Local Farmers & Producers:

Apply now for our 2022 VFC Microloan!

We invite any local farm or business who sells food or products at any local farmers market, or who sells directly to the VFC, to apply for a one-year, no-interest loan of up to $3,500!

If you’ve had the Korean Reuben at the VFC Deli, then you’ve experienced the delicious flavor of Fizzeology Kimchi. Like all of Fizzeology’s products, the Kickapoo Kimchi is a raw ferment that contains live enzymes and probiotics. The ingredients are sourced from local farms and the production takes place at the Food Enterprise Center in Viroqua.

We are pleased to announce that the winner of the 2022 VFC Cooperative Community Fund (CCF) Grant is Youth Initiative High School (YIHS) for their Community Garden Project. 

Build a Gift with Books

Tell someone you love them by gifting them a book about their favorite things. With a wide array of topics, you can be sure to find the perfect book and gift pairing here at the Viroqua Food Co+op.

Anyone can cook like a professional chef with the right tools! VFC’s got a wide variety of cookbooks and kitchenware.

We asked Prepared Foods Manager Sam Witte & she delivers!

VFC: The pandemic changed how our customers shop as well as how we operate. What challenges has the Deli Department faced in the past year?
Sam: At the beginning of the pandemic, we had to close some of our most popular services including the hot bar and the salad bar. We knew it was important to continue to provide hot and nutritious food and had to get creative about how to bring some of those services back. We currently have hot meat and vegetarian options on the hot bar daily and will be adding some family-sized portions later in the day. We have also seen a lot of success with pre-made salads in the grab-n-go, in both the single-serve and the family sizes. It is encouraging now to see people get back into regular routines.

In October, National Co-op Month gives us a lot to celebrate! We honor the spirit of cooperation and a model of business that: builds community; strengthens relationships; empowers people to collectively realize their social and economic aspirations. 

Community Hunger Solutions (CHS) exists to connect locally produced food with community members who lackaccess. To accomplish this, CHS works with farms, food processors and others to source locally produced foods that would otherwise go to waste. Then, volunteers sort the food for distribution to food pantries and other community partners. CHS averages about 150,000# of produce annually – plus a growing amount of Organic Valley dairy, such as milk and cheese. While the primary source of food is through donations, CHS purchases anywhere from $10,000 to $40,000 worth of food from local family farms each year.

Bike Repairs – On the Go!

Minnesota-based bicycle rack manufacturer Dero describes themselves as “bike parking nerds.” We love that! Dero’s mission is to populate the world with bicycle infrastructure. While they may be fulfilling such world-wide dreams, they have also claimed their stake right here at the Viroqua Food Co+op.

Our friends at local nonprofit Vernon Trails donated this Dero Fixit Station to the VFC in 2018. We’re so glad to see it be utilized by our fellow bike riders, more and more each year.

Each year, the Vernon County Cooperative Association (VCCA) awards $500 scholarships for area high school seniors to continue their studies at a two- or four-year institution of higher education. Applicant’s parents or guardians must be members of, or employed by, a VCCA Member (see list*).