Central Co-op's Product Guidelines

Our intention is to be the store where you can feel confident that the products you pick from our shelves are ethically sourced and produced in a manner respectful to the earth and its inhabitants. We believe that it is critical that we know where our food comes from, and to verify that the sources are in alignment with the values of our community.

We emphasize:

• Fresh and delicious food
• Basic whole foods
• Organically grown products
• Minimal packaging wherever possible
• Products that are Co-operatively produced and/or distributed
• Washington State Products and Produce
• Items which are Third Party Certified by organizations that align with our values (such as Small Producers Symbol, and Non-GMO Project)
• Foods that satisfy limited and special diets
• Foods with cultural relevancy and authenticity
• Non-toxic, environmentally-sound household and body care products
• High quality nutritional supplements
• Products that are not tested on animals
• Meat and dairy products from animals that are raised humanely, pastured, grass-fed, and without antibiotics or added recombinant bovine growth hormones (RBGH)
• Wild and responsibly harvested seafood

We exclude:

• Artificial flavors, sweeteners, preservatives and colors
• High fructose corn syrup
• Hydrogenated oils
• Still water in plastic bottles smaller than 16oz
• Genetically modified/engineered produce, meat and seafood

In keeping with our emphasis on a safe, traceable, authentic product offering, Central Co-op has adopted the precautionary principle when considering GMO/GE food products in our selection. We will not bring in any new items which contain the top GMO/GE crops grown in the US and Canada as main ingredients: soy, canola, cotton, corn and sugar beets or any of their derivatives, unless they are Non-Gmo Project Verified, Certified Organic or have non-gmo affidavits for their sourcing. We will continually review items on our shelves that contain any of the top crops in their ingredients to verify their sourcing and discontinue any items that we find to contain GMO crops. Until the labeling of GMO/GE foods is legally required, we believe that these efforts will keep us ahead of shifts in the industry. For more information about GMO and GE foods, check out our glossary of important food terminology.

These guidelines will be updated as necessary