The president of a food distribution co-op in Walsh County says it has helped three grocery stores survive – and thrive.
Diana Hahn is the owner of Jim’s Super Valu in Park River. She said the RAD Co-op formed in 2021. RAD stands for Rural Access Distribution. The other two are Market on Main in Edinburg and Hoople Grocery. She said it formed with the help of the North Dakota Association of Rural Electric Cooperatives.
Hahn says she has a passion for North Dakota, and has a hard time seeing some of the small towns dying off.
"Usually, your grocery stores, your churches, your schools are some of the last things to go in a town," Hahn said. "If the grocery store goes first, you know what will follow."
Hahn said the three stores started working with UNFI, a food distributor that succeeded Super Valu.
"It was basically to give our customers better variety, better price-points, more selection," Hahn said.
Hahn said the efforts have so far worked, and the stores are showing profits.
"The one store, in Hoople, is more of a gas station-convenience store, that has a small grocery area," Hahn said. "They have been able to expand their offerings, and many of their customers say that now, they are a grocery store. People can go in, get everything they need to feed their families that night."
Hahn said that has really helped boost their sales, and keep people coming back, rather than driving out-of-town to get groceries.
A second food co-op is being formed in north-central North Dakota.
