Buy bulk food and save money and the environment

Foothills Co-op is a natural-foods buying club that has been active in Madison County for nearly three decades.  The co-op offers an affordable, cooperative alternative to corporate supermarkets and is a great way to get good prices on bulk natural and organic foods, both raw and processed.

We order every four weeks from our supplier, United Natural Foods (UNFI).  UNFI offers a wide array of foodstuffs, usually at very good prices.  Quantities vary but are usually "cases" (4 to 12 items per case) or "bulk" (5 to 50 pounds).  Part of the function of the Foothills club is to help members match "half cases" so that you don't have to buy a whole case of something to get the good prices---though it's always best if you can take a full case.

The UNFI truck delivers our stuff sometime on a Wed or Thu, two weeks after the beginning of the order cycle.  The exact day and time varies, unfortunately.  When it's pickup time, you either need to be available to meet us at the pick-up spot (currently at St. Thomas Church on Barnes Mill Road, Richmond) or you can arrange to have your items taken to MERJ so you can pick them up there on the Saturday following the truck drop.  You need to be a MERJ member to take advantage of the latter service.

Buying Club Membership is FREE.  Members are sometimes asked to work the truck drop to help unload and sort items, but there is currently no requirement to do so.

For more information, contact  Foothills Coordinator Amy Moore at

(859) 779-1612 or email [email protected]

Directions: MERJ is located in Big Hill, Kentucky in the southeastern end of Madison County where it joins Estill, Rockcastle, and JacksonCounties. Big Hill is just 2 miles past Indian Fort Theatre on HWY 21/HWY 421.  At the HWY T-intersection, there is a coffeeshop on the left and a gas station on the right. Turn left, and MERJ Market is just a half mile on the right.  Our phone number is (859) 985-5386.  Visit MapQuest for a map.

OTHER WHOLESALE BULK FOOD

MERJ also places somewhat regular orders from the additional companies listed below.  Estimated frequency of orders is listed by each company. 

Kenny's Country Cheese: Kentucky-made unpasteurized cheeses
Equal Exchange: Fair-trade coffee, chocolate, etc.
Frontier    (www.frontierecoop.com): Herbs, vitamins, EmergenC, and Dr. Bronners.
Gold Mine Natural Food Company   (http://www.goldminenaturalfood.com/): Specialty, organic, macrobiotic foods and more. 
Fedco (www.fedcoseeds.com): Collective bulk order seeds together and save up to 21%.

Are there other companies that MERJ should consider adding to this list?  Please let us know!  Pickups for all these companies will coincide with farmers' market days, which will soon be determined.  MERJ is also going to stock some of the more popular or requested items in the storefront for farmers' markets, so feedback for the snack bar/store is also appreciated.

For more information on placing these bulk orders contact Donna Wellman at (859) 985-5386 or Timi Reedy at (606) 256-5551 or [email protected].     

Clean & Green FarMarket -- Shop for fresh, local produce and visit with neighbors

MERJ Market Merge for activities, networking, and exchange of goods and skills 

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Last revised: 8/27/2008