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Popular Western Mass Market Hailed As Nice Alternative To Whole Foods

Forget what you thought you knew about grocery store co-ops.

River Valley Co-op on King Street in Northampton

River Valley Co-op on King Street in Northampton

Photo Credit: River Valley Co-op commercial screen grab/YouTube

River Valley Co-op in Northampton isn’t your hippie grandma’s groovy grocer.

The ethics of fair trade, fair wages, and shopping local are the same as they were when co-ops started to take off in the 60s and 70s. But the variety, presentation, and freshness available separate River Valley from its profit-sharing ancestors.

Yelp foodie Jessica S. of Greenfield said she usually avoids co-ops; they can feel snobby, but not River Valley.

“I adore this place which is saying a lot since normally I loathe co-op style health food grocery stores on principle alone. They tend to be pricey and elitist. River Valley is neither of these,” Jessica S. said. “The staff is smart and helpful. The variety is great. My kids and I always stop here for lunch on our way home from swim meets.”

River Valley on King Street built a fresh and modern-looking space with high ceilings and bright rooms for community groups to gather at the site of a former quarry near the Northampton-Hatfield line. There’s a deli that also acts as a cafe serving easy breakfast and lunch items like sandwiches, soup, and salads. The bakery prepares fresh bread and sweet treats that are desirable for all kinds of diets - vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free, etc. The butchers make their own sausage.

River Valley is a cooperative, meaning it is owned by the people who work there as well as members who contribute to the business. 

In 2020, River Valley had more than 10,000 members who contribute and receive store discounts, as well as a share of the company’s decision-making power. Anyone can become a member. A board of directors is elected to oversee operations.

Owners seek to stock with shelves with as many local products as possible, which, in a region teeming with farms, craft breweries, sugar shacks, and edible entrepreneurship, ends up being a good chunk of River Valley’s inventory.

Online reviewers have a lot of positive things to say about River Valley, but one comment that’s often repeated is how delicious the butcher meats taste.

Yelp foodie Ashley M. of North Plainfield, New Jersey, said the butcher is fantastic and they really appreciate the grocer’s attention to dietary and food restrictions.

“I love the natural products. I get steaks, chicken, sausage, and veggies. Everything it amazingly priced. Don't miss out on the cheese area. I get black truffle cheese and they will help you pair it with wine,” said Ashley M. “They, also, have prepared food. All of it is yummy and there are so many options that make me and my partner happy. She is a vegetarian and I have sensitivities to a bunch of thing, so it is amazing that I can ask questions and be positive that I will be safe.”

The market got its start in the late 1990s when a group of citizens got together to build a community-owned grocer that sold high-quality, organic, local, fair-trade, and hormone-free produce, meats, dairy, grains, prepared and other foods. River Valley Co-op (nee River Valley Market) opened about 10 years ago. 

During COVID-19, many online reviewers said that River Valley’s curbside pickup has been running smoothly.

Yelp foodie Don T. of Amherst said he’s been taking advantage of the service.

“We are loving the Co-op. Their curbside service is a lifesaver (literally),” Don T. said. “Their produce is excellent as is their deli, etc. great selection of organic food.”

Reviewers also often commented on River Valley’s prices. Some people said they were too high, others felt they were comparable to Whole Foods, and still, others thought they were getting a bargain (especially if you’re a member).

Yelp foodie Batya B. of Amherst said that she’s more than willing to pay a little extra for quality and to support River Valley’s mission of fair wages, local purchasing, and food donations to people in need.

“I am a member and a fan of the co-op. Yes, the prices are high, but so is the quality of the food, the standards and the ethics. Also, you get to buy fresh, food produced locally. I would rather pay for that than for inferior food at a lower price,” Batya B. said. “You also get to support a great idea... the idea of a cooperative. Profits go to quality, paying well to good staff who care, helping admirable local projects... i.e. helping the poor to eat well and more. Profits do not go to make anyone rich, but to benefit as many as possible. I'll pay for that.”

River Valley Co-op, 330 King St. in Northampton, is open seven days a week, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. While members shop at River Valley at a discounted rate, anyone can shop at the market. The first hour of each day, 8-9 a.m., is reserved for people age 60 and older as well as those with compromised immune systems to shop. Contact River Valley Co-op at (413) 584-2665 or rivervalley.coop.

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