Grocery shopping doesn’t look like it used to. With apps offering on-demand ordering and the mass availability of once-hard-to-find specialty, organic, and gourmet foods, hard-working families and foodies alike have it easier than ever. As the team at Berkshire Food Co-op knows, however, it’s never been more important to find a sense of shared community and purpose in the grocery aisle.
“While our store may look a little different these days, the heart of who we are has never changed,” says Berkshire Food Co-op’s general manager, Jessica Bosworth. “We’re still that same beloved store that began on Rosseter Street back in 1981, founded by local families with a simple but powerful idea: to create a warm, welcoming place to shop, eat, and connect.”
What began in those first years as a modest buying club where neighbors pooled resources to buy bulk groceries led to the opening of the Co-op’s first storefront on Rosseter Street. Over the years, the Co-op has outgrown several locations as its membership and offerings have grown. In 2019, the Co-op cut the ribbon on a sleek new home at 34 Bridge Street twice the size of its previous location. Today, the Co-op serves over 5,000 member-owners in the Berkshires, yet has remained true to its cooperative values and commitment to supporting the local economy.
“We’re proud to continue offering good food, fair prices, and fresh local produce,” says Bosworth. “We’re still dedicated to supporting our local farmers, makers, and artisans. And most of all, we’re here for our community.”
As all cooperatives do, the Berkshire Co-op operates under eight guiding values, which include democratic member control, concern for the community, and cooperation among cooperatives. Each owner has an equal share in ownership, and an equal say in the direction of the Co-op’s growth. “Our members are what makes our store so special,” says Bosworth. “The Co-op isn’t privately owned. It collaborates with a Board of Directors, works with the community, and is truly 100 percent owned by our community.”
More than just a supermarket, Berkshire Food Co-op has become a community hub, and has always been open to everyone—not just members. The store regularly hosts events on the patio like live music, fitness classes, cooking demonstrations, and tastings that bring neighbors together.
“Working here is more than a job. It’s being part of something bigger,” Bosworth says. “Our staff are also parents, friends, and neighbors. We’re all invested in this community, and that connection is what makes the Co-op special.”
That sense of personal connection imbues every aspect of the Co-op. Shoppers often see familiar faces behind the register and in the aisles, and many employees and member-owners have been involved for years. Bosworth herself has been with the Co-op through almost a decade of change and growth, and she carries its mission close to heart.
“Whether you’ve been with us since the beginning or just discovered us, we’re so glad you’re here,” says Bosworth. “If it’s been a while since your last visit, we’d love to see you again. Think of us like that old friend you may not see often, but whenever you reconnect, it feels like no time has passed at all. Come on by, and let’s pick up right where we left off.”
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