Order Overview

Estimated Total: $

50th Anniversary Memory Gallery

Town Hall Theater’s Jackson Gallery
August 22-September 18

Explore 50 years of Co-op history through photographs, stories, artifacts, and voices from the Co-op’s first five decades. Celebrate the people, relationships, and moments that have shaped the Co-op since 1976 – and add your own story to the collection. 

This interactive exhibit features scannable QR codes to listen to stories told by those who lived them. Complementary headphones are available for visitors to borrow. 

The exhibition is open Monday – Friday from 10am – 4pm and on show nights through September 18th

Join the Eat Local Challenge at the Co-op!

As a Co-op shopper, you already know: buying local is one of the most powerful ways to support our community.

It’s called the Local Multiplier Effect—67% of every dollar spent locally stays here, creating a cycle of economic growth that strengthens farms, families, and our future. Every local purchase is an investment in the community we share.

And this September, buying local could make you a winner, too!

Here’s how:

  • Check your receipt to see how much local you bought in a single trip.

  • Spend $25 or more on local items = enter to win one of six $50 Co-op gift cards.

  • Spend $50 or more = enter to win one of six $100 gift cards.

  • Drop your qualifying receipt into the raffle box on your way out. Enter as often as you’d like!

The more local you buy, the greater your chances of winning—and the bigger the impact you make on Vermont producers. Just look for the “local” signs throughout the store to fill your basket with community-grown goodness.

 

We’ve set this year’s goal at $550,000 in local purchases. Think we can beat it? Watch the Big Corn outside the front door to find out!

 

A group of staff members stands in front of Big Corn

Happy LOCAL eating!

50th Annual Meeting and Celebration

Join Us for our 50th Annual Meeting and Celebration!

The Co-op is excited to invite you to our 50th Annual Meeting at American Flatbread! Join us for pizza, salad, and desserts—on us—as we reflect on the past year and the progress we’ve made in meeting our Ends.

General Manager Greg Prescott will share an update on how the Co-op is doing and what the year ahead may bring. We’ll also hear from our Board of Directors and open the floor for questions from our members.

This is always a special time to come together as a community, and we look forward to seeing you there!

50th Anniversary Memory Gallery Opening

Saturday, August 22, 2026
6–9pm
Town Hall Theater’s Jackson Gallery
Free and open to all

Continue the Co-op’s 50th anniversary celebration with the opening of our 50th Anniversary Memory Gallery.

Be among the first to explore 50 years of Co-op history through photographs, stories, artifacts, and voices from the Co-op’s first five decades. Celebrate the people, relationships, and moments that have shaped the Co-op since 1976 – and add your own story to the collection.

OPENING NIGHT ONLY: Visitors will be invited to take a Polaroid photo and share a favorite memory, wish, or reflection on our community memory wall. You’ll also find interactive ways to experience the exhibition, including headphones for listening to recorded stories from the people who helped make the Co-op what it is today.

The exhibition will remain on view through September 18.

Earlier that day: Join us from 10am–3pm on the Middlebury Town Green for a free community celebration featuring live entertainment, family activities, food trucks, giveaways, local vendors, and more. Learn more here.

50th Anniversary Party on the Park

🎉 Party on the Park! 🎉

Saturday, August 22, 2026
10am–3pm
Middlebury Town Green
Free admission

Middlebury Natural Foods Co-op is turning 50! Join us on the Town Green for a free community celebration filled with live entertainment, family activities, food, giveaways, and plenty of opportunities to connect with the people and organizations that make our community special.

Live Entertainment

10am — Eschatones
10:30am — Liz Reedy & Nick Bredice
11:45am — Magician Tom Verner
1pm — Sabouyounma

Raffle drawings and announcements will take place throughout the day.

Food Trucks

Come hungry! Food and treats will be available for purchase from:

  • American Flatbread
  • Steven’s Farm Stand
  • La Chapina
  • Sisters of Anarchy
  • The Peruvian Spot

Gluten Free, Vegan, and Vegetarian options will be available.

Activities and More

Enjoy free activities for the whole family, including face painting, yard games, a FREE tie dye station, and David the Bubble Guy! The celebration will also feature local artisans, Co-op Connection partners, and community organizations.

Audience Challenges, Raffles, and Prizes

Between performances, we’ll invite audience members to put their skills to the test in lighthearted Co-op-inspired challenges – including a grocery bagging competition and a precision bread-slicing contest to see who can cut the most uniform slice!

Raffle drawings, giveaways, and additional opportunities to win prizes will take place throughout the day.

A special thank-you to Cabot, Equal Exchange, Otter Creek Used Books, and our other generous prize donors for helping make the celebration even more fun.

Continue the celebration that evening: Join us from 6–9pm at Town Hall Theater’s Jackson Gallery for the opening of our 50th Anniversary Memory Gallery. Learn more here.

Questions? Contact Julia at 388-7276 x307 or email marketing@middlebury.coop

Hope Food Drive on Saturday, November 15th

We’re thrilled to welcome back HOPE for their annual food drive on November 15th from 10:00AM to 2:00PM.

HOPE runs one of the largest food shelves in our region, serving over 3,000 people each year. Alongside non-perishables, they work hard to provide staples like meat, milk, bread, and eggs.

With recent federal benefit cuts putting even more pressure on local food shelves, community support matters more than ever. During this drive, HOPE will be collecting non-perishable items to help keep shelves stocked heading into the holiday season.

