The Phoenix Earth Food Cooperative has adopted an equity model: Instead of paying regular dues, you become a member (and owner) by making a one-time payment, your equity (currently $72).
In addition to membership, new members receive a discount card, valid for two years.
Alternatively, one-year discount cards ($36) can be purchased and after them buying them twice, you automatically become a member.
Although the discount card needs to be renewed every year, membership is for life, with or without a current discount card.
Among the privileges of membership: Members vote at annual meetings of the Co-op and elect the Board, which in turn appoints and evaluates the General Manager.
Becoming a member of the Phoenix Earth Food Co-op
The road to becoming a member of the Phoenix Earth Food Co-op is paved with discounts; that is, you become an member by buying two years of discounts, at $36 each. Each of those two years for $36 you get a Discount Card that entitles you to
- a monthly discount (any day of the month you choose) on all full-priced items,
- a discount (full-priced items) with qualified pre-orders of the coop’s products, for later pickup, and
- member-only sales, special sales that the management arranges.
As long as you renew your Discount Card each year you will continue to receive these discounts.
Getting to vote and receiving a patronage dividend.
Upon paying $72, whether all at once or $36 two years in a row, you become a member. This membership involves owning 1 equity share of the Co-op. It continues, whether or not you purchase any further Discount cards. Members
- get to vote on the co-op’s affairs (these votes are required for the board to continue),
- receive a patronage dividend when the board declares one based on the store’s financial performance, and
- can take advantage of member-only sales
Members do not get the monthly or pre-order discounts UNLESS they maintain the yearly $36 Discount Card. Former partial payments on up-to-date memberships will begin to receive the discount once their payments have reached $36.
All paid-up members receive 2 years of discounts from the beginning of their original membership. For paid-up members who began before Feb 1, 2013, annual discount-card renewal begins in February 2015.