What Guidelines do we use to select our products?

We source products that support our Ends. We want to carry a wide variety of high quality products that are wholesome, produced in an environmentally sound and socially conscious manner, and available at a fair price. By prioritizing these products, we are able to support local producers and help build a sustainable food distribution system. In our buying decisions, we therefore give preference to products that are:

• Grown and produced by local or regional vendors
• Grown and produced organically
• Produced without genetically modified organisms or hormones
• Certified fair trade and/or produced by cooperatives
• Packaged with minimal, recycled and/or recyclable packaging
• Humanely raised in the case of meat, eggs, and dairy products

We act as a buying agent for our member-owners. Each buying decision requires the consideration of our criteria and the values of our cooperative. We continuously adapt and improve our product mix based on our member-owners' needs and the evolving natural foods industry and local food supply. To that end, we actively strive to keep up with and share information concerning the health, sustainability, economic and environmental impact of the products High Falls Food Co-op carries – so as to enable our shoppers to make informed decisions about the products they choose to buy. As we grow, we hope to be able to offer more products according to the “Good, Better, Best” strategy, as well as respond to product requests from a more diverse customer base.