Caltech to offer disscution with Arroyo Food Co-op founder

Caltech’s Net Impact invites
Arroyo Food Co-op's
Founder, Patrick Reagan

Thursday, May 20, Caltech, Pasadena, CA Noyes Hall, Room 147

Talk STARTS AT 7:00PM
The event is free and open to everyone.
Food and drinks provided after the presentation.

The effort to open a community-owned grocery store in the Pasadena area began in March of 2008. It sprang from a neighborhood news group conversation about better food options and what the Altadena area would like to see replace the burned-out shell of the old WAMU bank building on Lake Avenue. The cooperative business model has worked for hundreds of other communities, in some cases for many decades.

A team of volunteers first researched, and now is working to establish, such a business in the greater Pasadena/Altadena/Eagle Rock/Highland Park area.The aim is to open a "bricks and mortar" grocery store that offers a full range of products (local and organic whenever possible) at practical prices. By focusing on local products, the Co-op will offer unique choices and boost the local economy. The Co-op will provide complete product information and sourcing to its customers, a growing theme in the healthy food movement.

The Co-op plans to have its building, its products, and its labor practices be consistent with the concept of sustainability.

The Arroyo Food Cooperative is a California consumer cooperative corporation, with bylaws, a board of directors and a business plan. They are currently engaged in a membership campaign. Full lifetime ownership is $300. Also offered is a payment plan of $30 initial investment and at least $30 per year thereafter. The capital collected will eventually be leveraged with outside investments to raise enough to establish the store.

In his presentation, Patrick Reagan will explain more about the cooperative business model and how the Arroyo Food Co-op is planning on using it. A prepared slide presentation will illustrate some co-op history and show what some other community-owned grocery stores look like. Time will be allowed for questions and answers. Memberships will be available.

For more information contact Rosemary Rohde, rohde@caltech.edu

Noyes Hall, Building #72 on the Caltech map:
http://www.caltech.edu/map/Caltech-map-20090923BW.pdf