Lexington Co-op Markets
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1971
- HeadquartersBuffalo, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Lexington Co-op Markets does
Lexington Co-op Markets is a member-owned grocery cooperative operating two retail storefronts in Buffalo, NY — the original 807 Elmwood Avenue flagship in Elmwood Village and the larger 1678 Hertel Avenue location — both open daily 7am to 11pm and serving the general public rather than only owners. Founded in 1971 as a 33-person buying club on Lexington Avenue under the motto "Food for People, Not for Profit," the co-op has grown to approximately 20,000 member-owners governed through a 15-member elected Board of Directors following a 1987 restructure from consensus-based monthly meetings. Its core product is a full-line grocery assortment with over 60% organic produce, sourced from 120+ local farmers and producers across Western New York (some relationships dating to 1915), augmented by in-house prepared foods (Lexi's Kitchen hot bar/salad bar at $12.99/lb), scratch-baked goods (Lexi's Bakehouse), and a bulk department with a jar-reuse program.
Revenue is generated primarily through retail grocery and prepared-foods transactions at the two storefronts, supplemented by a one-time $80 member-ownership investment that confers voting rights and patronage-dividend eligibility. GTM is community-led and direct-to-consumer: physical retail at fixed addresses, supported by community events (cooking classes, composting workshops, co-op democracy 101), the LexTalk blog, email newsletter, social media, and partnerships with organizations such as Cooperation Buffalo, Field and Fork Network (administering Double Up Food Bucks), Equal Exchange, GObike, FeedMore WNY, and WNY Environmental Alliance. The labor force (headcount in the 101-250 band) has been unionized through Workers United since 2023, and front-line pay starts at $16.50/hour with health insurance, PTO, 401(k), shift differential, and a 15-20% staff discount.
Operationally, the business is defined less by proprietary technology than by sustainability infrastructure — a Power Purchase Agreement with Montante Solar (offsetting ~10% of electricity costs), composting with Farmer Pirates, a reusable utensil program (diverting 31,000+ plastic utensils annually), compostable bags, and a Jar Library — and by deep local-supply integration. Key historic capital raises have been member-funded rather than external: $40K in 1983, $560K in 2005 (which doubled sales and ownerships), and $2.1M in 2017 to open Hertel. No external investors, parent company, or subsidiaries are present, and the entity remains domiciled in Buffalo, NY as a private cooperative with no mobile app, API, or disclosed AI/ML capability.
Lexington Co-op Markets firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Lexington Co-op Markets
- Legal name
- Lexington Real Foods Community Co-op
- Website
- https://lexington.coop
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1971
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Lexington Co-op Markets industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Community-owned grocery retail
- NAICS
- Grocery and Convenience Retailers (4451), Specialty Food Retailers (4452)
- SIC
- Retail-Grocery Stores (5411), Retail-Eating Places (5812)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Community-Owned / Nonprofit Grocery Stores (CRAHALAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Food Co-ops with In-Store Prepared Foods & Deli (CRAHALAF), Farm-to-Consumer Cooperative Markets (Local Producer Co-ops) (CRAHALAG)
Keywords
Where Lexington Co-op Markets is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Buffalo
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Lexington Co-op Markets business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others
Revenue model
- Retail Grocery Sales: Physical retail sales of groceries, produce, meat, dairy, frozen foods, and pantry staples. Over 60% organic produce. Carries products from 120+ local farmers and producers.
- Prepared Foods: Lexi's Kitchen prepared foods including hot bar ($12.99/lb), salad bar ($12.99/lb), grab-and-go sandwiches, wraps, soups, and baked goods. Scratch-made daily.
- Member Ownership Investment: One-time $80 ownership investment to become a member-owner. Provides member benefits including exclusive deals, patronage dividends, and voting rights.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Owner membership investment |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Hot Bar and Salad Bar pricing |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Gift cards |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
Lexington Co-op Markets product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Lexington Co-op Markets operates two community-owned grocery retail locations in Buffalo, NY, selling local, organic, and sustainable produce, meat, dairy, frozen, and pantry staples alongside scratch-made prepared foods through its Lexi's Kitchen and Lexi's Bakehouse sub-brands. The co-op serves both member-owners (approximately 20,000) and the general public, sourcing from over 120 local farmers and producers and operating community programs such as Double Up Food Bucks for SNAP participants.
