Valley Natural Foods

What Valley Natural Foods does

Valley Natural Foods, legally Valley Community Food Co-op, Inc, is a community-owned consumer cooperative operating a single retail grocery storefront at 13750 Co Rd 11, Burnsville, Minnesota, supported by 12,000+ member-owners who each pay a one-time $100 lifetime membership fee. The store offers a full-service grocery assortment across produce, deli, meat and seafood, bakery, dairy, bulk, grocery, and wellness departments, supplemented by an in-store Coffee & Juice Bar with a dedicated drive-thru window and rotating hot bar and soup menu. The cooperative also operates an owned production facility, Valley's Own Bakehouse in Rosemount, MN, which produces gluten-free baked goods and the acquired Kakookies cookie brand, with distribution both in-store and potentially through other retailers.

The business model combines transactional retail revenue (grocery and Coffee & Juice Bar sales), one-time member-owner equity investments that confer voting rights and layered discounts (5% monthly, 10% Fresh Sale, 10% Wellness Sale, case discounts, patronage refunds), and branded product sales through Valley's Own Bakehouse and Kakookies. The company has no external venture or private equity capital, governs itself through a member-elected Board of Directors, and reinvests in the South Metro Twin Cities community through partnerships with The Open Door Pantry, 360 Communities, and Midwest Food Connection, plus education programs and the annual Celebrate Local Festival.

The technology stack is conventional for cooperative retail: an integrated point-of-sale system, the E-Prime Systems member-owner portal for account management and Class C stock investments, and an Instacart marketplace integration enabling online ordering and same-day delivery. The cooperative maintains relationships with six verified local Minnesota family farms for produce, meat, and poultry, and holds third-party certifications including USDA Organic, Non-GMO Project, Fair Trade, Upcycled Certified, BAP, ASC, and MSC, alongside acceptance of WIC benefits. The company employs 101-250 staff and has operated continuously since 1977, most recently being recognized as one of Minnesota's Best Grocery Stores in 2021, 2022, and 2023.

Name

Valley Natural Foods

Legal name

Valley Community Food Co-op, Inc

Website

https://valleynaturalfoods.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1977

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Valley Natural Foods is a community-owned cooperative grocery store in Burnsville, MN, serving 12,000+ member-owners and South Metro shoppers with organic groceries, a Coffee & Juice Bar drive-thru, and a wholly-owned gluten-free bakery (Valley's Own Bakehouse) producing the acquired Kakookies brand.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Natural and Organic Grocery Retail

NAICS

All Other Specialty Food Retailers (445298), Other Specialty Food Retailers (44529), Baked Goods Retailers (445291), Limited-Service Restaurants (722513), Community Food Services (62421)

SIC

Retail-Grocery Stores (5411), Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810), Canned, Frozen & Preservd Fruit, Veg & Food Specialties (2030)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Community-Owned / Nonprofit Grocery Stores (CRAHALAB), Functional & Wellness Beverage Shops (Shots, Adaptogens, Vitamin/Collagen Drinks) (THAFAKAJ)

Keywords

• Natural grocery retail
• Organic food cooperative
• Member-owned grocery
• Community food market
• Local food store

Headquarters

HQ city

Burnsville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Retail Grocery Sales: Primary revenue stream from in-store retail sales of groceries including produce, deli items, meat, seafood, dairy, and bakery products. Revenue is generated through individual customer transactions with both member-owner and general public customers.
2. Coffee & Juice Bar Sales: On-site Coffee & Juice Bar with drive-thru window offering specialty beverages, smoothies, juices, and food items. Generates additional per-transaction revenue from beverages and prepared foods.
3. Member-Ownership Fees: One-time $100 member-owner investment for lifetime ownership. Provides access to member-only discounts and specials, driving customer loyalty and repeat business.
4. Branded Product Sales: Revenue from proprietary brands including Valley's Own Bakehouse (gluten-free goods), Kakookies (acquired in 2022), and previously Brody's 579 products. Products sold both in-store and potentially through wholesale to other retailers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Valley Natural Foods operates a community-owned cooperative grocery store in Burnsville, MN, retailing local, organic, and natural food across departments including Deli, Produce, Meat & Seafood, Bakery, Dairy, Grocery, Wellness, and Bulk. The store also operates a Coffee & Juice Bar with a drive-thru window, a rotating Hot Bar & Soup menu, and produces proprietary gluten-free baked goods under Valley's Own Bakehouse and the acquired Kakookies brand.

Product overview

Valley Natural Foods is a community-owned cooperative grocery store operating as a single-location retail business. The co-op offers a comprehensive range of grocery departments (Deli, Produce, Meat & Seafood, Bakery, Dairy, Grocery, Wellness, Bulk) along with a Coffee & Juice Bar with drive-thru service. The company has developed proprietary brands including Kakookies (acquired cookie brand) and Valley's Own Bakehouse (gluten-free baked goods), and previously acquired Brody's 579 (gluten-free muffin brand). Additional offerings include online shopping via Instacart, member-exclusive sales programs (Fresh Sale, Wellness Sale), and Co+op Deals discounts.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Valley's Own Bakehouse: Gluten-free baked goods including muffins, cookies, and baked products. Started in 2011 and expanded with a new facility in Rosemount, MN in 2021.
• Kakookies

