We are a start-up food co-op working towards opening our grocery store in historic downtown Little Falls, Minnesota. When the grocery store opens its doors, we will feature locally grown foods including meats, dairy, produce, and other prepared items.
The Purple Carrot Market is all about building community and self-reliance. When you invest in the co-op, you're investing in our community by supporting local growers and value-added producers to keep more of our grocery dollars local.
Our Vision
A vibrant, welcoming full-service grocery store, providing convenient, exceptional downtown shopping and fresh, local food to all community members.
Core Values:
A community hub that nurtures a healthy, happy community where everyone is welcome.
Our product selection helps people eat and live better every day.
We lift up locally sourced foods, including locally produced products, supporting our neighboring agricultural producers and food entrepreneurs.
Our friendly and knowledgeable staff are fairly compensated.
Our success will be driven by the ideas and input of owners, serving the needs of our community.
We commit to informing our customers of the growing practices associated with their food and clearly drawing the line from farm to fork.
Benefits of our food co-op
Convenient downtown location with excellent parking
Supports revitalization and vibrancy of downtown area
Increases attractiveness of area, drawing future residents
Improves access to healthy, bulk, and locally grown and prepared foods
Circulates grocery money more locally to benefit producers, growers, businesses, and families
Provides an incentive for growers to produce high-value crops
Builds awareness of healthy food systems
Strengthens community bonds and provides a sense of community ownership through investment in our locally-owned grocery store
Ownership
Everyone is welcome at the Purple Carrot Market! When you join as an owner, your investment builds equity for the co-op and helps us demonstrate the community support needed to obtain further investments. A full share in the co-op is $200, and is good for life. Become a founding owner and join us in growing the Purple Carrot Market into a community asset.
The Dutch were the ultimate carrot cultivators in the late 1500s, growing the traditional hues of purple, yellow, and white. One thousand years later, a strain containing high concentrations of beta carotene was developed, presenting the vibrant orange color we know so well today. Dutch carrot farmers started growing the new orange carrots in honor of William of Orange, who led the Dutch in Revolt against the Spanish, and the traditional, more colorful carrots, were tossed aside for these newly fashionable orange carrots.