Product overview
Lexington Co-op Markets is a community-owned grocery cooperative operating two retail locations in Buffalo, NY (Elmwood Village at 807 Elmwood Ave and Hertel at 1678 Hertel Ave). The co-op functions as a single unified retail business with multiple operational departments including: the core grocery store offering produce, meat, cheese, frozen foods, dairy, and pantry staples; Lexi's Kitchen prepared foods department featuring grab-and-go sandwiches, wraps, soups, salads, and a hot bar; Lexi's Bakehouse producing scratch-made baked goods; a Bulk Goods Department with sustainable jar-reuse programs; and gift card offerings. Community programs include Double Up Food Bucks for SNAP participants and Change for Change charitable giving. The co-op has over 20,000 member-owners and partners with 120+ local farmers and producers.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Lexi's Kitchen: The co-op's prepared foods department offering grab-and-go sandwiches, wraps, soups, salads, and hot bar items, all made from scratch daily.
- Lexi's Bakehouse
Products and services
- Lexington Co-op Markets grocery retail Core community-owned grocery retail offering across two Buffalo, NY locations (Elmwood and Hertel), featuring local, organic, and sustainable produce, meat, dairy, frozen, bulk, and pantry staples.
- Lexi's Kitchen prepared foods
Quantifiable outcome
- Nearly 60% of every dollar spent returns to local economy
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use Lexington Co-op Markets
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Lexington Co-op Markets technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Lexington Co-op Markets partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Equal ExchangecoreFair trade coffee partnership selling Organic BioRevolution exclusively in food co-ops. Co-op to co-op to co-op supply chain connecting to farmer cooperatives. 50 cents per pound funds environmental resilience projects. Over $100,000 channeled to farmer innovation.
- Cooperation BuffalocoreCommunity co-op education and democracy training. Co-op 101 seminars teaching cooperative principles. Co-op bike tours visiting various Buffalo co-ops.
- GObikeminorMobile bike repair events at store locations. Bike Month activities including free bike breakfast. Promotes sustainable transportation.
- FeedMore WNYminorSuperhero Food Drive partnership. Community food donation support through Change for Change program.
- WNY Environmental AllianceminorPartner for environmental events including Ripples of Plastic documentary screening and discussion at Hertel location.
- Farmer PiratesminorFood scraps composting partnership. Collects and composts kitchen and produce department scraps. Neighborhood drop-off bin at Hertel store.
- Montante Solar and Pinto Construction ServicesminorSolar energy partnership through Power Purchase Agreement. Co-op purchases renewable energy credits from solar array in South Buffalo. Reduces electricity costs by 10%. Generates enough electricity for ~67 homes.
- Field and Fork NetworkcoreAdministers Double Up Food Bucks program. First grocery store in NYS to offer the program. Dollar-for-dollar match for SNAP participants on produce purchases. Served over 1,400 customers since 2020.
- Workers UnitedcoreStaff unionized through Workers United in 2023. Collective bargaining agreement reached. Union described as partner in workplace.
- Cornerstone OrchardscoreFifth-generation farm in Youngstown, NY. Biodynamic and earth-based farming. Apples, peaches, and seasonal fruit. Over 10,000 mature fruiting trees preserved.
- Stand Fast FarmcoreFirst-generation cattle farm in Dunkirk, NY. 150 acres, 110 head of cattle. Grass-fed beef with focus on maximizing pasture time. Selling to Co-op since 2008.
- Singer Farm NaturalscoreFamily farm since 1915 along Lake Ontario. Tart cherry juice, garlic, and tree fruits. Moving off-grid with wind turbine and solar panels.
