As BriarPatch Food Co-op celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2026, the California-based co-op is honoring a legacy rooted in community care, local food systems and a willingness to evolve with the people it serves.
BriarPatch began in 1976, when a bulk-buying “grub club” had grown too unwieldy to manage informally. Handling bulk foods was messy work, literally and logistically. So, the natural next step was to open a store.
The co-op’s earliest storefront was an unheated warehouse run by volunteers and designed for members only. Volunteering was a membership requirement at the time. The store opened to the public in 1982, making healthy, local foods more accessible to the broader community.
Today, BriarPatch has grown into a thriving community-owned business with more than 12,000 active owners between the Grass Valley and Auburn locations and annual sales exceeding $50 million. The Auburn store’s opening in 2023 expanded BriarPatch’s sense of “local” to include the entire Sacramento River Watershed, strengthening its support for local and regional producers.
Community Care and Environmental Stewardship
“For 50 years, BriarPatch Food Co-op has been the heartbeat of the Grass Valley community and now Auburn,” said Daniel Lopez, BriarPatch Store Operations Manager in Auburn. “Each decision that we make is guided by our members and our commitment to this region. Concern for the Community is the 7th Cooperative Principle by which we ensure the sustainable development of our local community and emphasize earth-friendly practices and local agriculture. We are committed to deepening our roots in Auburn and growing alongside the community that made us who we are.”
That commitment shows up in programs like Apples for Gardens, launched in 2020 to support school and community gardens. Each month, BriarPatch donates 10 cents per pound of apples sold in store to a selected school or community garden, helping fund garden educators, plants and infrastructure. Since its inception, the program has raised more than $94,000.
BriarPatch’s PatchWorks volunteer program, also launched in 2020, connects customer-owners with local nonprofit partners. Owners who volunteer at least six hours a month receive a shopping discount, creating a mutually beneficial model that supports community organizations while encouraging cooperative participation. In 2026, BriarPatch plans to expand PatchWorks to include staff volunteer opportunities.
“At BriarPatch, community is at the heart of everything we do,” said Katie Gustavson, the co-op’s Community Engagement Coordinator. “We believe every act of giving—big or small—makes a meaningful impact. From our PatchWorks Volunteer Program and Round Up at the Register to Apples for Gardens and general donations, we’re proud to support our neighbors in ways that make a difference. Whether it’s helping a school grow fresh produce in their garden or inviting shoppers to donate their extra change to a local nonprofit, giving back is what brings us all together.”
“Whether it’s helping a school grow fresh produce in their garden or inviting shoppers to donate their extra change to a local nonprofit, giving back is what brings us all together.” – Katie Gustavson, Community Engagement Coordinator
Commitment to Belonging
BriarPatch is one of many food co-ops that has formally adopted an 8th Cooperative Principle focused on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, and the co-op continues to invest in belonging and accessibility. It’s quarterly Equity, Inclusion, Belonging and Accessibility training series for staff is developed with local partners like Equamind, Nevada County Pride, Placer Pride and the Sacramento LGBT Community Center.
At its core, the training series is not about checking boxes or aiming for perfection. It is about building awareness, encouraging curiosity and giving staff practical tools to approach human interactions with more empathy and understanding. In a community-centered business where employees interact with hundreds of people every day, those moments matter.
Principle 6 at Work
To celebrate BriarPatch’s 50th anniversary, an exciting collaboration with Ukiah Natural Foods Co-op and Frey Vineyards has resulted in the creation of Rally, a private label wine currently sold at BriarPatch and Ukiah and expanding to other food co-ops soon. Frey Vineyards is the first organic and biodynamic winery in the U.S., and the Rally line includes a red blend, white blend and frizzante rosé.
Launched on Earth Day 2026, Rally reflects shared commitments to organic agriculture, environmental stewardship and cooperative partnership.
BriarPatch’s commitment to Principle 6, or “cooperation among cooperatives,” extends from local collaboration to the national level in their memberships with National Co+op Grocers and NCBA. “NCBA gives cooperatives a collective voice at a national level,” said Rebecca Torpie, BriarPatch Director of Marketing and member of NCBA CLUSA’s Marketing Volunteer Council. “Even though our businesses look very different, at our core is the idea that we are people-centered, and that is what makes co-ops viable and valuable.”
“Even though our businesses look very different, at our core is the idea that we are people-centered, and that is what makes co-ops viable and valuable.” – Rebecca Torpie, Director of Marketing
NCBA is proud to join BriarPatch in celebrating their 50th anniversary.