Detroit’s First Black-Led Co-Op Grocery Store Opens Its Doors To Combat Food Insecurity
A new day has begun in Detroit, MI, thanks to the leadership of the Detroit Black Community Food Sovereignty Network.
For nearly a decade, the Motor City hasn’t had a full-scale Black-owned grocery store, Detroit Metro Times reports. Now, in May 2024, Detroit People’s Food Co-Op, the first Black-led co-op grocery store in Detroit, has opened its doors.
As Detroit is one of the major U.S. cities that faces a significant shortage of food access, Detroit People’s Food Co-Op offers fresh, local grocery items, a deli, and a coffee bar. The outlet details that the store’s fruits and vegetables are sourced from four Black-owned farms in Michigan.
In addition to providing quality food and health and wellness products, what makes the grocery store special is that anyone age 21 and over can become a member and have ownership in the co-op. On May 1, 2024, it had over 2,700 members and counting.
“This is not something you’re invited to. It’s literally yours,” said Lanay Gilbert-Williams, president of the co-op’s board of directors, per the outlet. “There is no rich person in the shadows. People can’t imagine such a heaven where all types of people have come together to do a thing and take ownership of a thing. It belongs to the entire community.”
She added, “This is just the first day. We’re all a family. We’re breaking bread together. Food brings everybody together. We have not had a Black-led, community-owned grocery store in Detroit. What is that going to look like? It’s going to be interesting.”
As co-op members, they are each “empowered to vote in board elections, share future profits, and be elected to committees, which could be tasked with fighting for affordable housing or disability rights,” the outlet notes.
Detroit residents can become lifetime members by paying one fee of $200 either immediately or in 10 monthly installments. Detroit People’s Food Co-Op hopes for an influx of young people to join and gain leadership skills as they will be behind the future of the grocery store.
