Food Co-op Statistics: Membership, Sales, and Local Sourcing

Food co-op statistics at a glance

Food co-ops are a small part of grocery retail that carry a lot of economic weight. The numbers below show how broad the cooperative model is across the U.S., how concentrated some of the biggest agricultural co-ops are, and how one grocery co-op can turn membership into sales, savings, local sourcing, and community support.

Table of contents

• The scale of food co-ops in the U.S.
• Agricultural co-ops by the numbers
• Where the co-ops are concentrated
• What a grocery co-op annual report shows
• Membership, sales, and savings
• Local purchasing and community impact
• Comparison table of reported co-op metrics
• How to read these statistics

The scale of food co-ops in the U.S.

America is home to more than 30,000 cooperatives, including food stores (USDA Co-op Month). That single figure matters because food co-ops are not a niche curiosity hiding on the edge of the economy. They sit inside a much larger cooperative sector that reaches across retail, agriculture, and services.

The sector’s economic footprint is also substantial. The U.S. co-op sector generates more than $650 billion annually for the economy (USDA Co-op Month). That is the broad frame for understanding why food co-op statistics deserve a closer look: even when you focus on grocery and agricultural co-ops, you are looking at a business model with real scale.

For readers searching for food co-op statistics, the key takeaway is that the co-op model is both widespread and economically meaningful. The same structure that supports member-owned grocery stores also shows up in supply, marketing, and service co-ops that connect food production to distribution.

Why these numbers matter

Food co-ops tend to be discussed as community institutions, but the numbers show they are also operating businesses with memberships, payrolls, locations, and purchase volumes. That makes them useful for understanding at least three things:

• how much collective buying power co-op members represent,
• how labor-intensive the co-op grocery and agriculture ecosystem is,
• and how local or regional supply chains can be organized around shared ownership.

Agricultural co-ops by the numbers

The USDA Agricultural Cooperative Statistics 2022 figures give a useful snapshot of the agricultural side of the cooperative economy. They show a network that is distributed across several different co-op types, with substantial employment and membership totals.

In 2022, there were 867 agricultural marketing co-ops in the United States (USDA Agricultural Cooperative Statistics 2022). There were 696 agricultural supply co-ops in the United States (USDA Agricultural Cooperative Statistics 2022). There were 1,108 agricultural service co-ops in the United States (USDA Agricultural Cooperative Statistics 2022). Together, those categories highlight how many different functions co-ops can serve inside food and farm systems.

Membership and labor numbers show the scale more clearly:

• U.S. agricultural co-ops had 1,840,082 memberships in 2022 (USDA Agricultural Cooperative Statistics 2022).
• Total employment by agricultural co-ops was 188,819 in 2022 (USDA Agricultural Cooperative Statistics 2022).
• Agricultural co-ops employed 146,764 full-time workers in 2022 (USDA Agricultural Cooperative Statistics 2022).
• Agricultural co-ops employed 42,055 part-time or seasonal workers in 2022 (USDA Agricultural Cooperative Statistics 2022).
• Agricultural co-ops operated 9,488 locations in 2022 (USDA Agricultural Cooperative Statistics 2022).

That combination of membership, payroll, and footprint tells a straightforward story. These are not only ownership structures; they are operating networks with thousands of sites and nearly 190,000 workers.

The largest agricultural co-ops also account for a disproportionate share of activity. The 53 largest agricultural co-ops employed 85,127 workers in 2022 (USDA Agricultural Cooperative Statistics 2022). Those 53 largest co-ops accounted for 45.1% of total agricultural co-op employees (USDA Agricultural Cooperative Statistics 2022). They operated 3,138 branch and other locations in 2022 (USDA Agricultural Cooperative Statistics 2022). Those 53 largest co-ops represented 40.1% of all branch and other locations of agricultural co-ops (USDA Agricultural Cooperative Statistics 2022).

That concentration matters for interpreting the sector. A relatively small set of large organizations carries a large share of labor and locations, which is a sign that the cooperative economy includes both local scale and major multi-location enterprises.

