Honest Weight Food Co-op and Electric City Food Co-op announce a joint committee to explore bringing a food cooperative to downtown Schenectady.

February 14, 2022 (Capital Region, NY) — FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The Honest Weight Food Co-op and the Electric City Food Co-op today announced a joint exploratory committee to discuss the potential for opening a food cooperative in Downtown Schenectady.

Resolving the food desert in downtown Schenectady is a regional priority, and a conversation that Honest Weight is incredibly excited to be a part of,” said Stephen Quickenton, interim Chief Cooperative Officer for Honest Weight. “We look forward to working closely with the Electric City Food Co-op to see if we can move forward with a project that builds on the success we have experienced in Albany while providing the same type of healthy food experience in Schenectady that our members and customers know so well.”

Honest Weight has been successfully operating as a cooperative grocery in Albany for over 45 years, and currently has over 10,000 owners and nearly 200 employees. In 2013, Honest Weight expanded to its current 30,000 square foot location at 100 Watervliet Avenue in the West Hill Neighborhood of Albany. In 2021, annual sales were nearly $29 million. Recent projects include opening an Honest Weight Kitchen in the concourse of Empire State Plaza as well as a brand-new location which is open to the public on the campus of Maria College in Albany.

Matt Robbins, President of the Board of Directors for Electric City Food Co-op said, “We are so excited to discuss a joint effort with Honest Weight to look at the best options for a potential store location in downtown Schenectady. Their success is inspiring, and we are thrilled to collaborate with the team at Honest Weight.”

The Electric City Food Co-op has been working since 2013 to bring a new cooperative market to Schenectady featuring local, organic, and sustainably produced natural foods, supporting the regional economy and helping to support a local food revolution. With 435 Member-Owners and counting, Schenectady area residents have shown that there is both an interest and a need for a cooperative grocer in their locale.

Food Cooperatives around the world operate according to the same set of core principles and values, adopted by the International Cooperative Alliance. One of these principles is “Cooperation Among Cooperatives,” which states that by working together, cooperatives bolster local economies and effectively innovate to meet social and community needs.

The joint exploratory committee will meet over the course of the next 2-3 months to try and determine the best way for both organizations to bring healthy food options to downtown Schenectady. The cooperatives are committed to providing information to their owners and engaging with their owners and the public in multiple formats, including informational sessions, email updates, and tabling events as conditions allow in the coming weeks and months.

Contact Information

Alex Mytelka Marketing Manager, Honest Weight Food Co-op AlexM@honestweight.coop Mobile: 518-774-6163
Caroline Boardman Board Member, Electric City Food Co-op carolineboardman@gmail.com Mobile: 518.986.1088