Hunger Mountain

What Hunger Mountain does

Hunger Mountain Co-op is a member-owned natural food cooperative operating a single retail grocery store at 623 Stone Cutters Way in Montpelier, Vermont. Founded in 1972 (originally as Plainfield Co-op) and re-branded upon relocating to Montpelier in 1978, the co-op serves approximately 10,000 member-owners and the broader central Vermont community through a full-service grocery offering that includes a Deli & Cafe, Bulk Foods Department, produce, meat and seafood, wellness products, and a curated Cheese Club monthly subscription at $60 per box. In FY2025 the co-op reported gross sales of $29.94M, with category mix of fresh foods (46% / $13.4M), local products (37% / $11.1M from 423 Vermont vendors and 400+ additional local suppliers), organic (30% / $9M), and sales from other cooperatives (5% / $1.4M).

The business model combines four revenue streams: in-store retail transactions (primary), membership equity payments ($180 total, payable as $15 per fiscal year), the recurring Cheese Club subscription, and gift card sales (online and in-store). Pricing offers tiered member benefits including Vitamin Wednesday (20% off supplements for members), a 6% senior discount, a 10% Co-op Cares discount for limited-income members, and patronage refunds. Net profits are allocated across worker gain-share, member patronage refunds, and co-op reserves. The co-op is governed by an elected Council under a democratic one-member-one-vote model and operates without external shareholders, parent entities, or public capital markets.

Hunger Mountain has no proprietary technology platform beyond a WordPress website with standard analytics cookies; no e-commerce grocery channel, mobile app, API, or AI/ML capabilities are disclosed. Community programming is a structural pillar — the Hunger Mountain Cooperative Community Fund has distributed $141,667+ across 109 grants since 2011, Bag That Bag has raised $110,000+ for the Montpelier Food Pantry, and Give Change round-ups generated $20,000+ in FY2025. Headcount is reported at 191 employees with average tenure above 7 years, and in September 2025 the co-op purchased a 1.6-acre adjacent parcel at 707 Stone Cutters Way for $487,500 from reserve funds, providing expansion optionality.

Name

Hunger Mountain

Legal name

Hunger Mountain Cooperative

Website

https://hungermountain.coop

Company type

Private

Founded year

1972

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Hunger Mountain Co-op is a member-owned natural food cooperative operating a single retail grocery store in Montpelier, Vermont, serving approximately 10,000 member-owners and central Vermont shoppers with organic, locally sourced groceries, deli foods, bulk items, and a Cheese Club subscription.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Natural Food Cooperative Grocery Retail

NAICS

All Other Specialty Food Retailers (445298), Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars (722515)

SIC

Retail-Food Stores (5400), Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)

akta.pro primary industry

Member-Owned Food Cooperatives (CRAHALAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Natural/Organic Food Co-ops & Community Natural Grocers (CRAHAEAJ), Food Co-ops with In-Store Prepared Foods & Deli (CRAHALAF)

Keywords

• Natural food retail
• Cooperative grocery
• Organic food store
• Community-owned market
• Local food sourcing

Headquarters

HQ city

Montpelier

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Retail Grocery Sales: The co-op generates primary revenue through retail sales of natural foods, organic products, deli items, bulk foods, produce, and general merchandise to member-owners and community shoppers in-store.
2. Membership Equity Payments: Members pay equity to join and own the cooperative. Full membership costs $180, payable as $15 annual payments or one-time payment. These payments provide capital for co-op operations and growth.
3. Cheese Club Subscription: Monthly curated cheese boxes sold for $60 each, providing access to special cheeses with limited availability. One-time payments via PayPal for each monthly selection.
4. Gift Cards: Gift cards sold for all store items, available for purchase in-store or ordered online with delivery or pickup options.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Hunger Mountain Co-op is a member-owned natural food cooperative operating a single retail grocery store in Montpelier, Vermont, selling organic, natural, and locally sourced products including produce, bulk foods, deli-prepared soups and sandwiches, cheese, wellness items, beer and wine, and general grocery merchandise. The co-op also operates an in-store Deli & Cafe and offers a monthly Cheese Club subscription box, supported by a cooperative membership program providing voting rights, patronage refunds, and exclusive discounts.

