What Wheatsfield Co-op does

Wheatsfield Cooperative is a member-owned grocery cooperative founded in 1974 (originally as Mutual Aid Food Association on the Iowa State University campus) and headquartered at 413 Northwestern Avenue, Ames, Iowa. It operates a single full-service retail storefront of more than 8,600 square feet within a nearly 20,000-square-foot building, open daily 8am-8pm, with no e-commerce channel. The store offers an integrated retail and prepared-foods portfolio spanning produce, bulk foods, grocery, dairy, meat and seafood, cheese, beer and wine, wellness and supplements, an in-house artisan bakery using all-organic flours, and a deli featuring a coffee/espresso bar, hot bar, salad bar, soups, and smoothies. Customer-facing distribution is via the storefront, curbside pickup (Sundays-Tuesdays with a $5 fee), case preorders at 10% off for members, and deli/bakery/cheese catering.

The business model is hybrid retail-cooperative: the majority of revenue derives from standard grocery transactions with the general public (no membership required), augmented by a $100 refundable equity membership that grants member-owners exclusive discounts (5-15% appreciation events four times per year, bi-weekly member-owner extras, 15% special-sale days, wellness and class discounts), voting rights on board elections, and patronage dividends in profitable years. A $20/year student discount program targets Iowa State University students. Sourcing emphasizes local Iowa producers (60+ named suppliers across produce, dairy, cheese, meat, beer, wine, cider, and mead) under a Local Producers Program with an annual 15% Local Sale event, alongside an Inclusive Trade program featuring brands owned by women, BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, disabled, and veteran entrepreneurs. The co-op employs ~24 staff and is governed by a member-elected Board of Directors.

Revenue is generated primarily through in-store transactions across nine retail departments plus prepared foods and catering. Disclosed revenue trajectory: $7.1M post-2017 expansion, surpassed $8M in FY2021-2022, projected $9M for FY2024-2025. Marketing is community-driven: a weekly Constant Contact newsletter reaches 7,000+ subscribers, supported by organic social, weekly/bi-weekly print flyers, free Tiny Deck summer concerts, hands-on cooking and wellness classes, a rentable community room, a rotating art gallery, a Change for Community rounding-up donation program, and a free Co+op Explorers Club for children.

Name

Wheatsfield Co-op

Legal name

Wheatsfield Cooperative

Website

https://wheatsfield.coop

Company type

Private

Founded year

1974

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Wheatsfield Co-op is a member-owned grocery cooperative in Ames, Iowa (founded 1974) operating a single 8,600+ sq ft retail store selling organic, local, and natural foods to the Ames community and Iowa State University population, with ~7,900 member-owners and projected FY2024-2025 sales of $9 million.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Natural & Organic Grocery Retail

SIC

Retail-Grocery Stores (5411)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industry

Member-Owned Food Cooperatives (CRAHALAA)

Keywords

• Natural grocery retail
• Cooperative grocery
• Organic food retail
• Local food sourcing
• Member-owned grocery

Headquarters

HQ city

Ames

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Retail Grocery Sales: Traditional retail grocery sales through physical storefront. Customers purchase items at shelf prices. No specific revenue breakdown provided.
2. Membership Equity: One-time $100 refundable equity investment from member-owners. Student discount program at $20/year. Membership provides access to exclusive discounts and patronage dividends.
3. Case Preorders: Member-owners can preorder cases of products at 10% discount off shelf price on regular priced items.
4. Curbside Pickup Service: $5 service fee applied to all curbside pickup orders to cover extra costs associated with the service.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Wheatsfield Co-op is a member-owned, non-profit grocery cooperative that operates a single retail store in Ames, Iowa selling natural, organic, and locally sourced food across departments including produce, grocery, meat and seafood, dairy and frozen, bulk foods, bakery, deli, prepared foods, beer and wine, wellness, and a coffee bar. The co-op supplements in-store retail with curbside pickup, case preorders, catering, gift cards, and educational events for its approximately 7,900 member-owners.

Product overview

Wheatsfield Co-op is a member-owned grocery cooperative offering a full-range retail grocery operation alongside a set of interconnected prepared foods, community, and education services. The core product portfolio centers on a traditional grocery retail environment spanning produce, bulk goods, grocery, dairy, meat and seafood, cheese, beer and wine, and a wellness/supplements and body care department, all emphasizing organic, natural, local Iowa-sourced, and sustainably produced products. This retail core is complemented by a prepared foods ecosystem comprising an in-store Co-op Bakery (artisan breads baked from scratch using all organic flours, plus pastries, cakes, and pies with catering capabilities), a Co-op Deli (signature sandwiches, hot bar, salad bar, hot soups, smoothies and juices, and a coffee/espresso bar), and a Hot Bar Menu with daily rotating dishes. Supporting services include Curbside Pickup (contactless ordering and vehicle-side delivery), a Local Producers Program connecting Iowa farmers and food makers to the retail floor, an Inclusive Trade Program featuring diverse-owned brands, educational Co-op Classes and Events, a rentable Community Room, an Art Gallery with rotating local artist exhibitions, a Change for Community rounding-up donation program, and a Kids Co+op Explorers Club. The integrated product ecosystem enables the co-op to serve as a one-stop destination for whole foods retail, prepared meals, community gathering, and food education, unified by its cooperative ownership structure and mission to cultivate a healthy environment and socially just community.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Grocery Store Retail (Natural & Organic) Member-owned grocery store in Ames, Iowa selling natural, organic, and locally sourced food across departments including produce, grocery, meat and seafood, dairy and frozen, bulk foods, bakery, deli, prepared foods, beer and wine, and wellness, serving Story County residents and member-owners.
• Curbside Pickup Online ordering service allowing customers to pick up groceries curbside at the Ames storefront without entering the store.
• Case Preorders Ordering program for full cases of products (such as bulk grocery items) available for preorder and pickup at the store.
• Catering and Party Trays Prepared food catering service offering party platters and trays for events, available for order through the co-op.
• Gift Cards Store gift cards available for purchase and redemption at the Wheatsfield Co-op retail location.
• Cooperative Membership Membership ownership program that lets community members purchase a share to become member-owners, with member-only discounts, voting rights for board elections, and patronage refunds.
• Coffee Bar In-store coffee and beverage service counter offering prepared drinks to retail customers at the Ames storefront.