Here is a list of items they are most in need of at this time:

  • Juice (64 oz bottles are best)
  • Canned veg (beets, spinach, potatoes, yams) – we do not need corn or peas
  • Canned fruit ( pears, apricots, plums, mandarin oranges, pineapple) we don’t need peaches
    or applesauce
  • Hearty soups – split pea, lentil, bean, chowders
  • Canned pasta
  • Kidney beans
  • Canned chili, baked beans
  • Instant pasta dishes
  • Ethnic foods – Indian and Mexican
  • Cold and hot cereals
  • Condiments – small sizes
  • Jellies and jams
  • Canned tuna and chicken
  • Snack foods – crackers, granola bars, cookies, pretzels
  • Personal hygiene products
  • Cleaning and laundry supplies

Empty Bowl Silent Auction and Raffle

For more than 30 years, the Co-op has proudly partnered with Middlebury Studio School to host our annual Empty Bowl Fundraiser, supporting our local food shelves, CVOEO, and HOPE. We are deeply grateful to Middlebury Studio School and the generous local potters who create and donate these bowls each year.

How to Participate in the Auction

View & Bid:
Visit the Co-op November 1–23 to browse handmade bowls created and donated by local artists.

Place a Bid:
If you find a bowl you love, match its number to the auction book at the center table.
Write your name, phone number, and bid (bidding starts at $30, with a minimum $10 increase per bid).

Auction Ends:
The auction closes November 23. If you are the highest bidder, we will contact you to arrange payment and pick-up.

How to Participate in the Raffle

Last year we introduced a new tradition — the Empty Bowl Raffle — and we’re excited to continue it.

• Purchase a $5 raffle ticket at any register.
• Drop your ticket in the jar for the bowl you’d love to win.
• Two winners will be drawn at the end of the auction.

Co-op Match

This year, with increased pressure on food assistance programs due to federal cutbacks and the government shutdown, the Co-op will match 100% of winning bids, with no cap. Every dollar raised supports HOPE and CVOEO’s work to keep our neighbors fed.

About the Empty Bowl Project

Empty Bowl is an international grassroots effort that uses art and community to fight hunger. It began in the early 1990s when art teacher John Hartom and Lisa Blackburn invited students to create ceramic bowls for a simple soup supper, where guests kept their empty bowl as a reminder of those facing food insecurity.

Today, Empty Bowl events take place worldwide, raising millions of dollars annually for hunger-relief organizations and continuing to:

  • Support local food shelves and hunger-relief efforts

  • Raise awareness of food insecurity

  • Celebrate community creativity and arts education

Why It Matters

According to Hunger Free Vermont, 2 in 5 Vermonters are experiencing hunger today. Your participation directly supports our Addison County neighbors.

 

Join the Eat Local Challenge at the Co-op!

As a Co-op shopper, you already know: buying local is one of the most powerful ways to support our community.

It’s called the Local Multiplier Effect—67% of every dollar spent locally stays here, creating a cycle of economic growth that strengthens farms, families, and our future. Every local purchase is an investment in the community we share.

And this September, buying local could make you a winner, too!

Here’s how:

  • Check your receipt to see how much local you bought in a single trip.

  • Spend $25 or more on local items = enter to win one of six $50 Co-op gift cards.

  • Spend $50 or more = enter to win one of six $100 gift cards.

  • Drop your qualifying receipt into the raffle box on your way out. Enter as often as you’d like!

The more local you buy, the greater your chances of winning—and the bigger the impact you make on Vermont producers. Just look for the “local” signs throughout the store to fill your basket with community-grown goodness.

 

We’ve set this year’s goal at $550,000 in local purchases. Think we can beat it? Watch the Big Corn outside the front door to find out!

 

A group of staff members stands in front of Big Corn

Happy LOCAL eating!

Annual Meeting and Celebration is September 10th

Join Us for our 49th Annual Meeting and Celebration!

The Co-op is excited to invite you to our 49th Annual Meeting at American Flatbread! Join us for pizza, salad, and desserts—on us—as we reflect on the past year and the progress we’ve made in meeting our Ends.

General Manager Greg Prescott will share an update on how the Co-op is doing and what the year ahead may bring. We’ll also hear from our Board of Directors and open the floor for questions from our members.

This is always a special time to come together as a community, and we look forward to seeing you there!

New to the Co-op’s Annual Meeting?
Preview the FY25 annual report and take a look at some photos from last year’s celebration to get a sense of what’s in store!

 

 

Hope Food Drive on Saturday, November 23rd

We’re thrilled to welcome back HOPE for their annual food drive on November 23 from 10:00AM to 2:00PM.

HOPE runs one of the largest food shelves in the region, serving over 3,000 people each year. In addition to non-perishable foods, they offer meat, milk, bread and eggs.

For this drive, they’ll be collecting non-perishable goods to fill their shelves for the holiday season. Here is a list of items they are most in need of at this time:

• Hearty soups (pop-top if possible)
• Pasta
• Peanut Butter
• Jam/Jelly
• Baking Mixes
• Boxed Pasta and Rice Side Dishes
• Cereal/Oatmeal
• Canned Chicken & Tuna
• Condiments and Dressings
• Toiletries
• Feminine Hygiene Products
• Household Cleaning Supplies