DEPARTMENTS & STANDARDS
We're committed to bringing you the absolute best quality possible in all of our departments. Every new product that comes in is carefully evaluated based on freshness, ingredients, truth in labeling, humane treatment of animals, and environmental impact. We give priority to locally produced food, fair trade items, certified organic products, and non-bioengineered ingredients. Since sustainability is also very important to us, we strive to avoid products with excessive packaging and BPA in container linings. We also pride ourselves in serving our customers with dietary restrictions, offering a wide variety of products that are gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian, nut-free, soy-free, and more!
DAIRY STANDARDS
At the Boise Co-op, we strive to support our local dairies. We carry small herd raw unpasteurized options that comply with Idaho state law. All of Boise Co-op’s dairy, including cheese, butter, and yogurt, is produced without the growth hormone, rBGH. Several brands are from cows bred to produce A2 beta-casein, which some believe makes dairy more digestible.
KITCHEN STANDARDS
Our goal is to provide our customers in the Treasure Valley with local, seasonal, and healthy food that is organic, transparent, and prepared fresh in our kitchen. We strive to serve a wide array of dietary preferences for our customers while keeping our menu up to date with trending seasonal offerings. We source certified organic and local ingredients whenever possible and we always Stand Up For Honest Food.
PET STANDARDS
We believe your pet deserves to eat as healthfully as you do; at our Pet Supply, you’ll find the best all-natural and premium pet foods, many of which are certified organic and all exceptional in quality! When we promised our community we’d Stand Up For Honest Food, we made that same promise to your pets. Our Co-op crew carefully selects only the highest quality brands that share the same mission and drive. These partnerships over the years have led to a robust selection at our stand-alone Pet Supply store, and two Boise Co-op Market locations with foods and treats that we are proud to feed our own pets.
MEAT & SEAFOOD STANDARDS
At the Boise Coop, we sell the highest quality natural and organic meats available. We partner with our local farmers whenever possible. Our meats are humanely raised, vegetarian-fed, and never treated with antibiotics or growth hormones.
Our seafood is sustainably sourced as we follow the Monterey Bay Seafood Watch program. We will not sell “red rated” seafood in our stores and only carry “green and yellow rated” seafood. Our two meat managers have a combined 50 years of experience in the industry. Their teams will be happy to custom cut, wrap and season any item sold in their department. We look forward to serving you!
GROCERY STANDARDS
When working with National and International products we don’t allow artificial preservatives, colors, flavors, sweeteners, or numerous alternative ingredients commonly found in food. Any items that claim to be NON-BIOENGINEERED must be 3rd party verified. We believe in supporting our local foodshed and are willing to make exceptions to our product standards with regards to local producers. Our goal is to work with local producers to get their ingredients to fall in line with our national food standards.
HEALTH & BEAUTY STANDARDS
The Boise Co-op looks for products that are safe for people and the environment because we believe what we put on our bodies is as important as the healthy food we eat. Our body care standards reflect that, requiring products to be free of artificial fragrances, colors, and unnatural ingredients. Our Bodycare products are never tested on animals, they’re free of parabens, phthalates, and triclosan. All of our sunscreens are environmentally friendly and safe for coral reefs without coral-killing ingredients, such as oxybenzone or octinoxate. Hair colorants are exempted from our ingredient standards. BCC hair color brands are safer than those sold at other stores but there are no permanent hair colors without risky synthetic ingredients.
WELLNESS STANDARDS
The Boise Co-op believes the ingredients in supplements and body care products are as important as the ingredients in food. We source supplements made from high-quality, natural, and pure ingredients that do not contain artificial preservatives, colors, or flavors.
We strive to carry products that have been researched and have a scientific or historical basis for helping you to maintain maximum health.
PRODUCE STANDARDS
We pride ourselves on having the largest selection of local produce in the Treasure Valley. We love knowing the people who grow our food and care for our land. Our local produce comes from within 150 miles of the stores. We support organic agriculture and sustainable growing practices because we believe that when you nurture the soil, you nurture the community. We use the following guidelines when purchasing for our stores: Local certified organic, Non-local certified organic/local using organic practices*, Local conventional, Conventional in rare circumstances.
WINE STANDARDS
The Boise Co-op is the premier source for wine in the Treasure Valley. Our knowledgeable team members create a community gathering place for people to learn about, enjoy, and celebrate wine. Our goal is to maximize the enjoyment of wine by providing you helpful information and advice. We offer fine wines from around the world, many of which come from small-production vineyards. We pride ourselves in our hand-picked selections that will introduce you to new labels, new categories, and new wines.