Where the co-ops are concentrated

State-by-state counts show where agricultural co-ops are more heavily represented. Minnesota was home to 143 agricultural co-ops in 2022 (USDA Agricultural Cooperative Statistics 2022). Texas was home to 137 agricultural co-ops in 2022 (USDA Agricultural Cooperative Statistics 2022). North Dakota was home to 109 agricultural co-ops in 2022 (USDA Agricultural Cooperative Statistics 2022). California was home to 99 agricultural co-ops in 2022 (USDA Agricultural Cooperative Statistics 2022). Wisconsin was home to 91 agricultural co-ops in 2022 (USDA Agricultural Cooperative Statistics 2022).

Membership counts also show strong state-level concentration. Kentucky had 157,684 agricultural co-op memberships in 2022 (USDA Agricultural Cooperative Statistics 2022). Missouri had 125,227 agricultural co-op memberships in 2022 (USDA Agricultural Cooperative Statistics 2022). Minnesota had 125,028 agricultural co-op memberships in 2022 (USDA Agricultural Cooperative Statistics 2022). Kansas had 112,273 agricultural co-op memberships in 2022 (USDA Agricultural Cooperative Statistics 2022). Illinois had 101,651 agricultural co-op memberships in 2022 (USDA Agricultural Cooperative Statistics 2022).

A simple way to read those figures is that the cooperative model is not evenly spread in identical form across the country. Some states have dense clusters of co-ops, and some states have especially large membership totals. That suggests the model is closely tied to regional agricultural economies, not just general retail presence.

What a grocery co-op annual report shows

The USDA data explains the broad sector, but annual reports show what a single grocery co-op can look like in practice. The figures from Whole Foods Co-op, Community Food Co-op, River Valley Co-op, and Just Food Co-op show how co-ops turn the ownership model into sales, staffing, local sourcing, and member programs.

Whole Foods Co-op increased total store sales by 2.6% in FY2025 (Whole Foods Co-op 2025 Annual Report). Whole Foods Co-op welcomed 633 new Owners in FY2025 (Whole Foods Co-op 2025 Annual Report). Owner participation in Whole Foods Co-op’s savings program increased by 13.9% (Whole Foods Co-op 2025 Annual Report). Whole Foods Co-op reported a profit equal to 0.92% of sales in FY2025 (Whole Foods Co-op 2025 Annual Report).

Those figures point to a business that is growing, but not in a way that separates profit from member value. The margin is narrow, the owner base is active, and savings participation is rising. That is a typical co-op tension worth noticing: the store needs enough profit to operate well, but it is also structured to return value to members.

Whole Foods Co-op had 14,288 Owners in FY2025 (Whole Foods Co-op 2025 Annual Report). Whole Foods Co-op had 147 employees in FY2025 (Whole Foods Co-op 2025 Annual Report). 63% of Whole Foods Co-op employees were full-time (Whole Foods Co-op 2025 Annual Report). Nearly two-thirds of Whole Foods Co-op staff work full-time (Whole Foods Co-op 2025 Annual Report). 30% of Whole Foods Co-op employees had been with the co-op for more than 5 years (Whole Foods Co-op 2025 Annual Report). Whole Foods Co-op promoted 13 employees to higher responsibility and pay in FY2025 (Whole Foods Co-op 2025 Annual Report).

Those staffing numbers are useful because they show the internal labor structure behind the store. Retention and promotion are not just HR details in a co-op setting; they are part of how a community-owned retailer builds trust and continuity.

Whole Foods Co-op also hosted over 350 cooperative leaders at the CCMA annual conference in Duluth (Whole Foods Co-op 2025 Annual Report). That is a reminder that co-ops are not isolated stores. They are part of a shared movement with its own professional networks and governance culture.

Membership, sales, and savings

Ownership and member participation are central to how food co-ops differ from conventional grocers. The reports here show a mix of direct owner counts, savings benefits, and purchase activity.

Whole Foods Co-op provided $277,466 in Owner savings through Owner Extras and other discounts (Whole Foods Co-op 2025 Annual Report). Whole Foods Co-op’s Access Discount Program served 606 participants (Whole Foods Co-op 2025 Annual Report). Whole Foods Co-op’s Fran Skinner Memorial Matching Fund served 103 recipients (Whole Foods Co-op 2025 Annual Report).

