Triad Buying Cooperative: An Introduction

What is it? Triad Buying Co-op (TBC) is a co-operative organization governed and operated by its members, who pool resources of talent, time and money to purchase high quality natural products at prices at or below those available in retail outlets. We order and receive goods every four weeks at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship on Robinhood Road in Winston-Salem. TBC has a web-based ordering system, and much of our communication is by email, therefore, access to the internet is required.

What do you get? As one of our primary goals is to support farmers and businesses in our area, we order local organic and non-organic produce, meats, bread, bagels, cheese, other prepared foods and soap. We also order from United Foods, a warehouse that supplies well-known brands of health-food groceries.  For herbs and supplements, we order from Frontier; for cheeses, we order from Amish producers in Ohio. We also order nuts, cookies and other high quality foods. 

How much does it cost? There is a New Member Set-up Fee of $100 which includes a refundable deposit of $50 and your first year's subscription to the United Natural Foods Catalog ($12) and a $20 one-time dues, and $18 processing fee. This must be paid before you are able to place orders. Currently, there are no annual fees once you are a member. This may change in the future, depending on our financial situation.

Will I save money buying from TBC? It depends on your current shopping habits. If you usually buy all your food and groceries from a whole foods grocery, you might save quite a bit. Some things are considerably cheaper, maybe 50% less, while others may be the same, or sometimes even more expensive. It helps to know what current local prices are. We pay a 2% 'bump' on top of the total prices, plus State sales tax.

You will also need space to store your food if you buy in large quantities (not everyone does) and containers to put your bulk food in.

What do I have to do? TBC is a co-op, which means everyone has a job, and you must be capable and available to perform your job on a regular basis. Don't worry, we'll train you. We rely on one another to help the co-op run smoothly, so it is very important that you are able to do your part. Your application and available times will help us determine what job and time slots you are offered. You must work every month, whether or not you ordered that month. If you are going to be out of town or otherwise unable to work, you must arrange for another TBC member to take your place at your work time.

When do I have to be available? Our delivery date every four weeks (13 times a year) on a Wednesday and pick-up is the next day, Thursday. Your co-op job will likely be on Wednesday or Thursday. You must be able to pick up your food between 10:30 am and 5:30 pm on Thursday. calendar07.pdf

What are other benefits? It's fun to work together for a common purpose. Co-op members are interesting people. You can reduce your trips to the grocery stores, reduce the amount of packaging you use, support local and organic growers and producers, support sustainable agriculture, and enjoy great food!

For an application form,  download the pdf   applicationforTBC.pdf

****

Take the 'NoJunk' out for the real address!****