” header_2_font=”Noto Serif||||||||” header_2_font_size=”60px” header_2_line_height=”1.4em” header_3_font=”|700||on|||||” header_3_letter_spacing=”8px” header_3_line_height=”1.8em” text_orientation=”center” header_2_font_size_tablet=”30px” header_2_font_size_phone=”24px” header_2_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_button button_url=”@ET-DC@eyJkeW5hbWljIjp0cnVlLCJjb250ZW50IjoicG9zdF9saW5rX3VybF9wYWdlIiwic2V0dGluZ3MiOnsicG9zdF9pZCI6Ijg1ODQifX0=@” button_text=”View Local Producers” button_alignment=”center” _builder_version=”4.7.7″ _dynamic_attributes=”button_url” _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_button][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ fullwidth=”on” next_background_color=”#151f33″ _builder_version=”4.7.7″ _module_preset=”default” top_divider_style=”ramp2″ top_divider_color=”#181f33″ top_divider_height=”70px” top_divider_flip=”horizontal|vertical” bottom_divider_style=”ramp2″ box_shadow_style=”preset6″ box_shadow_blur=”34px” box_shadow_spread=”39px” box_shadow_color=”#000000″ global_module=”8434″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_fullwidth_post_slider bg_overlay_color=”rgba(255,245,188,0.47)” use_text_overlay=”on” text_overlay_color=”rgba(21,29,51,0.86)” text_border_radius=”24px” _builder_version=”4.7.7″ _module_preset=”default” background_color=”#ffffff” custom_padding=”81px||85px|||” auto=”on” auto_ignore_hover=”on” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_fullwidth_post_slider][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”Footer” _builder_version=”4.6.1″ background_color=”#151f33″ use_background_color_gradient=”on” background_color_gradient_start=”#171e33″ background_color_gradient_end=”rgba(15,24,44,0.74)” background_color_gradient_overlays_image=”on” background_image=”https:\/\/www.yelmfood.coop\/yfc\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/antipasto-blue.jpg” custom_padding=”80px||6vw||false|” bottom_divider_style=”ramp2″ bottom_divider_color=”#0f1626″ bottom_divider_flip=”horizontal” global_module=”94″ saved_tabs=”all” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.7.7″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.7.7″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.7.7″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_4,1_4,1_4,1_4″ _builder_version=”3.25″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”1_4″ _builder_version=”3.25″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text ul_type=”square” _builder_version=”4.7.7″ text_font=”||||||||” link_font=”||||||||” link_text_color=”#fff9af” ul_font=”||||||||” quote_font=”||||||||” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n\u201cWe were insane,\u201d<\/span><\/h2>\n
\n[\/et_pb_divider][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.7.7″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”4px||6px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_3,2_3″ _builder_version=”4.7.7″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”|auto|14px|auto||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ _builder_version=”4.7.7″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/www.yelmfood.coop\/yfc\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/co-op.jpg” title_text=”co-op” _builder_version=”4.7.7″ _module_preset=”default” border_radii=”on|4px|4px|4px|4px” box_shadow_style=”preset3″ global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”2_3″ _builder_version=”4.7.7″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.7.7″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\nSupporting Our Local Producers<\/h2>\n
<\/h3>\n
Local Producers<\/span><\/h2>\n
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