For more than fifty years, Outpost Natural Foods Cooperative has shown what it means to build a business around community.
Founded in 1970 by a small group of Milwaukee residents, Outpost began as a buying club rooted in a simple but powerful belief: access to healthy, natural food should be a community-driven initiative.
Today, that grassroots effort has grown into a thriving multi-location cooperative serving nearly 24,000 member-owners across the Milwaukee area.
Outpost is a driving force of the local economy. With $52 million in annual sales, the co-op supports Wisconsin farmers and producers, creates living-wage jobs—employing nearly 360 people—and helps keep dollars circulating locally. In 2025, 25 percent of total sales came from Wisconsin products.
The co-op is also investing in infrastructure improvements, including modernization of refrigeration systems and enhancements to the in-store experience in neighborhoods where fresh, quality food is critical. Another major initiative is the development of a new 9,000-square-foot Central Kitchen.
“[Outpost does] an outstanding job of providing high-quality, locally sourced and farmer-supported products to our community while prioritizing sustainability,” said member-owner Meenal Atre. “In a world where nationwide chains dominate the grocery store market, Outpost bridges the gap between producers and consumers. It is large enough to meet our pantry needs and small enough to connect with neighbors and friends while shopping.”
“In a world where nationwide chains dominate the grocery store market, Outpost bridges the gap between producers and consumers.” – Meenal Atre, Outpost member-owner
Even as it has expanded, Outpost has remained grounded in cooperative principles. Its growth has never been about scale for its own sake. The co-op has focused on deepening its impact—providing high-quality, responsibly sourced food, reinvesting in the local community and demonstrating the power of a member-owned business model.
“If there’s one thing people should understand about Outpost, it’s that we are evolving. The cooperative model is adaptive, and we’re actively working to ensure it remains relevant for the next generation,” Outpost CEO Ray Simpkins said. “That means expanding access, modernizing operations and challenging ourselves to think bigger about what a community-owned business can be.
For example, in addition to accepting benefits for the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Outpost’s Capitol Drive store began accepting benefits for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) in February 2026 after a long planning and application process. This was an important step in expanding food access to more families.
Outpost also offers a reduced ownership payment plan for people facing economic barriers, including those enrolled in certain federal assistance programs, receiving unemployment or disability benefits, or pursuing higher education. Recently, when Riverwest Cooperative closed their doors, Outpost extended membership at a reduced cost to former Riverwest owners.
Outpost’s community commitment extends well beyond its store aisles. Through partnerships and give-back programs with organizations such as Hunger Task Force, Fondy Food Center, Kinship Community Food Center, Teens Grow Greens and Ignace Indian Health Center, the co-op supports hunger relief, food justice, cultural food pathways and sustainable agriculture. In 2025, its annual Buy A Bag program with Hunger Task Force generated $172,000 in customer contributions to help supply wholesome food for the organization’s emergency food bank.
“Outpost Co-op’s dedication to putting people first makes it such a relevant and important pillar in our communities,” said Brooks Vorlob-Keeley, Training & Leadership Specialist at Outpost Co-op. “As an employee and a co-op owner, I feel proud to work for an organization that puts hope into action by supporting women-owned, People of the Global Majority (PGM) and locally-owned business.”
Beyond Milwaukee, Outpost plays an active role in strengthening the broader cooperative ecosystem through leadership, collaboration and knowledge-sharing. As a cooperative, success isn’t just measured by profit, it’s also measured by how well it elevates the entire food and cooperative system. Outpost partners with organizations like National Co+op Grocers to offer more value to food co-op owners and shoppers everywhere.
This understanding of being part of the larger cooperative movement is also why Outpost is a member of NCBA CLUSA. “Our membership with NCBA CLUSA connects us to a national and global network of cooperatives working toward a more equitable and sustainable economy,” Simpkins said. “It reinforces that what we’re building in Milwaukee is part of something much bigger—an economic model centered on people, not just profit.”
“Our membership with NCBA CLUSA… reinforces that what we’re building in Milwaukee is part of something much bigger—an economic model centered on people, not just profit.” – Outpost CEO Ray Simpkins
Indeed, from its buying club days to its current and expanding operations, the people Outpost Co-op serves are the driving force behind this successful and growing business.