The New Berkshire Food Co-op: Bigger, Better And More Local Brands
Sponsored: The Berkshire Food Co-Op has moved to new quarters, which means more space and new vendors.
Sponsored content
No more peeking over the construction fences: The Berkshire Food Co-op’s new, expanded facility in Great Barrington, Mass. is opening at last, just next door to the old Bridge Street store that served as the natural, organic, local food store hub since 1981. The Co-op moved into that space in 2003 after leaving the original location at Rosseter Street, which first opened its doors in 1981.
“I can’t wait to see the people’s faces as they walk through the front doors and see their new home,” says Ted Moy, the store’s manager.
Prepare to be impressed. With almost 14,000 square feet, the new space is almost double the size of the old, allowing the Co-op to greatly increase the variety of products in store. New to the Co-op is a beer and wine department as well as a floral department; hemp makes its appearance on the shelves; more items move into the bulk department; and the kids’ corner has been expanded.
LOCAL PRODUCTS WELCOMED HERE
"The expanded aisles are filling with all of our old favorites as well as several hundreds of new items,” Moy says. Among them are:
Big Elm Brewing
The Sheffield, Mass. brewery brings its ales and lagers to the Co-op’s beer shelves. On sale will be year-round offerings like the 413 Farmhouse Ale (made with grains and hops farmed in the “413” area code), and seasonal beers like Headspace IPA, a hazy, golden, hoppy quaff perfect for summer afternoons. What’s more, all Big Elm beers are crafted to reduce gluten. “The Berkshire Food Co-op shares our values of offering the highest quality products created with local ingredients for a devoted local audience, and we are thrilled by the expansion,” says Bill Heaton, who with his wife, Christine Bump, owns Big Elm and crafts its beers.
Heritage Hemp CBD
Northampton’s Heritage Hemp products are derived from plants grown organically at family farms in the Pioneer Valley. The line includes tinctures, gummies, softgels, salves, and vapes. “It’s great to partner with the Berkshire Food Co-op,” says Sales Director Amanda Wygant, “because we are both all about sustainability and local flair. There is a synergy between the Co-op and its vendors, many of whom, like us, are committed to supporting local farmers and growing the region’s economy.” She adds that Heritage oversees production of its natural wellness offerings from seed to shelf, with both raw materials and finished products tested by third-party labs to ensure quality and purity.
Buck Mountain Potted Herbs & Starters
An organic herb nursery in Cornwall, Conn., Buck Mountain Potted Herbs & Starters has mostly sold its 75-plus varieties of culinary, medicinal, and native pollinator herbs at farm markets and plant sales throughout the region. Now, Buck Mountain will have a permanent presence in the Berkshire Food Co-op’s brand new floral department – which is helping owner Pat Bramley “change the direction of my business. My passion is growing plants and now I can do more of that by to focusing on wholesale, rather than spending so much time selling plants at different places. It really will be a boost for me.” She says look for her starter pots, arrangements, fresh cut bunches, and – in the autumn – herbal wreaths.
Tierra Farms and Six Depot Roastery
The bigger market has allowed for the expansion of the bulk department, which has long carried Tierra Farm’s certified organic nuts and dried fruits. Now, the Berkshire Food Co-op will sell this Columbia County-based manufacturer and distributor’s fair trade coffee in bulk, too. Shoppers will also be able to purchase West Stockbridge’s Six Depot Roastery & Café beans, which the Co-op has long sold in packaged form, in the bulk bins.
The Berkshire Food Co-op is delighted to welcome these and other new vendors to its new space. Construction’s complete and the fences are down. Let’s go shopping.
The Co-op’s Grand Opening on Wednesday, June 19, begins with a ribbon cutting at 7:30 a.m., and continues all day with sampling, demonstrations and live music.
34 Bridge Street, Great Barrington, MA
(413) 528-9697
Open daily from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.
