PRODUCT POLICY
Purpose
The Chequamegon Food Co-op is dedicated to providing ecologically sound foods and products, the production and quality of which promote the health of our members and our community. As such, the Product Policy will guide our staff in the selection of the products sold at the Chequamegon Food Co-op. Product selection should also fully support our Ends Statement.
In general, Chequamegon Food Co-op will carry a wide variety of high-quality products, which are wholesome, supportive of local producers, helpful in building a sustainable food distribution system, produced in an environmentally sound and socially conscious manner, and available at a fair price. However, we will also choose to carry some products as a convenience to our members and shoppers.
Product Preference
We give strong preference to products that are:
- Certified Organic
- Locally produced (within 100 miles of Ashland, Wisconsin)
- Regionally produced food (the upper-Midwest)
- Made in the United States
- Produced utilizing practices that support sustainable agriculture
- Produced without the ingredients on our Unacceptable Ingredients list
- Fair Trade certified
- Free of growth hormones and/or antibiotics
- Raised using humane and sound animal husbandry practices
- Produced by manufacturers who do not utilize animal testing
- Fairly priced, offering our members value for their money
- Minimally packaged, with materials that are manufactured and disposed of in an environmentally sound manner (i.e. compostable or recyclable)
- Produced and distributed by vendors who meet city, state, and federal civil rights policies and run their businesses ethically
- Produced or distributed by cooperatively owned vendors
- Needed by people on specialty diets (i.e. wheat-free, gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, etc.)
Alternatives
We will stock products based on customer demand and demand may supersede product preferences. Demand is demonstrated by consistent sales volume for products already on the shelves or by multiple customer requests over a given quarter on products not already carried. Any such products that contain one or more of the excluded items will be clearly documented. More desirable alternatives will be provided whenever possible and will be substituted when they are available at competitive prices (where “competitive” is defined generally as being as much as 25 percent more expensive.)
Requests
Complaints
Boycotts
As a democratic entity, the Chequamegon Food Co-op actively encourages our members to make educated buying choices. While we do not boycott products or call for our membership to do so, we do aim to keep our customers informed about issues surrounding our products. Information regarding food safety, security, and ethics news will be shared in our media outlets when possible.
Policy Support
Education
Amendments
Unacceptable Ingredients for Food
The following list contains ingredients that Chequamegon Food Co-op finds unacceptable in food products. This list is intended for illustrative purposes for our buyers.
Please note that just because a product is made with no unacceptable ingredients does not guarantee that Chequamegon Food Co-op will sell it. Exceptions may occasionally be made for local products or other products based on customer demand. In instances where a product contains an ingredient from the unacceptable ingredients list, an “ingredient alert” tag will be posted next to the product to notify customers.
A
acesulfame-K (acesulfame potassium)
acetylated esters of mono- and diglycerides
ammonium chloride
artificial colors
artificial flavors
aspartame
azodicarbonamide
B
benzoates in food
benzoyl peroxide
BHA (butylated hydroxyanisole)
BHT (butylated hydroxytoluene)
bleached flour
bromated flour
brominated vegetable oil (BVO)
C
calcium bromate
calcium disodium EDTA
calcium peroxide
calcium propionate
calcium saccharin
calcium sorbate
calcium stearoyl-2-lactylate
caprocaprylobehenin
carmine
certified colors
cyclamates
cysteine (l-cysteine), as an additive for bread products
D
DATEM (Diacetyl tartaric and fatty acid esters of mono and diglycerides)
dimethylpolysiloxane
dioctyl sodium sulfosuccinate (DSS)
disodium calcium EDTA
disodium dihydrogen EDTA
disodium guanylate
disodium inosinate
E
EDTA
ethyl vanillin
ethylene oxide
ethoxyquin
F
FD & C colors
foie gras
G
GMP (disodium guanylate)
Genetically modified organisms (GMOs)
H
hexa-, hepta- and octa-esters of sucrose
high fructose corn syrup
hydrogenated fats & oils
I
IMP (disodium inosinate)
irradiated foods
L
lactylated esters of mono- and diglycerides
lead soldered cans
M
methyl silicon
methylparaben
microparticularized whey protein derived fat substitute
monosodium glutamate (MSG)
N
natamycin
nitrates/nitrites
P
partially hydrogenated oil
polydextrose
potassium benzoate
potassium bromate
potassium sorbate
propionates
propyl gallate
propylparaben
S
saccharin
sodium aluminum sulfate
sodium benzoate
sodium diacetate
sodium glutamate
sodium nitrate/nitrite
sodium propionate
sodium stearoyl-2-lactylate
solvent extracted oils, as standalone single-ingredient oils (except grapeseed oil).
sorbic acid
sucralose
sucroglycerides
sucrose polyester
sulfites (except in wines, meads and ciders)
T
TBHQ (tertiary butylhydroquinone)
tetrasodium EDTA
V
vanillin