INFRA

What INFRA does

INFRA (Independent Natural Food Retailers Association), founded in 2005 and headquartered at 188 Plato Blvd W, St. Paul, MN, is a member-owned purchasing cooperative serving 400+ independent organic and natural food and wellness retailers operating 650+ store locations across the United States, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. The cooperative aggregates collective purchasing power for its members through a National Supply Agreement and a long-term distribution partnership with KeHE Distributors (10-year extension announced July 2025), while providing promotional programs, peer-learning events, the annual Tabletop Buying Show, operational advisory, and marketing resources such as The Buyer's Desk and Common Roots podcasts. In October 2025 INFRA expanded beyond services into private-label brand ownership with the launch of The Good Collective, an exclusive wellness brand (collagen, multivitamins, protein) available through shopthegooldcollective.com and 200+ member stores, and in September 2025 the cooperative achieved B Corp certification. INFRA generates revenue primarily through recurring member participation in purchasing and promotional programs, vendor partnerships, event and booth sales, data partnerships (notably SPINS), and now brand gross margin, with a stated 2028 vision of serving 1,000 communities.

Name

INFRA

Legal name

Independent Natural Food Retailers Association

Website

https://naturalfoodretailers.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

INFRA is a St. Paul-based purchasing cooperative serving 400+ independent natural food and wellness retailers across the US, DC, and Puerto Rico, providing collective buying power, KeHE-aligned distribution, promotional programs, peer support, and its own private-label wellness brand.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Retail Cooperative Services

NAICS

Food and Beverage Retailers (445)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Natural/Organic Food Co-ops & Community Natural Grocers (CRAHAEAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Multi-Stakeholder Grocery Cooperatives (CRAHALAD), Supply Chain Sustainability & Responsible Sourcing (SMETA, supplier ESG) (EUAHAJAE)

Keywords

• Purchasing cooperative services
• Natural food retail
• Grocery retail support
• Cooperative membership programs
• Retail marketing services

Headquarters

HQ city

Saint Paul

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Cooperative Membership Services: INFRA operates as a purchasing cooperative of independent organic and natural food and wellness retailers. Revenue is generated through member participation in collective purchasing programs, promotional agreements, and operational support services. The cooperative serves hundreds of communities across the US, DC, and Puerto Rico.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

INFRA is a purchasing cooperative of independent organic and natural food and wellness retailers. It provides members with collective purchasing power through national supply agreements, promotional programs that grow store sales, operational excellence resources, and peer support networks via curated events and online forums. The cooperative helps independent retailers compete against national grocery chains by aggregating buying power, reducing cost of doing business, and improving price perception.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Good Collective: INFRA's exclusive wellness brand launched in 2025, providing members with private label products to compete in private label and build healthy margins.

Products and services

• The Good Collective INFRA's exclusive private-label wellness brand that gives member retailers a way to compete in the private label category and build healthy margins, with products spanning collagen, multivitamins, and protein supplements.
• INFRA Tabletop Buying Show Annual tabletop buying event where consumer packaged goods brands, vendors, and emerging products connect directly with INFRA member retailers for placement and distribution opportunities. Booth packages are priced at $4,000 standard and $6,500 premium.
• INFRA Annual Conference Annual member conference featuring share groups, educational sessions, panel discussions on data transparency, and networking opportunities designed to strengthen independent natural food retailers through peer collaboration and knowledge sharing.
• Cooperative Membership Program Core membership offering for independent organic and natural food retailers, providing collective purchasing power through the National Supply Agreement, promotional programs that grow store sales, operational excellence resources, and peer networking through curated events and online forums.

Quantifiable outcome

• 650+ retailer locations serving communities nationwide
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Paktli (Paktlifoods)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 2 January 2026INFRA selected Paktli, a traditional Mexican snack company, for placement in 300 stores across the northeastern United States. This represents INFRA's role in connecting emerging brands with its retailer network.
• KeHE DistributorscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 31 July 2025KeHE Distributors is a distributor of fresh, natural & organic, and specialty products in North America. INFRA announced a landmark 10-year contract extension with KeHE Distributors in July 2025, fueling continued growth and innovation. This partnership strengthens INFRA's collective purchasing power and position across the supply chain.
• SPINScoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerINFRA partnered with SPINS, a leading retail data provider, to share top wellness trends and provide members with data insights. SPINS data helps INFRA identify brand void opportunities and market trends.
• EcolyticsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPlanned partnership with Ecolytics to provide waste and energy benchmarks for INFRA's sustainability reporting, supporting B Corp recertification in 2029.
• Equal ExchangecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerEqual Exchange is a worker-owned coffee roastery focused on ethically traded products with farmer co-ops at the heart of their model. They partner with values-based retailers to create market access for small growers. Equal Exchange launched the Everyday coffee line through INFRA's platform.
• Earth FarecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEarth Fare was among INFRA's founding members in 2005 and returned to the association in 2024 after a decade-long pause. Earth Fare has 18 locations in the Southeast and Midwest, strengthening INFRA's collective voice.
• Christian Dean ArchitectureminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerChristian Dean Architecture designed INFRA's new headquarters in West St. Paul, focusing on sustainability and daylight-filled work environment.
• Intent Built, Inc.minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerGeneral contractor for INFRA's new headquarters construction project in St. Paul, Minnesota.
• KeHE DistributorscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDistributor partner providing fresh, natural & organic, and specialty products. 10-year contract extension announced in 2025.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• New Seasons Market: A Pacific Northwest-based natural and organic grocery chain. Comparable as an independent-format natural food retailer operating in a defined regional geography, similar profile to many INFRA member stores.
• PCC Community Markets: A large consumer-owned cooperative grocery with 16+ stores primarily in the Seattle/Puget Sound area. Comparable as a natural food co-op retailer that could be either an INFRA member or peer cooperative model serving similar values-driven shoppers.

Broad incumbents

• KeHE Distributors: A major distributor of natural, organic, and specialty products and INFRA's primary distribution partner under a 10-year contract. Comparable as a key enabler of natural food retail supply chain, though KeHE operates at much larger scale across multiple customer segments.
• Sprouts Farmers Market: A publicly traded natural and organic grocery retailer operating ~440 stores across the US. Comparable in the natural food retail space but competes directly with INFRA's independent member retailers, representing both a market dynamic and a potential partnership opportunity.
• Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage: A publicly traded natural and organic grocery chain operating ~170 stores. Operates in the same natural food retail space as INFRA's members but as a corporate chain rather than cooperative; reflects competitive pressure on independents.
• United Natural Foods (UNFI): The largest wholesale distributor of natural, organic, and specialty foods in North America. Comparable to INFRA's role in supplying independent natural retailers, but UNFI operates at vastly larger scale and serves customers across all retail formats.

Others

• SPINS: A retail data provider for the natural products industry and INFRA's data partner. Adjacent ecosystem participant that enables INFRA's category management and trend insights, with comparable focus on the natural products channel.

Direct peers

• National Co+op Grocers (NCG): A cooperative services organization providing purchasing, marketing, and operational support to natural food co-ops across the US. Directly comparable to INFRA's cooperative model serving independent natural food retailers, with overlapping member profiles and service offerings.
• Topco Associates: A member-owned cooperative providing procurement, marketing, and private label services to member retailers across grocery categories. Comparable cooperative structure to INFRA, with similar focus on enabling independents through collective scale and exclusive brands.
• Associated Wholesale Grocers (AWG): A retailer-owned cooperative wholesaler serving independent grocery retailers across the US. Comparable to INFRA's collective purchasing model, though serving a broader grocery member base rather than focusing exclusively on natural/organic retailers.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about INFRA