Willimantic Food Co-op

I love this place. They have a nice variety of produce, and everything I could ever want in their bulk section. It is great being about to get just the right amount of nuts, grains, pasta, even tea and maple syrup!
Love shopping here.

I love the Co-​op. I am a member and have been coming here for over 13 years. My only regret is that I don’t live close, so I don’t get there as often as I would like.

I believe that one of the biggest take-​aways of education is understanding the urgency for good food in your life. I have been a working member and customer here for two years now and cannot think of a better grocery store in the UConn area. The last place you would expect to get a sense of community is your grocery store, right? Meet the people, taste the veggies and explore the bulk aisle!

A great place for organic and alternative foods.
Growing up in eastern Connecticut, I know how hard it can be to find organic and vegan foods, but the Co-​op covers all of that. Their offerings don’t just stop there. They have frozen items, produce, body care and much more.
What makes this place unique for the area is that you can buy items in bulk. Not just your typical grains and nuts, but somewhat harder items to find like exotic dried fruits and nutritional yeast, for example. You can even make your own peanut butter here!
The variety of vegan options here is great. They have cookies, mock meats, prepared food to go and much more.
As far as prices go, they’re fair. Probably in the same ballpark as Whole Foods, but note that if you’re in the area, you’ll have to go at least a half hour out of your way to find anything comparable! You can find some good deals here on occasion.
There is a slight surcharge if you’re not a member. If you shop here frequently, I would highly suggest signing up to save a few bucks.
Don’t forget to bring your own bags when you come here!

This place is AWESOME!!! I drive 45 minutes one way just to shop here. I have been coming here for over 12 years because I love it so much. They have the BEST produce I have found. I also shop at Whole foods in Glastonbury and there is no comparison on the fresh veggies and fruit! They have a larger selection of organic produce than anywhere else. The cheese selection is awesome. The staff is always very helpful and friendly. The store itself is clean and very artfully decorated. Lots of bulk items… coffee and teas, grains, chocolate, herbs and spices, candy, nuts, olive oil and vinegar, cleaning products… they have it ALL! The thing I love the best are the little signs telling you where the food came from… what farm and where. Tons of local products on their shelves! Can’t say enough good things about it!!!

Love the Willimantic Food Co-​op! The selection is great, the staff is super friendly and they often have local artists selling one of a kind items in the small café area. They focus on organic and local products and produce… plus they also have a great space for children to play!

LOVE.
The produce is varied, fresh, and local, with a good variety of organic options. Actually, there are far more local options here than at chains like Whole Foods. This means cheese, milk, ice cream, body products can be obtained without any of them needing to travel by air or rail.
They do not sell meat and I am thrilled that they continue this practice. Those who want violence on their plates can go elsewhere.
Because of distance, I don’t get here often, but when I do, I stock up

I used to love shopping at this place while attending ECSU. The prices were a bit high for a college student’s budget, but there were some affordable snacks available. I would constantly get the sesame sticks. They also have sales, so that is helpful if you want healthy, organic food yet you are on a budget. While shopping, keep in mind that it does cost slightly more if you aren’t a member of the co-​op.

A great mid sized food co-​op that carries items that can be hard to find at the likes of Whole Foods. Such as my favorite unsweetened carob coated raisins, and unsweetened dried papaya. I find a reason to stop in every time I’m in the area (from Maryland).

Note: This is my same review as before, I’m just a stickler and wanted to make sure it was posted under the accurate address.
Oh man. This place. Just walking into this place makes me happy. It smells like fresh pressed grains. And as soon as you walk in the door, cheery, locally grown produce greets you.
I can’t really speak to how well this store stacks up against other organic/​localvore shops in CT, but compared to the fakers, or the boutique stores of NYC, this is the mecca. It’s like a fun house for food. Take it from me, I’m the anti-​foodie and I get excited by the lines of glass bottles waiting for you to fill your own olive oil. Or the pour your own agave nectar station. Or the grind your own coffee bean station. Or the big jars of spices stacked in the back, waiting for you to shake out your portion. This is true interaction with food. And I love love love the variety of brands available.
The fact that the whole thing is run by unabashed hippies is just part of the fun. And the cost might be a little pricey, but what’s a few dollars when shopping feels this good for once?

five stars if it were in new london — fiddleheads, pay attention! this is what you can be!
quirky selection of varied, interesting food items for reasonable prices. here you can find the following: handwoven frog hats, tiger paw footwarmers, organic clothing, celery root juice, pomegranate molasses, eggplant burgers, eyebright tincture, tubs of dead sea salts, finger puppets. berbere seasoning…
10% addition to the bill if you’re not a member. $ 20/​year for membership and then free after a certain number of (ask them for specifics) years.
yes!

This is the goldfind of Willimantic. If you need organic food, health food, and alternative foods, it’s all here. The bulk bins are fantastic, with a great price.

This store is really good for little town I am glad we have it. Items are little pricey comparing to other organic stores but some things are worth buying there.
For example: really good apples for $.89 a pound all year around. (where will you find that price these days)?
Good variety of cheese. Fresh vegetables, tasty bread.
So when I am lazy to go all away to Stew Leonards, I shop at this store.

The Co-​Op is one of the bright lights in an otherwise dismal little town. I have shopped there for years and love the variety of organic products, produce, and the good people we run into in the aisles.
I have one complaint, though, and it is one shared by a number of people who are co-​op members: WE WANT ORGANIC MEAT. The Co-​Op is entirely vegetarian for humans; however it sells pet food that does contain meat products. My feeling is that if co-​op can sell meat to cats, we can certainly sell it to humans.
This is an issue that comes up again and again, but consistently gets voted down by the majority. Fortunately, there are more and more farmers’ market type opportunities in the area for getting free-​range and/​or organic meat. I just wish the co-​op would get on board.
I need an organic calf’s liver to make a good «fegato alla Venezia»! Mi vende un po carne, per piacere!

Ah, the Willi Food Co-​op. One of the few places for the misfits of eastern CT to buy good quality organic food. Really it gets 4 stars for just being there as a place to meet people who think. That whole corner of the state is a pit of despair, I used to go to the Co-​op even when I didn’t need food and couldn’t really afford any, just in the hope of seeing another person who could carry on a conversation about something other than basketball.

I used to love going to this place. They sold this amazing birch beer soda that was one of the yummies things i have ever tasted. it was just a really cute little store with some great things, nowhere near as big as a whole foods or anything, it is cute.