What is a food co-op and how does it work? Can a community really build its own grocery store?

In this episode of Dreaming Big Working Hard, we sit down with Kim Rivero Frank to share the inspiring real story behind a community-owned grocery store built from the ground up. After becoming a food desert with no full-service grocery store, residents came together to launch Suncoast Market Co-op — a cooperative grocery store owned by more than 1,300 local members.

We break down how to start a food co-op, how cooperative businesses work, how this grocery store was funded, and what entrepreneurs and community leaders can learn from the journey. From raising millions of dollars to building a sustainable business model focused on fresh food access and local sourcing, this conversation is packed with insights for anyone interested in entrepreneurship, small business ownership, and community development.

If you’ve ever wondered:
How do food co-ops make money?
Are food co-ops profitable?
How do you open a grocery store with no corporate backing?
What does community ownership actually look like?



This episode answers those questions and more.

Whether you're an entrepreneur, nonprofit leader, or someone passionate about local business and food access, this story will show you what’s possible when a community decides to build something for itself.

Subscribe for more conversations on leadership, entrepreneurship, and building stronger communities.

Here are some notable moments from this episode:

00:00 – Skepticism & Food Desert Reality

01:04 – Meet Kim & The Co-op Vision

05:33 – Why Big Grocery Chains Said No

07:43 – What Is a Food Desert?

10:03 – Moms & The Cooperative Model

15:12 – What It Means to Be an Owner

18:11 – Why Co-ops Survive

19:31 – Inside the Hybrid Grocery Model

23:25 – The $4 Million Journey

26:35 – The Turning Point

31:22 – A Blueprint for Other Communities

34:19 – The Bigger Lesson

Tags:
#FoodCoop #GroceryStoreBusiness #HowToStartABusiness #Entrepreneurship #SmallBusinessOwners #CommunityBusiness #CooperativeBusiness #LocalBusiness #StartupStory #BusinessPodcast #SocialEntrepreneurship #CommunityDevelopment #FoodBusiness #RetailBusiness #LeadershipPodcast #BusinessMotivation #StartupJourney #EconomicDevelopment #WomenInBusiness #DreamingBigWorkingHard

What is a food co-op and how does it work? Can a community really build its own grocery store?
In this episode of Dreaming Big Working Hard, we sit down with Kim Rivero Frank to share the inspiring real story behind a community-owned grocery store built from the ground up. After becoming a food desert with no full-service grocery store, residents came together to launch Suncoast Market Co-op &mdash; a cooperative grocery store owned by more than 1,300 local members.
We break down how to start a food co-op, how cooperative businesses work, how this grocery store was funded, and what entrepreneurs and community leaders can learn from the journey. From raising millions of dollars to building a sustainable business model focused on fresh food access and local sourcing, this conversation is packed with insights for anyone interested in entrepreneurship, small business ownership, and community development.
If you&rsquo;ve ever wondered:
<ul>
<li>How do food co-ops make money?</li>
<li>Are food co-ops profitable?</li>
<li>How do you open a grocery store with no corporate backing?</li>
<li>What does community ownership actually look like? </li>
</ul>
This episode answers those questions and more.
Whether you're an entrepreneur, nonprofit leader, or someone passionate about local business and food access, this story will show you what&rsquo;s possible when a community decides to build something for itself.
Subscribe for more conversations on leadership, entrepreneurship, and building stronger communities.
Here are some notable moments from this episode:
00:00 &ndash; Skepticism &amp; Food Desert Reality
01:04 &ndash; Meet Kim &amp; The Co-op Vision
05:33 &ndash; Why Big Grocery Chains Said No
07:43 &ndash; What Is a Food Desert?
10:03 &ndash; Moms &amp; The Cooperative Model
15:12 &ndash; What It Means to Be an Owner
18:11 &ndash; Why Co-ops Survive
19:31 &ndash; Inside the Hybrid Grocery Model
23:25 &ndash; The $4 Million Journey
26:35 &ndash; The Turning Point
31:22 &ndash; A Blueprint for Other Communities
34:19 &ndash; The Bigger Lesson
Tags: #FoodCoop #GroceryStoreBusiness #HowToStartABusiness #Entrepreneurship #SmallBusinessOwners #CommunityBusiness #CooperativeBusiness #LocalBusiness #StartupStory #BusinessPodcast #SocialEntrepreneurship #CommunityDevelopment #FoodBusiness #RetailBusiness #LeadershipPodcast #BusinessMotivation #StartupJourney #EconomicDevelopment #WomenInBusiness #DreamingBigWorkingHard

Dreaming Big | Working Hard with David Alvarez is a podcast about people, policy, and the power of opportunity. Hosted by California Assemblymember David Alvarez, each episode dives into the issues shaping our communities, from housing and education to economic and environmental justice. Through candid conversations with policymakers, community leaders, and everyday changemakers, David explores how dreaming big and working hard can create real, lasting progress.

Dreaming Big | Working Hard with <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/alvarezsd/">David Alvarez</a> is a podcast about people, policy, and the power of opportunity. Hosted by California Assemblymember David Alvarez, each episode dives into the issues shaping our communities, from housing and education to economic and environmental justice. Through candid conversations with policymakers, community leaders, and everyday changemakers, David explores how dreaming big and working hard can create real, lasting progress.

Dreaming Big | Working Hard

Dreaming Big | Working Hard with David Alvarez is a podcast about people, policy, and the power of opportunity. Hosted by California Assemblymember David Alvarez, each episode dives into the issues shaping our communities, from housing and education to economic and environmental justice. Through candid conversations with policymakers, community leaders, and everyday changemakers, David explores how dreaming big and working hard can create real, lasting progress.

To know more visit: http://davidalvarez.com/

Dreaming Big | Working Hard with David Alvarez is a podcast about people, policy, and the power of opportunity. Hosted by California Assemblymember David Alvarez, each episode dives into the issues shaping our communities, from housing and education to economic and environmental justice. Through candid conversations with policymakers, community leaders, and everyday changemakers, David explores how dreaming big and working hard can create real, lasting progress.
To know more visit: http://davidalvarez.com/