About Our Co-op
70 South Street, Blue Hill, Maine
Your Community-Owned
Grocery Store
The Blue Hill Co-op is a cooperatively-owned grocery store that specializes in local & organic foods. The Co-op employs 60+ full & part-time staff members and has over 2,500 owners. Everyone is welcome to shop at the Co-op, and, over the years, we have become a community food hub for the entire Blue Hill Peninsula, where people gather daily. Our customers include locals, seasonal residents, and visitors.
At the Co-op, we curate our selection with quality, sustainability, and responsible sourcing in mind. We carry many specialty foods for various dietary needs, such as plant-based/vegan, gluten-free, keto, and low-FODMAP. We pride ourselves on supporting local and organic food systems.
We are a welcoming, vibrant community of owners guided by our belief in the importance of healthful, honest food options. Through cooperative principles we support our economy by sourcing locally, and by providing education on food, environmental and social issues.
Our consumer food cooperative began as a buying club in the winter of 1974. A handful of people wanted to bring more fresh produce, cheeses, and whole foods to the Blue Hill Peninsula. The buying club expanded its offerings to include bulk grains and, within the first year, membership reached 100. In 1979, the Blue Hill Co-op was incorporated.
By the early 1990s, ownership numbers of the Co-op swelled to over 1,000 and the Co-op took up residence in its first physical location at the Sedgwick Schoolhouse. It was a small retail space and was run entirely by volunteers, which meant erratic hours of operation.
In 1993, the Co-op moved to 4 Ellsworth Rd in Blue Hill, but occupied only a small portion of the building’s ground floor. As the business grew, the Co-op eventually took over the entire first floor and later opened offices around the back in the lower part of the building. It didn’t take long for it to become clear that 4 Ellsworth Rd had reached full capacity.
A planning committee was formed, and the Co-op purchased 5.5 acres on South Street. Construction of the new storefront began in the fall of 2018 after a successful fundraising campaign brought in over $2.1 million in owner investment and donations. In July 2019, the doors were opened to the beautiful, efficient, and spacious new home of Blue Hill Co-op at 70 South Street. In December of that year, the rooftop solar array was installed, paid for entirely by a grant and owner contributions.
Co-op owners must pay $200 in equity, either paid in full or $20 annually for ten years. Co-op owner benefits include 10% off during monthly Full-Moon sales, special pricing on case quantities & special orders, and other in-store Bonus Buys. Ownership also includes a vote in Co-op elections and a chance to run for a seat on the Board of Directors, the opportunity to earn patronage dividends, and the satisfaction of being a part of a community-owned effort. Click here to read more about becoming an owner.
Unlike casual shoppers, many owners like to be active participants in the Co-op. Owners play a part in the Co-op community not only by shopping with us but also by subscribing to our newsletter, engaging in our social media, offering suggestions to management, electing board members, participating in special events, and attending board meetings. Another way owners can become more active is to join the Working Owner Program. Working-owners can earn a 10% discount by working several hours monthly at the Co-op. Typical working-owner tasks include assisting with Co-op events, enriching our social media with online classes, garden maintenance, and assisting at special events.
Deborah Wiggs, long-time Working Owner
The Power of Cooperation
We truly could not have expanded to our current building without the owners who invested in and donated towards our relocation. We sold $1,499,100 in preferred shares during our capital campaign and received $678,236 in cash donations.
Our Solar Array
Right from the start, we knew we wanted our new Co-op to utilize the sun’s energy. That’s why our roof is so massive. Our roof is home to 414 panels, which can produce 350 kWh on a sunny winter day (offsetting around 40% of our energy costs). In the summer, it produces even more.
In 2023 our solar array generated 140MWh
Since installation, the solar array has produced 568.17 MWh, offsetting 879,789 lbs of CO2 emissions. Equivalent to planting 6,647.61 trees.