Product overview

Hunger Mountain Co-op is a member-owned natural food cooperative operating as a single retail location with multiple interconnected product and service offerings. The core retail business includes a full-service grocery with Deli & Cafe (prepared foods, sandwiches, coffee), Bulk Foods Department, and standard grocery products. The cooperative offers subscription products including Cheese Club (monthly curated cheese boxes at $60 each). Membership Program provides consumer ownership with benefits including Vitamin Wednesday discounts, senior discounts, and Co-op Cares needs-based pricing. Community programs include Hunger Mountain Cooperative Community Fund grants ($250-$3,000), Give Change register round-up donations, Bag That Bag reusable bag donations, Art in the Café rotating art exhibitions, and Member Volunteer Program for community engagement. Gift Cards and promotional Sales & Deals (Co+op Coupons, Member Deals, Co+op Basics) round out the product portfolio.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Deli & Cafe Prepared foods counter offering daily soups, premade sandwiches, hot bar items, rotisserie chicken, and beverages including organic coffee and tea. Sources locally baked bread and certified organic ingredients. Available to all retail customers at the Montpelier store.
• Bulk Foods Department

Quantifiable outcome

• Distributed over $141,667 in community grants since 2011
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• rk MilesminorOthers · 4 September 2025Family-owned building materials supplier from whom Hunger Mountain Co-op purchased the 1.6-acre parcel at 707 Stone Cutters Way for $487,500. The lumberyard was destroyed by fire on November 1, 2023, making the adjacent property available for purchase.
• Vermont FoodbankcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThrough the Neighbors Helping Neighbors program, the co-op partners with Vermont Foodbank to collect food and funds. In 2025, the program raised over $20,000 through Give Change round-ups and collected food donations for food-insecure community members.
• Northfield Savings BankcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnnual partnership during holidays (November-December) to host a food and fund drive benefiting the Vermont Foodbank. In five years, has raised $76,183 and collected 4,794 pounds of food.
• Habitat for HumanityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThrough the Member Volunteer Program, the co-op partners with Habitat for Humanity for build days. Members who volunteer qualify for a 6% shopping discount for three months.
• Give Change Partner OrganizationscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMonthly community organizations featured at checkout for round-up donations. Partners include Outright, PCAVT, People's Health & Wellness Clinic, Downstreet, Capstone, Community Harvest, Humane Society, Vermont Foodbank, Good Beginnings, and Good Samaritan Haven. Raised over $20,000 in 2025.
• Montpelier Food PantrycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThrough the Bag That Bag program, the co-op donates 5 cents per reusable bag used to the Montpelier Food Pantry. Since 2016, has raised over $110,000 and replaced more than 2.2 million paper bags.

Scale indicators17 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Honest Weight Food Co-op: A consumer-owned natural foods co-op in Albany, NY, offering organic, local, and bulk foods plus a deli/café. Similar member-ownership, similar product mix and community-program orientation.
• New Seasons Market: A Pacific Northwest specialty grocery chain centered on local, organic, and sustainable foods with strong community engagement and prepared foods. Direct comparable on assortment and community-driven natural-foods positioning.
• Wedge Community Co-op: A member-owned natural foods co-op in Minneapolis with deli, wellness, and bulk departments plus community giving programs. Same cooperative, member-owned model with similar product mix and scale.
• Middlebury Natural Foods Co-op: A Vermont-based member-owned natural foods co-op in Addison County with similar single-store footprint, member equity structure, and emphasis on local and organic sourcing.
• City Market / Onion River Co-op: The largest member-owned food co-op in Vermont, also operating natural and organic grocery, deli, and community programs. Directly comparable as a Vermont-based natural foods co-op with member-ownership and similar assortment philosophy.
• Brattleboro Food Co-op: A member-owned natural foods cooperative in southeastern Vermont with a similar single-store footprint, member benefits, and emphasis on local sourcing and community giving. Closely comparable in scale and operating model.
• PCC Community Markets: The largest consumer-owned food co-op in the US (Seattle), operating multiple stores focused on organic, local, and sustainable foods. Same cooperative member-ownership model with comparable product philosophy.

Broad incumbents

• Whole Foods Market: The largest natural and organic grocery retailer in the US, an Amazon-owned broad incumbent. Overlaps with Hunger Mountain on product assortment (organic, natural, local) and prepared-foods retail, but serves a much broader geography.
• Natural Grocers: A publicly traded specialty grocer (100+ stores) focused exclusively on natural and organic groceries, dietary supplements, and produce. Compares on category focus (natural/organic) and bulk/educational merchandising.

Regional players

• Co-op Food Stores (Hanover & Lebanon, NH): A two-store member-owned co-op in the Upper Valley region of New Hampshire serving a similar demographic and rural New England community as Hunger Mountain. Comparable scale, assortment, and community-cooperative model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/HungerMountainCoop
• Xx.com/hungermtncoop
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hunger-mountain-co-op

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 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 Hunger Mountain