Black-led, community owned Detroit People's Food Co-op opens doors

DETROIT (FOX 2) - The Detroit People's Food Co-op is a labor of love that took more than a decade to turn from a dream into a reality.

The new Black-led and community-owned cooperative grocery store is now open in Detroit and it’s unique in more ways than one.

The idea is affordable locally sourced high-quality food with a 50/50 split between conventional and organic products.

They are working with four local farms and more than 70 local vendors delivering on a promise that’s exciting the community.

"We started from humble beginnings, we started at D Town farms over near (Rouge Park) now we’re here and we're going to say loud and proud, thank you," said Stephen Philpot, co-op member.

"I’ve been waiting for actual food in Detroit for years. This is so wonderful, it’s so beautiful," said Christine Evans, volunteer.

The brand-new structure at the Detroit Food Commons - on Woodward and Euclid, houses the Detroit People's Food Co-op, came with a price tag of $22 million.

From crisp veggies to potatoes and fruit, the aisles are stocked with soulful selections.

"If it doesn’t have soul,  it’s not worth putting on your table," said Levi Johnson Jr., maker of Mr. Levi’s MyTFine Soul Sauce. "So we figured out how to put it in the bottle, and as you can see, my face is on the bottle, which guarantees soul is in the bottle."

So far more than 2,700 members have joined. The lines are long because the groundswell of support is already evident.

It represents broader interests like food sovereignty and economic empowerment.

"This is a revolutionary concept whose time has finally come," Johnson said. "We can’t be empowered if we don’t have power."

"It is community-owned, it’s Black-led. The people in this neighborhood are the ones that own this co-op," said Akil Talley, GM The Detroit People's Food Co-op."

There’s also a banquet hall upstairs, and an incubator kitchen where up-and-coming chefs can hone their craft.

The co-op is a concept that Akil Talley says wants to see it spread across Detroit.

The Detroit People's Food Co-op accepts non-tax-deductible donations made via PayPal.

If you want to get involved in the co-op, membership is open to residents of Michigan 21 years of age and up. The price to purchase a lifetime member/owner equity share in the co-op is $200 per person (one person per share). The share price can be paid in one lump sum or spread out over 10 monthly installment payments. 

However, one does not need to be a member to shop at the co-op. 

While the first floor will be a full-service grocery shop, the second floor will operate as a hub for educational workshops and community events. It'll be managed by the Detroit Black Community Food Sovereignty Network. 

Membership allows input into the co-op’s activities and future while getting shopping discounts, deals and potential patronage refunds.

For more information, please call (833) DPFC-313 or (833) 373-2313.

Online find the Facebook page HERE.

The Detroit People's Food Co-op website is HERE.