The Merc Co+op
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1974
- HeadquartersLawrence, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
The Merc Co+op firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Merc Co+op
- Legal name
- The Merc Co+op
- Website
- https://themerc.coop
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1974
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Merc Co+op industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Community Grocery Retail
- NAICS
- Grocery and Convenience Retailers (4451), Specialty Food Retailers (4452)
- SIC
- Retail-Grocery Stores (5411), Retail-Food Stores (5400)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Member-Owned Food Cooperatives (CRAHALAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Food Co-ops with In-Store Prepared Foods & Deli (CRAHALAF), Food Co-ops with Online Ordering & Pickup/Delivery (CRAHALAH)
Keywords
Where The Merc Co+op is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Lawrence
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
The Merc Co+op business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Grocery Retail Sales: Primary revenue stream from selling grocery products, fresh produce, meat, seafood, deli items, bakery goods, cheese, wellness products, and housewares across two retail locations. Sales also include prepared foods from the deli and bakery departments.
- Co-op Ownership Investment: One-time investment required to become a co-op owner. Owners receive exclusive discounts, perks at local businesses, coupons for volunteering, and other membership benefits.
- Gift Cards: Sale of gift cards redeemable at The Merc Co+op stores, starting from $25. Processing, shipping and handling fee of $3 added at checkout.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Gift Cards |
| Subscription | Pay-as-you-go | Co-op Ownership |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels6 records
The Merc Co+op product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Merc Co+op operates two physical grocery retail stores (Lawrence, KS and Kansas City, KS) selling fresh produce, meat and seafood, deli and prepared foods, bakery items, cheese, grocery staples, wellness products, and housewares. The co-op is structured as a consumer cooperative owned by more than 9,900 member-owners, with a one-time ownership investment, owner-exclusive discounts, and a community engagement model that welcomes all shoppers regardless of ownership status. It differentiates through local sourcing (over 22% of products from within 200 miles, 200+ local producers), a private-label Co+op Basics/Field Day line via National Co+op Grocers, and community programs such as MercPerks and Change for our Community.
Product overview
The Merc Co+op is a community-owned grocery cooperative operating as a single unified retail brand with multiple departments. The core offering centers on fresh, quality groceries across produce, meat, seafood, deli, bakery, and cheese categories. Supporting offerings include grocery staples through the Co+op Basics/Field Day private label, wellness products, housewares, and gift cards. The co-op differentiates through its Local Products program sourcing within 200 miles and Inclusive Trade products supporting diverse suppliers. Additional services include Instacart delivery, the Merc Perks loyalty program featuring local business discounts, and community giving through the Change for our Community program. The Merc Perks program connects over 10,000 co-op owners with exclusive discounts at partner businesses.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Co+op Basics: Everyday low prices on essential grocery and household items including chicken, cereal, and paper towels. Includes Field Day private label products.
- Field Day
- MercPerks
- Change for our Community
Products and services
- Fresh Produce Fresh fruits, vegetables, and flowers including locally-grown and organic seasonal varieties sourced from regional farmers.
- Meat & Seafood Butcher department offering local Kansas beef and pork, free-range chicken, wild-caught sustainable seafood, custom cuts, and special orders.
- Deli & Café Prepared foods including breakfast items, soup, salad bar, grab-and-go protein salads, take-and-bake options, made-to-order sandwiches, and fresh daily sushi.
- Bakery Freshly baked muffins, scones, cheesecakes, desserts, and Merc Made grab-and-go items using local eggs and Kansas flour, with vegan and wheat-free options.
- Cheese Department Over 100 varieties of cheese from locally made artisan cheeses to everyday cheddar and other specialty varieties.
- Grocery (Center Store) Everyday staples and specialty items including allergen-friendly, gluten-free, low-sodium, low-carb, paleo, vegetarian, and vegan options.
- Wellness Supplements, vitamins, minerals, herbs, toothpastes, sunscreens, soaps, and beauty products including nationally renowned third-party-tested supplements.
- Housewares and Gifts Handmade, fair trade, and locally crafted cards, jewelry, candles, clothing, and other ethical gifts and housewares.
- Gift Cards Store gift cards available in $25, $50, $75, and $100 denominations, redeemable at The Merc Co+op locations for 5 years after purchase with a $3 processing/shipping/handling fee added at checkout.
- Co+op Basics / Field Day Private label line of natural and organic products offering everyday low prices on essential grocery and household items (chicken, cereal, paper towels, etc.) via partnership with National Co+op Grocers.
- Instacart Delivery Online ordering and same-day or next-day delivery service provided through Instacart, extending the co-op's reach beyond its two physical storefronts.
- Catering Catering service drawing on the co-op's deli, bakery, and prepared foods offerings for events and gatherings in the Lawrence area.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 22% of products sold are local (within 200 miles), representing $3,958,398 in local economic support in 2025
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use The Merc Co+op
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
The Merc Co+op technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration1 record
The Merc Co+op partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- National Co+op Grocers (NCG)coreNational Co+op Grocers is a business services cooperative for retail food co-ops. The Merc Co+op partners with NCG for the Field Day private label product line, Inclusive Trade program, and other cooperative grocery initiatives. The partnership enables co-ops across the country to make high quality foods more accessible.
- InstacartcoreInstacart provides online ordering and delivery services for The Merc Co+op, allowing customers to shop for groceries digitally and receive same-day or next-day delivery. The partnership extends the co-op's reach beyond physical storefront locations.
