CONFERENCES, EDUCATION, EVENTS

INSPIRE YOUR COMMUNITY | STAFF AND BOARD EDUCATION FOR FOOD CO-OPS | KEYNOTES | UPCOMING


Jon Steinman at the 2022 Up & Coming Food Co-op Conference


BOOK JON STEINMAN FOR A VIRTUAL OR IN-PERSON EVENT

Inquire through the form or send a message to info@grocerystory.coop


JON STEINMAN

JON STEINMAN is the Author of Grocery Story: The Promise of Food Co-ops in the Age of Grocery Giants (New Society Publishers). In 2019, Jon completed a 130-stop book release tour across the US and Canada and delivered his Grocery Story presentation at each stop. In 2021, and in partnership with the Food Co-op Initiative (FCI), Jon published THIS COULD BE OURS - a PHOTO ALBUM to inspire your food co-op dream. Jon regularly delivers educational sessions to food co-op boards and staff and is a frequent keynote speaker at food co-op annual meetings. Jon was an elected director (2006-2016) of the Kootenay Co-op in Nelson, British Columbia - Canada's largest food co-op specializing in natural foods - serving as board president in his final two years (www.kootenay.coop).

Jon was the writer and host of Deconstructing Dinner - a radio show, podcast and television series. He’s been a guest and contributor to CBC Radio, NPR, Pacifica Radio, SirusXM, The Province, Canada’s National Observer, The Tyee, and The Walrus.

INTRODUCE FOOD CO-OPS TO YOUR COMMUNITY

“IT’S TIME FOR COMMUNITY-OWNED GROCERY STORES”

Grocery stores have been thrust into an unprecedented spotlight. Never before have so many of us come to understand their crucial role and value in our communities. There is, however, a model of grocery store ownership that is well-suited for these times -- a model that has long operated in service to human health, community well-being and local economies. For well over a century, consumer-owned grocery stores (food co-ops) have been modeling the resilience, responsibility and stewardship that all people deserve to expect from their neighborhood grocers. Today, there are 230 food co-ops in the U.S. with over 300 locations among them. Over 1.6 million Americans are member-owners of these stores with another 80 food co-ops in development. In Canada, an extensive network of food co-ops serves communities from coast-to-coast-to-coast.

In this presentation, author Jon Steinman introduces this important model of grocery store ownership by exploring why food co-ops emerge in challenging times, how they operate today, and why they are more important now than ever before. Upon request, a panel of food co-op experts can be invited to join Jon.


KEYNOTES

Jon Steinman’s extensive background in food systems, journalism, communication, and community-led change, is a great recipe to motivate your audience at conferences and events. His keynotes are inspiring, heart-warming, and expand the frontiers of our thinking.


STAFF & BOARD EDUCATION

Staff retention and effective onboarding of new directors is critical to the stability and success of your food co-op. How does your co-op retain and refresh the people working in and stewarding the organization and how do you strengthen your co-op’s culture?

 

“The presentation was everything I had hoped it would be. Jon provided clear and concise concepts and language that we can use to help engage prospective and current owners and to train and inspire our employees.”

- fOOD cO-OP mANAGER (mICHIGAN)

“I was so energized by the presentation - it was outstanding, can't stop thinking about it.”

- fOOD cO-OP bOARD pRESIDENT (mINNESOTA)

“I highly recommend Jon as a speaker to share the inspiring stories of food co-ops and the Kootenay Co-op in particular.”

- Brett Fairbairn, Canadian Center for the Study of Co-operatives