LEAF provides financing nationally to natural food cooperatives that create jobs and provide access to healthy food in rural and urban communities. LEAF is one of only three CDFIs in the nation that has focused and developed expertise in lending to the community owned grocery store market. We work in close collaboration with our partner, the National Cooperative Grocery Association (NCGA), the trade association that represents over 120 food cooperatives with combined revenues of about $1.4 billion.
In addition to job creation and making healthy food available, food co-ops excel as:
- Exemplary employers paying wages and benefits well above industry averages and offering a higher percentage of full-time employment.
- Stewards of the environment through active recycling, composting and energy efficiency initiatives. 75% of the Energy Star rated grocery stores are food coops.
- Healthy food educators for their members and community at large. For instance, The Midwest Food Connection, a non-profit organization providing healthy eating habits instruction to school children is largely funded by donations from food co-ops.
- Supporters of local economies and local farmers. On average 22% of gross sales are locally produced versus 6% to 8% for other grocery stores.