Quantifiable outcome

• Surpassed $8 million in sales during 2021-2022 fiscal year, reaching the vision set forth by 2016 expansion
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Berry Patch FarmcoreOthersLocal fruit and vegetable producer in Nevada, Iowa (15 miles from co-op). Featured as local producer on co-op shelves.
• Frontier Co-opcoreOthersBulk spices, herbs, and teas supplier located in Norway, Iowa (96 miles). Over 200 options available in bulk section.
• Kalona SuperNaturalcoreOthersLocal dairy producer in Kalona, Iowa (150 miles). Supplies dairy products to co-op including milk, cheese, and other dairy items.
• Story City LockercoreOthersLocal artisan butchery in Story City, Iowa. Strong relationship providing high quality, fresh meats at affordable prices for meat department.
• Morning Bell Coffee RoasterscoreTechnology or IntegrationEspresso beans sourced locally and roasted less than a mile from the co-op (just down Main St in Ames). Used for Coffee & Espresso Bar.
• Equal ExchangeminorOthersFair trade cooperative supplying light, medium, and dark roast coffee beans for the co-op.
• Lockwood CafeminorOthersLocal syrup supplier in Ames, Iowa. Syrups used for flavoring espresso drinks at the Coffee & Espresso Bar.
• Monterey Bay Seafood WatchminorOthersMonterey Bay's rating system guides seafood purchasing decisions to ensure eco-friendly, wild or farmed, low-mercury and non-overfished varieties.
• International Cooperative AllianceminorOthersGlobal organization that developed the Cooperative Principles (7 principles, plus 8th DEI principle adopted by Food Co-ops of National Co-op Grocers) that Wheatsfield operates by.
• National Co-op GrocersminorOthersNational organization representing food co-ops. Adopted 8th Cooperative Principle on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.
• Cook's EmporiumminorOthersLocal Ames business that supplies the Co-op Classroom with cooking equipment. Classes use their equipment for demonstrations.
• Local Iowa Beer Producers (20+ listed)coreOthersOver 20 local Iowa breweries including Backpocket Brewing, Big Grove Brewery, Boone Valley Brewing, Confluence Brewing Co, Exile Brewing, and more. Mix & match local six packs available.
• Local Iowa Wine, Cider, Mead Producers (10+ listed)coreOthersLocal wine, cider, and mead producers including Backcountry Winery, Bootleg Hill Meadery, Calico Skies Winery, Deal's Cider, and more.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves15 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Whole Foods Market: Amazon-owned national natural/organic grocery chain. Sets the upper bound on assortment and pricing expectations for organic-shopping consumers in Wheatsfield's trade area; relevant competitive context though not a direct local competitor.
• Natural Grocers: Public natural and organic grocery chain. Competes for the same health-conscious, organic-seeking shopper as Wheatsfield but at national scale with no member-ownership model — relevant for competitive benchmarking on pricing and assortment.
• Hy-Vee: Iowa-headquartered regional supermarket chain with growing natural/organic offerings. Competes head-to-head with Wheatsfield in the Ames market and represents the largest conventional grocery threat given geographic proximity and scale.

Direct peers

• PCC Community Markets: Seattle-based community-owned food co-op and the largest consumer-owned grocery co-op in the U.S. Highly comparable member-ownership, organic/local emphasis, community education programming, and prepared-foods retail model.
• Willy Street Co-op: Large member-owned natural foods co-op in Madison, Wisconsin. Shares Wheatsfield's member-ownership, prepared foods, community classes, and local-producer emphasis, but at meaningfully larger scale and with multiple locations — a relevant same-model peer at the next tier of size.
• Seward Co-op: Member-owned natural foods co-op in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Closely mirrors Wheatsfield's hybrid member/non-member shopping, hot bar/deli, local sourcing focus, and Inclusive Trade / community giving programs.
• Fresh Thyme Market: Midwest natural/organic grocery chain whose Ames entry in 2018 materially impacted Wheatsfield's sales. Closest historical direct competitor; the Fresh Thyme exit in November 2019 enabled Wheatsfield's recovery.
• New Pioneer Food Co-op: Member-owned natural foods cooperative in Iowa City and Coralville, Iowa. Operates as the closest geographic and operational analog to Wheatsfield within the Iowa food co-op ecosystem, with similar departments, member-equity model, and Iowa-local sourcing emphasis.

Others

• Equal Exchange: Fair-trade worker-owned cooperative supplying coffee and other products. Listed as a Wheatsfield supplier and a fellow cooperative; relevant for partnership model rather than direct competition.
• National Co-op Grocers (NCG): Secondary cooperative that provides wholesale, marketing, and operational services to U.S. food co-ops including Wheatsfield. Relevant peer/co-operator rather than a competitor — provides scale economies Wheatsfield could not achieve alone.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/wheatsfield
• Facebookfacebook.com/wheatsfield
• Instagraminstagram.com/wheatsfield
• Pinterestpinterest.com/wheatsfield
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wheatsfield-co-op

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 Wheatsfield Co-op