Troy Community Food Co-Op

** RATS, they have CLOSED **
yes, it’s small. they do sell big brand names, which i found odd at first, but they’re smart to cater to everyone.
I live right near here, this place is a godsend to people who live downtown. I buy whatever i can here b/​c i want to support them. it would be a tragedy if they disappeared.
the staff is really nice, friendly, helpful, & seem to be my neighbors too. Being able to walk into a nice, clean establishment downtown to purchase a yummy sandwich from My Linh, and NOT have to rub elbows with … how to put this delicately… uh, the kind of people who do NOT shop at co-​ops.

Update: After a long financial struggle, the Coop is closed.
I’m amazed by the complaints that the store carries too many «normal» brands for a coop — as the only grocery store in downtown, I think they’re smart to carry some things you might not find in a more pure coop in, say, Portland, OR. Troy is a unique market and a certain flexibility is required for businesses other than pawn shops to survive here.
I actually give them high points for their product selection; I think they have a great editorial voice in the selections they offer in their small box store; somewhat reminescent of the thoughtful good taste I find in a Trader Joe’s.
I’m not a member because I’m not a big joiner, but I suspect Brenda and I spend more there every week than most members. We’re addicted to their beef — it makes beef from the choppa taste like cardboard. We’ve found a brand of cookies there that is sinfully delicious; a gelato that is sinfully expensive but worth every penny, and the gourmet cheese selection is surprisingly good, and cheaper than the big box guys.
My only complaint is that the breads seem unfresh — we’ve had some grow major mold in just a day or two.
But all in all, a better than expected effort in one of the toughest market areas in the Capital Region. Troy deserves a good market, and those of us who live here and remember the options we had before Pioneer opened are profoundly grateful.

I am so sad by the choice I had to make tonight. I go to Pioneer Market a few times a week for their salad bar, and I’m very happy with their salad and hot meal selections at lunch time. But tonight I went in to buy some produce and was greatly disappointed. The local lettuce selection was wilted and close to spoiled. I could not see spending $ 1.99 on a small head of wilted, brown romaine, so I ended up buying the Green Giant brand because it was presentable. There is no reason why I should make a choice like that in a community food co-​op.
In general, there are just too many big name brands present here. There needs to be way more local and organic brands. I understand that they want to be accessible to a wide audience, but offering Diet Coke right next to the organic cane sodas seems kind of strange to me.
I want to love this place, but I can’t.

I want to love it, I really do. But when I walk into a food co-​op there are a few things I expect and those expectations do not involve Doritos, Fiber One Bars, or Fixodent (all of which you will find at the Pioneer Food Co-​op for a premium cost). I expect to find nutritional yeast in the bulk food section. I expect to have a decent selection of goat cheeses to choose from (and for the love of all that is holy, that Beemster goat Gouda that was hard as a rock, nearly yellow-​orange in color, and more closely resembled Parmesan texture-​wise needs to be chucked… it was spoiled). I also expect to find far more of a variety of free-​trade coffees from more than just Equal Exchange (good, but I like to mix up my morning buzz). I also expect a much larger produce section and not to see Freihofer’s bread.
What I do like: the small bulk food section puts most of the organic junk food up high (above eye level for me) so its not in your direct sight when you are looking at the other healthy bulk foods. They have spicy thai flavored peanuts in the bulk food section (yum). I like the convenience of the store and that despite being located next to a scary bodega and across the street from Burke’s Blue Collar Bar it feels like a safe refuge with its cute little café table in the front and on the sidewalk. The staff is friendly. The ready-​made foods always look delicious, but I’ve yet to purchase any as I’m more of a do it myself kinda gal.
Its also really expensive for what it offers. I can get much better prices on things at the Farmer’s Market on Saturdays.
I also dislike the blame-​storming that comes from the Board for time to time in which they blame their financial difficulties on the members. I am not a member, but certainly will not become one until the store shows a little more promise and the Board stops pointing fingers.

I’m so glad Troy finally has a co-​op! Their bulk section is nowhere near as awesome as Honest Weight’s, but this place is like half the size so I’ll give them a break. I thought their produce selection was pretty awesome with lots of organic and local options. I’m looking forward to shopping here in the future!

This is like a answer to my prayers, a food market close enough to walk to? A local store with organic, and farm friendly products in down town troy. WooHoo! I absolutely love this place, its a beautiful layout, easy to navigate, find products, and find prices. This place is small so its obviously not a huge selection and yet it has pretty much everything you’d want from a co-​op.
The produce selection looks beautiful, theres nothing I hate more than produce that looks shipped, and handled. It all looks fresh, and it says its all from local farms, can you beat that? nope.
Theres a monster bulk section! Pastas, Spices, all the ingredients you can ask for, nuts, candies! While the store is small it offers only a small selection but it does really well for the size that it has. I can’t believe you can buy spices in bulk (amazing!).
Then theres the salad bar, fresh made pastas and salads, meats and cheese selection. I love that I can get fresh cut local meat right around the corner. I love the selection of cheese for such a small store. Also I’m actually eating one of the roasted vegetable hot dishes they offered and its incredible. I dislike tofu, but the vegetables are amazing and if you liked tofu you’d LOVE this!
The prices too bad. You have to remind yourself that a lot of its local, the store is local, and its fresh and organic, you’re paying for quality and to me thats more than worth it.
I love this place. Its a beautiful addition to troy.