OUR MISSION
MISSION-DRIVEN AND COMMITTED TO OUR CUSTOMERS
The mission of the Ticonderoga Natural Foods Co-op is:
To be YOUR community marketplace for locally sourced foods & specialty products.
We accomplish this by:
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Providing fairly-priced products that support a sustainable regional food system
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Supporting a healthy lifestyle
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Promoting community partnership, education & economic vitality
OUR HISTORY
2012
2014
2018
2020
The Ti Food Co-op was initiated in 2012 by a group of citizens concerned about the lack of healthy food options in our regional food desert. With the support of what was then PRIDE of Ticonderoga (now the North Country Rural Development Coalition), a co-op feasibility study was conducted in 2012.
Following the study, a start-up team began its work and in 2014 the co-op was officially incorporated as a not for profit cooperative. The co-op opened in a 600 square foot space at 111 Montcalm St. provided rent-free by PRIDE.
In the early years, the co-op was staffed primarily by volunteers and managed by some incredible General Managers (thank you Erin, Penny and Megan!) Individuals, board members, farmers, local businesses and community partners all played a BIG part in keeping our little co-op open.
TOP LEFT: original storefront at 111 Montcalm
TOP RIGHT: coolers arrive
BOTTOM LEFT: in-store display
BOTTOM RIGHT: first Board President and General Manager
In 2018, the store moved to its current location at 109 Montcalm St., tripling its square footage. With that move and a grant for 2 new coolers, the Ti Co-op began its move towards a more fully staffed business with higher inventory and full time hours. The store developed new & existing supplier relationships, adding a weekly fresh fish delivery.
When the Covid pandemic hit in 2020, then store manager Megan Cunningham and the co-op board pivoted quickly to ensure the safety of employees and customers, while continuing to provide a place for farmers to sell and customers to buy their products. Pick-up and delivery options were added.
LEFT: the new store at 109 Moncalm; RIGHT: working through the pandemic
In the years since the pandemic, the co-op has experienced changes in both staff and board membership. The store now employs a full time General Manager & 3 highly dedicated part-time employees who have expanded the co-op's community presence. Since 2022, the Ti Co-op has had a steady presence at the Ticonderoga Farmer's Market and the Heritage, Harvest & Horses Festival at Fort Ticonderoga.
In 2023 the co-op began sponsoring the Ticonderoga Triathlon and hosted an "Eating for Health" event in collaboration with Hudson Headwaters. The co-op began tabling at the Adirondack Harvest Festival in Westport & continued its presence at Ticonderoga's Streetfest and Fallfest. We began serving soup in fall 2023, added a small cafe seating area, and began small batch store-prepared food sales.
2022
2023
LEFT TO RIGHT: at the Farmer's Market; Homemade Soup, Cafe Seating
2024
In 2024, we began to host small cooking classes, expanded our store prepared grab & go foods and began to sell store-made dinners and charcuterie boards.
LEFT TO RIGHT: Store Prepared Meals; Expanded Grab & Go Ptoducts; Cooking Classes
2024 was also our 10th ANNIVERSARY! So our community celebrated together... it's not easy being a little co-op in a town that rides the tides of seasonal and year-round customers. AND - our big-hearted community has kept the co-op going. Here's to the ongoing story...
LEFT TO RIGHT: General. Managers through the years; celebrating our Anniversary dinner; outside at our Anniversary dinner