The savings figures matter because they translate membership into a tangible financial benefit. Co-ops are often defended as values-driven institutions, but members usually evaluate them in more direct terms as well. They want prices, discounts, and programs that make ownership worthwhile.

Community Food Co-op gives another useful angle. Community Food Co-op reported gross sales of $46,011,300 in 2024 (Community Food Co-op 2025 Annual Report). Community Food Co-op’s gross profit margin was 39.09% in 2024 (Community Food Co-op 2025 Annual Report). Community Food Co-op’s gross profit was $17,984,252 in 2024 (Community Food Co-op 2025 Annual Report). Community Food Co-op’s total staffing expenses were $11,032,568 in 2024 (Community Food Co-op 2025 Annual Report). Community Food Co-op’s total operating expenses were $5,156,939 in 2024 (Community Food Co-op 2025 Annual Report). Community Food Co-op paid $242,523 in interest in 2024 (Community Food Co-op 2025 Annual Report). Community Food Co-op’s pre-tax income was $1,806,080 in 2024 (Community Food Co-op 2025 Annual Report). Community Food Co-op paid $59,331 in taxes in 2024 (Community Food Co-op 2025 Annual Report). Community Food Co-op’s net income was $1,746,749 in 2024 (Community Food Co-op 2025 Annual Report).

The sales and income data show that co-ops can be sizable businesses with detailed financial reporting, not just membership clubs with a community theme. The staffing expense figure also highlights how labor-heavy grocery operations are.

Community Food Co-op also shows where sales come from. 72% of Community Food Co-op sales were to members in 2024 (Community Food Co-op 2025 Annual Report). Community Food Co-op sold $17,271,370 of certified organic goods (Community Food Co-op 2025 Annual Report). Community Food Co-op sold $9,826,655 of local goods (Community Food Co-op 2025 Annual Report). Community Food Co-op sold $4,753,868 of housemade deli and bakery goods (Community Food Co-op 2025 Annual Report).

That sales mix is important because it shows co-ops can combine member loyalty with differentiated product categories. Member sales are not a side note; they are the core customer relationship.

Local purchasing and community impact

If you want to understand how food co-ops differ from standard grocery chains, local purchasing is one of the clearest areas to study. The annual report figures point to a sourcing model that depends on nearby farms, vendors, and community ties.

Whole Foods Co-op made 36% of its total inventory purchases from local vendors (Whole Foods Co-op 2025 Annual Report). Whole Foods Co-op spent $5,072,822 on local inventory purchases (Whole Foods Co-op 2025 Annual Report). Whole Foods Co-op worked with 178 local vendors (Whole Foods Co-op 2025 Annual Report). Whole Foods Co-op made 13% of total purchases from bioregion vendors (Whole Foods Co-op 2025 Annual Report). Whole Foods Co-op spent $1,781,824 on bioregion inventory purchases (Whole Foods Co-op 2025 Annual Report). Whole Foods Co-op worked with 108 bioregion vendors (Whole Foods Co-op 2025 Annual Report).

The community impact numbers broaden the picture beyond sourcing. Whole Foods Co-op made $33,452 in cash donations and sponsorships (Whole Foods Co-op 2025 Annual Report). Whole Foods Co-op gave food donations worth $142,261 to local shelters, food shelves, and meal programs (Whole Foods Co-op 2025 Annual Report). Whole Foods Co-op supported 88 local organization donation and sponsorship recipients (Whole Foods Co-op 2025 Annual Report). Whole Foods Co-op raised $142,024 through shopper round-up donations (Whole Foods Co-op 2025 Annual Report). Whole Foods Co-op featured 67 artists in FY2025 (Whole Foods Co-op 2025 Annual Report).

River Valley Co-op adds another strong example of local sourcing. River Valley Co-op grossed over $48 million in sales in FY23 (River Valley Co-op FY23 Annual Report). River Valley Co-op purchased $12.7 million of products from 133 area farmers (River Valley Co-op FY23 Annual Report). River Valley Co-op purchased from 219 local vendors in FY23 (River Valley Co-op FY23 Annual Report). River Valley Co-op employed 240 employees in FY23 (River Valley Co-op FY23 Annual Report).

