Flatbush Food Coop

tybur6

So... I'm not a member because I can't afford to shop there -- nor is the selection that great even if I could afford $11/lb for chicken, $6 box of crackers, and so on. The only items that seem to be in the range of normalcy are *some* of the bulk items. I periodically keep trying to give it a go... but it fails me.

Is this place actually successful? Are the members actually happy with the food choices and the prices? (since, it is assumed, the members make these decisions.)

What the deal? And what would be the motivation to shop at Natural Frontier down the street?

This isn't meant to be snarky... I honestly don't understand the Food Coop. And trust me, I completely understand and support the concept of cooperative business... but the form this coop has taken seems baffling to me.

meredithb

I buy only mixed greens there. Everything else is too expensive.

mylkshayk

I like the FFC because of it's huge selection (or maybe it just seems like it has a huge selection because of its huge, beautiful new space; you should've seen it when it was in the dump across the street- yuck!). Wide aisles, beautiful floors and lighting and seemingly fresh products. But yes, it does seem to be more expensive, definitely more pricey than Nature Frontier down the block. But Nat Front sells some iffy-quality products- bloated milk containers, spaghetti sauce that is just about to expire, expired chocolate bars (these are the items I have personally found; a neighbor claims she saw them changing the dates on meat, which is really scary if true). I go there for grains and candy and water, but I trust the Co-op veggies and tofu more, even if they are more expensive. I haven't checked the Co-op discount program recently, but when I worked there many moons ago the deal was 3% for non-working members, 8% for members who volunteered a few hours a week, and 16% for employees and members who worked weekly. And seniors got a 3% discount even if they weren't members. But I'm sure the latest info is on their website. The people at Nature Frontier are really friendly and I enjoy shopping there, just have to be careful to check the dates on the food you are buying!

davidg8089

Their prices are a bit high, and they always have been. The prices on the groceries they sell are higher than the supermarket. ... and yet they have been doing VERY good business since they changed to their new location!

The only thing I wonder about Nature Frontier, is this.. are the owners local?

tybur6

OK... maybe my original post was a bit "aggressive" but I expected more responses than above. I have to agree, the new space is beautiful. However, does that doesn't justify the crazy prices (and less than amazing selection)... does it?

There always seems to be people shopping in there... but it's never really that busy. (Compared to, say, Met Food just down the block... they get really busy)

Before you say, "But that's apples and oranges." I wouldn't agree. A supermarket is a supermarket. I would expect the coop to be a bit more expensive for *certain* items because they are specialty/organic/whatever... but it doesn't take away from the fact that I couldn't possibly be satisfied by shopping *only* at the coop... FAR from it.

tybur6

By the way David - what do you mean by "local"? Are the owners from Brooklyn or actually from Ditmas/PPSouth?

That would be interesting to know... though, if I found out the owners lived in New Jersey, I don't think that would stop me shopping there.

BTW, I actually brought up Nature Frontier because they are for-profit... but have, for the most part, lower prices than the coop. And they actually have *several* choices for crackers... not the organic East Berlin-style selection you find in FFC :-)

davidg8089

tybur6 wrote: By the way David - what do you mean by "local"? Are the owners from Brooklyn or actually from Ditmas/PPSouth?

I would just be thinking Brooklyn! ..and now the old Alexanders/Boxers appears to be reopening soon (though I won't hold my breath) as a restaurant/bar this neighborhood is really livening up.. though the last time I saw this was just before the last crash in the economy and most of the new venues, at that time closed up..

We'll hope for the best!

baly

A supermarket is not a supermarket. I would not compare Whole Foods to C-Town, nor Met to FFC. There is simply not the same selection of products at both stores. I don't expect to get one stop shopping at any supermarket in New York like I did in the suburbs.