Scale indicators9 records
Recent moves11 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Lexington Co-op Markets competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Trader Joe's: Specialty grocery chain with strong private-label and curated assortment that competes for prepared-food, organic, and specialty-product customers in the Buffalo market.
- Wegmans Food Markets: Major regional grocery chain headquartered in Rochester, NY with strong prepared foods, organic assortment, and a flagship presence in Buffalo's market area - the dominant specialty-leaning incumbent competing for the same organic/local customer.
- Tops Friendly Markets: Western New York's legacy conventional grocery chain operating numerous stores across the Buffalo region - direct local competitor for everyday grocery trips and conventional price-conscious customers.
- Natural Grocers: National natural and organic-focused grocery chain with strict product standards emphasizing organic, non-GMO, and natural - comparable assortment and target customer to Lexington's local/organic positioning.
- Whole Foods Market: National natural and organic grocery chain owned by Amazon offering prepared foods, local sourcing, and organic-heavy assortment - the dominant broad incumbent in the specialty/organic grocery space Lexington Co-op competes within.
Direct peers
- Seward Community Co-op: Member-owned community food co-op in Minneapolis operating two retail locations with an emphasis on local producers, organic produce, and prepared foods - highly comparable two-store community co-op model.
- Mississippi Market Natural Foods Co-op: Member-owned natural foods co-op in St. Paul, MN operating three stores with cooperative governance, local sourcing, and prepared foods - directly comparable multi-store community co-op structure.
- PCC Community Markets: Large consumer-owned food co-op in the Pacific Northwest operating 15+ stores with a focus on local, organic, and sustainably sourced products - directly comparable community-owned grocery cooperative model with member governance and prepared foods.
Others
- Equal Exchange: Worker-owned fair-trade cooperative partnering with Lexington Co-op on BioRevolution coffee through a co-op-to-co-op supply chain - reflective peer in the cooperative ecosystem and supply partner.
Regional players
- Buffalo Co-op (formerly WNY Food Hub): Western New York food cooperative and local-producer aggregator whose mission and geography directly overlap with Lexington Co-op's local-sourcing and food-access work in the Buffalo region.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Lexington Co-op Markets social profiles
Digital presenceLexington Co-op Markets financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Lexington Co-op Markets leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
Lexington Co-op Markets funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Lexington Co-op Markets 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 Lexington Co-op Markets
What does Lexington Co-op Markets do?
Lexington Co-op Markets operates two community-owned grocery retail locations in Buffalo, NY, selling local, organic, and sustainable produce, meat, dairy, frozen, and pantry staples alongside scratch-made prepared foods through its Lexi's Kitchen and Lexi's Bakehouse sub-brands. The co-op serves both member-owners (approximately 20,000) and the general public, sourcing from over 120 local farmers and producers and operating community programs such as Double Up Food Bucks for SNAP participants.
Is Lexington Co-op Markets a public or private company?
Lexington Co-op Markets is a private company. It is classified as management employee owned and is currently operating.
When was Lexington Co-op Markets founded?
Lexington Co-op Markets was founded in 1971. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Lexington Co-op Markets based?
Lexington Co-op Markets is headquartered in Buffalo, United States, in the North America region.
How does Lexington Co-op Markets make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Retail Grocery Sales are the primary driver. The others are prepared Foods and member Ownership Investment.
Who are Lexington Co-op Markets's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Trader Joe's, Wegmans Food Markets, Tops Friendly Markets, Natural Grocers and Whole Foods Market. Direct peers are Seward Community Co-op, Mississippi Market Natural Foods Co-op and PCC Community Markets. Equal Exchange is listed as an others. Buffalo Co-op (formerly WNY Food Hub) is listed as a regional player.
Does Lexington Co-op Markets have an API?
No public API is recorded for Lexington Co-op Markets.
What industry is Lexington Co-op Markets in?
Lexington Co-op Markets's product category is Community-owned grocery retail. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRAHALAB, Community-Owned / Nonprofit Grocery Stores, 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.