The Food for All program is especially useful because it shows how a co-op can link access and affordability. River Valley Co-op’s Food for All program provided a 10% discount on grocery purchases (River Valley Co-op FY23 Annual Report). River Valley Co-op provided over $310,000 in Food for All discounts in FY23 (River Valley Co-op FY23 Annual Report). River Valley Co-op’s Food for All participants made $3.1 million in grocery purchases in FY23 (River Valley Co-op FY23 Annual Report). River Valley Co-op served 2,200 Food for All members in FY23 (River Valley Co-op FY23 Annual Report). River Valley Co-op’s Food for All program grew 30% in its current configuration (River Valley Co-op FY23 Annual Report).

Those are strong signs that co-ops are not just local for branding purposes. They can redirect purchasing, discounts, and community support toward a defined member base.

Just Food Co-op gives a smaller but still useful point of comparison. Just Food Co-op’s membership stood at 4,300 in FY2025 (Just Food Co-op Annual Report 2025). Just Food Co-op’s FY2025 sales were $9,844,106 (Just Food Co-op Annual Report 2025). Just Food Co-op’s cost of sales was $6,205,055 in FY2025 (Just Food Co-op Annual Report 2025). Just Food Co-op’s gross profit was $3,639,051 in FY2025 (Just Food Co-op Annual Report 2025).

That smaller co-op profile is useful because it reminds you that the cooperative model scales in different ways. Some co-ops serve as major regional businesses. Others are more compact community anchors. The key common thread is that the ownership structure remains tied to member benefit rather than pure outside equity.

Comparison table of reported co-op metrics

Co-op or source	Year or period	Reported figure	What it shows
USDA co-ops	2022	1,840,082 agricultural memberships	Membership scale (USDA Agricultural Cooperative Statistics 2022)
USDA co-ops	2022	188,819 agricultural employees	Labor scale (USDA Agricultural Cooperative Statistics 2022)
Whole Foods Co-op	FY2025	14,288 Owners	Member base size (Whole Foods Co-op 2025 Annual Report)
Whole Foods Co-op	FY2025	147 employees	Workforce size (Whole Foods Co-op 2025 Annual Report)
Whole Foods Co-op	FY2025	$5,072,822 local inventory purchases	Local sourcing volume (Whole Foods Co-op 2025 Annual Report)
Community Food Co-op	2024	$46,011,300 gross sales	Store scale (Community Food Co-op 2025 Annual Report)
Community Food Co-op	2024	72% of sales to members	Member-centered demand (Community Food Co-op 2025 Annual Report)
River Valley Co-op	FY23	$12.7 million from 133 area farmers	Farm purchasing scale (River Valley Co-op FY23 Annual Report)
River Valley Co-op	FY23	2,200 Food for All members	Access program reach (River Valley Co-op FY23 Annual Report)
Just Food Co-op	FY2025	4,300 members	Smaller co-op membership base (Just Food Co-op Annual Report 2025)

This table makes one pattern easy to see. Food co-op statistics are not one-dimensional. They cover membership, labor, sales, sourcing, and access. That mix is what makes co-ops analytically interesting: a single organization can be measured like a retailer, a community institution, and an economic development actor at the same time.

How to read these statistics

When people search for food co-op statistics, they usually want a quick answer to a simple question: are co-ops big enough to matter? These numbers say yes.

The broad sector numbers show scale across the country. The USDA figures show that agricultural co-ops have millions of memberships, nearly 190,000 employees, and thousands of locations (USDA Agricultural Cooperative Statistics 2022). The annual report figures show how that scale appears on the ground in grocery stores through owners, savings, local purchasing, donations, and employee development (Whole Foods Co-op 2025 Annual Report; Community Food Co-op 2025 Annual Report; River Valley Co-op FY23 Annual Report; Just Food Co-op Annual Report 2025).

What stands out most is the balance between business discipline and member orientation. Co-ops report sales, profits, staffing costs, and inventory purchases like any other retailer. At the same time, they also measure savings passed back to members, discount program reach, local vendor relationships, and donations to community groups.

That combination is the core story behind food co-op statistics. They show a retail model that is operationally serious, geographically grounded, and designed to circulate value through members and communities rather than stop at the cash register.