If you need a break from the Harris food rotation or just want to stock up on some healthy snacks for your room, try shopping at the Fiddleheads Food Co-op. This New London business is dedicated to preserving the environment and promoting healthy lifestyles within the community. It is 100% member-owned and prides itself on supplying locally harvested produce, natural whole foods and other fair trade products to the community. Though the foods at these co-ops tend to be a little more wearing on the wallet, the money directly supports local businesses and farms because Fiddleheads maintains a very close relationship with farmers and vendors in the community.
The business also functions to bring consumers closer to the source of their foods, educating members on the benefits of eating locally. In addition to providing a market for such goods, Fiddleheads also sponsors social outreach programs and food bank donations. For example, the Co-op often hosts fairs dedicated to promoting certain types of products. Last year, they hosted a Health and Wellness Fair, inviting people to come and consult with local alternative health care practitioners and sample products.
As Fiddleheads becomes more prominent in the New London area, sales continue to rise. Last month, the co-op was featured in The Day for its fifth anniversary. According to The Day, Fiddleheads recorded a near doubling of sales, to 1.8 million, last year. Due to such success, the business has expanded from an indoor farmer’s market to an 8,000 square foot enterprise, with a 500 square foot café recently installed at its front. The Day also details the small-scale improvements within the company, such as a decorative awning, new flooring, better lining and a more technologically advanced computer system. This company was built from the ground up and continues to grow incrementally.
For those of us on campus who do not have access to a car, Fiddleheads is also planning to institute online purchasing. Their website is already very helpful, featuring information about the local farms from which they purchase goods, as well as minutes from the board meetings and seasonal newsletters. Since the company runs entirely through the efforts of the community, the website also allows you to request products for the store and sign up for membership. Members of Fiddleheads essentially become owners of the co-op and thus have a voice in business matters and policies. They also receive a discount on most purchases. If a member wanted to volunteer at Fiddleheads, he or she could receive discounts depending on the number of hours he or she worked each month.
Though many prefer the convenience of larger corporations such as Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods, Fiddleheads presents a unique opportunity for citizen involvement. It essentially is a communal effort to provide local, healthy foods to the area. Fiddleheads also strives to actively bring people together so as to raise environmental awareness and support the humane treatment of animals. It is a noble business that helps the local economy by providing an outlet for farmers in the New London area. Overall, Fiddleheads is an enterprise on the rise, spurred by the efforts of a community interested in healthy, locally grown foods.