- Fairtrade AmericaminorFairtrade America partnered with The Merc Co+op for mural installations celebrating Fair Trade Month. The co-op was selected as one of three recipients for a mural featuring Fairtrade farmer Joselinda Manueles. Fairtrade products available at the co-op include Kicking Horse Coffee.
- MercPerks Partner Network (20+ local businesses)minorMercPerks is a community partner program where local businesses offer exclusive discounts to co-op owners. Partners include Wine Dive + Kitchen, Trek Bicycle Lawrence, Lawrence Beer Company, Bluestem Yoga, and 16+ other local businesses offering various discounts from 5-50% off.
- 200+ Local ProducerscoreThe Merc Co+op partners with over 200 local producers within 200 miles, including farms, ranches, bakeries, dairies, and artisan food makers. These partnerships represent over 22% of products sold and $3,958,398 in local economic support in 2025. Key producers include Mellowfields Farm, Moon on the Meadow, Hildebrand Farms Dairy, Green Dirt Farm, and many others.
- Unified Government (Kansas City, KS)minorPartnership with the Unified Government of Kansas City, KS for the store location at 501 Minnesota Ave and mural funding as part of the city's Master Plan for Downtown KCK catalyst block development.
Scale indicators10 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
The Merc Co+op competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Hy-Vee: Large Mid-Central employee-owned grocery chain with a deep footprint across Kansas and the KC metro. Competes broadly with Merc on full-service grocery, prepared foods, and organics, but at a vastly larger scale.
- Whole Foods Market: National natural and organic grocery retailer (owned by Amazon). Competes with Merc on premium natural/organic and prepared foods, particularly in the Lawrence/KCK metro and online via Amazon channels.
- Sprouts Farmers Market: Specialty/natural grocery chain with 400+ stores across the U.S. Overlaps with Merc on natural, organic, and local-producer positioning as a broader competitor entering more small markets.
Direct peers
- PCC Community Markets: The largest community-owned food cooperative in the U.S., operating multiple grocery stores in the Seattle area. Directly comparable to Merc as a member-owned grocery co-op emphasizing local, organic, and natural foods with on-site delis and bakeries.
- National Co+op Grocers (NCG): National business services cooperative of which The Merc Co+op is a member. Provides back-office, private label (Field Day), and Inclusive Trade programs to a network of 200+ food co-ops across the U.S.; directly analogous in mission and shared service model.
- People's Food Co-op (Minneapolis): Cooperative grocery store in Minneapolis, MN. Comparable scale and member-owned model with a similar emphasis on local producers, organic produce, deli/café and community education programs.
- Wheatsville Food Co-op: Member-owned food co-op operating grocery stores in Austin, Texas. Closely comparable to Merc in scale (mid-single-digit locations), mission, deli/café operations, and local-producer focus, serving a similar university/town community.
- Outpost Natural Foods Cooperative: Member-owned natural foods cooperative serving Milwaukee, WI. Highly comparable in mission, geographic/midwest cultural context, prepared foods program, and multi-store operating model.
- Seward Co-op: Member-owned grocery cooperative operating two stores in Minneapolis. Closely analogous multi-location cooperative structure with deli, bakery, and local sourcing programs similar to Merc.
Emerging players
- Natural Grocers: U.S. specialty natural and organic grocery retailer with 160+ stores. Competes with Merc on organic, local, and natural-for-you positioning, but operates as a for-profit chain rather than a member-owned co-op.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
The Merc Co+op social profiles
Digital presenceThe Merc Co+op compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance4 records
The Merc Co+op financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Merc Co+op leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles11 records
The Merc Co+op funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Merc Co+op M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The Merc Co+op
What does The Merc Co+op do?
The Merc Co+op operates two physical grocery retail stores (Lawrence, KS and Kansas City, KS) selling fresh produce, meat and seafood, deli and prepared foods, bakery items, cheese, grocery staples, wellness products, and housewares. The co-op is structured as a consumer cooperative owned by more than 9,900 member-owners, with a one-time ownership investment, owner-exclusive discounts, and a community engagement model that welcomes all shoppers regardless of ownership status. It differentiates through local sourcing (over 22% of products from within 200 miles, 200+ local producers), a private-label Co+op Basics/Field Day line via National Co+op Grocers, and community programs such as MercPerks and Change for our Community.
Is The Merc Co+op a public or private company?
The Merc Co+op is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was The Merc Co+op founded?
The Merc Co+op was founded in 1974. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is The Merc Co+op based?
The Merc Co+op is headquartered in Lawrence, United States, in the North America region.
How does The Merc Co+op make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Grocery Retail Sales are the primary driver. The others are co-op Ownership Investment and gift Cards.
Who are The Merc Co+op's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Hy-Vee, Whole Foods Market and Sprouts Farmers Market. Direct peers are PCC Community Markets, National Co+op Grocers (NCG), People's Food Co-op (Minneapolis), Wheatsville Food Co-op, Outpost Natural Foods Cooperative and Seward Co-op. Natural Grocers is listed as an emerging player.
Does The Merc Co+op have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Merc Co+op.
What industry is The Merc Co+op in?
The Merc Co+op's product category is Community Grocery Retail. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRAHALAA, Member-Owned Food Cooperatives, with a secondary code of CRAHALAF, Food Co-ops with In-Store Prepared Foods & Deli. Its NAICS code is 4451 and its SIC code is 5411.