Products and services

• Valley Natural Foods Co-op Grocery Store Community-owned cooperative grocery store offering local, sustainable, organic, and natural products across departments including Deli, Produce, Meat, Seafood, Bakery, Dairy, Grocery, Wellness, and Bulk; open daily 8am-9pm at 13750 Co Rd 11, Burnsville, MN.
• Coffee & Juice Bar In-store coffee and juice service with a drive-thru window offering espresso drinks, cold brew, specialty lattes, teas, smoothies, raw juices, and booster shots; in-store hours 8am-7pm daily and drive-thru 7am-7pm.
• Hot Bar & Soup Menu Rotating daily hot bar featuring themed menus including pizza/pasta, taco/burrito bowls, Asian-style foods, Mediterranean, BBQ, and weekend brunch options.
• Valley's Own Bakehouse Proprietary gluten-free baked goods brand producing muffins, cookies, and other baked products out of a dedicated production facility in Rosemount, MN; sold at Valley Natural Foods and through other retailers.
• Kakookies Acquired cookie brand produced at the Valley's Own Bakehouse facility and sold alongside Valley Natural Foods' own gluten-free baked goods line.
• Member-Ownership Program Lifetime cooperative membership available for a one-time $100 investment, providing a 5% monthly purchase discount, 10% off Member-Owner Fresh Sale (third Thursday monthly) and Wellness Sale (first Tuesday monthly), 10% case pre-order discount, patronage refund eligibility, and voting rights in Board of Directors elections.
• Online Shopping via Instacart Same-day grocery delivery and pickup service for Valley Natural Foods products via the Instacart marketplace, accessed through the Shop Online link on the company's website.

Quantifiable outcome

• 70% of food distributed by The Open Door Pantry is fresh and/or perishable, connecting those in need to healthy local foods
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• The Open Door PantrycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Hunger relief organization serving 14,000+ Dakota County residents monthly. VNF partners through food donations, community garden support (Garden to Table program), and support for Mobile Pantry and Mobile Lunch Box programs. The Open Door manages VNF's former community garden plots.
• Grazing Acres Bison & BeefcoreOthersLocal bison and beef supplier located in Elko New Market, Minn (29 minutes from VNF). Part of VNF's commitment to sourcing meat from local family farms that meet humane animal treatment standards.
• Larry Schultz Chicken & TurkeycoreOthersLocal poultry supplier from Owatonna, Minn (45 minutes from VNF). Supports VNF's local sourcing standards for fresh, humanely-raised chicken and turkey products.
• Ferndale Market TurkeycoreOthersTurkey producer from Cannon Falls, Minn (45 minutes from VNF). Contributes to VNF's local farm partnership network ensuring quality and freshness.
• Eichtens BisoncoreOthersBison ranch in Center City, Minn (1 hour from VNF). Provides sustainably-raised bison products supporting local agriculture and environmental stewardship.
• Hidden Stream Farm PorkcoreOthersPork supplier from Elgin, Minn (1.3 hours from VNF). Part of VNF's network of verified local producers meeting humane animal standards.
• Blooming Prairie Natural and Grass-Fed BeefcoreOthersGrass-fed beef producer from Blooming Prairie, Minn (2 hours from VNF). Supports VNF's commitment to 100% grass-fed, humanely-raised beef options.
• 360 CommunitiesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork of five food shelves in Burnsville, Apple Valley, Farmington, and Rosemount. Food shelf volunteers pick up fresh produce and grocery items at VNF three times a week.
• Midwest Food ConnectionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSince 2006, VNF has provided financial support for Midwest Food Connection to bring curriculum into school classrooms. Instructors provide fall, winter, and spring series focusing on locally grown food, cooking with Minnesota's harvest, and urban farming.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Natural Grocers (Vitamin Cottage): Public natural and organic grocery chain focused on strict ingredient standards and wellness products. Comparable on natural/organic positioning but operates as a multi-state chain rather than a community co-op.
• Sprouts Farmers Market: Specialty natural and organic grocer with strong fresh-produce, bulk, and wellness positioning. Comparable on category mix and health-conscious customer base, though scaled nationally and investor-owned.
• MOM's Organic Market: Mid-Atlantic and Northeast natural/organic grocer emphasizing local sourcing, sustainability, and prepared foods. Comparable on values-driven positioning and category mix, though larger and outside VNF's geography.
• Whole Foods Market: National natural and organic grocery chain owned by Amazon; competes directly with VNF on organic assortment, prepared foods, and wellness positioning, but operates at much larger scale and as part of a broader portfolio.

Direct peers

• Lakewinds Food Co-op: Minnesota-based natural foods cooperative with locations in the western Twin Cities suburbs, sharing the cooperative ownership model, organic/local focus, and similar product mix including prepared foods.
• Mississippi Market Natural Foods Co-op: St. Paul-area natural foods cooperative with multiple stores, comparable member-ownership model, deli/juice bar service, and similar local/organic sourcing positioning in the Twin Cities.
• Seward Community Co-op: Twin Cities community-owned natural foods co-op operating multiple locations with deli, coffee bar, and local sourcing focus. Direct peer given shared cooperative ownership model, natural/organic positioning, and overlapping metro geography.
• The Wedge / Wedge Community Co-op: Long-standing Minneapolis natural foods cooperative with similar member-owner structure, local farm sourcing, and full-service grocery + deli + produce departments. Closest comparable in scale and operating model within the same metro.

Regional players

• Willy Street Co-op: Madison, WI-based community-owned natural foods cooperative with multiple locations, deli, juice bar, and bakehouse-style prepared foods. Comparable cooperative operating model and natural foods assortment in the upper Midwest, though operating in a different metro.
• People's Food Co-op (La Crosse): Wisconsin-based natural foods cooperative with similar member-owner structure, local sourcing, and deli/coffee service. Smaller scale and different metro, but highly comparable co-op operating model and product mix in the upper Midwest.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks3 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/valley-natural-foods
• Xx.com/valleynatural
• Facebookfacebook.com/vnfcoop

Compliance8 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries1 record

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 Valley Natural Foods