Maryland Food Collective

In the early 1970s, the University of Maryland failed in its attempts to create a food co-op, a book co-op, and a music co-op. However, a group of students did not give up. They began a "guerrilla sandwich line" campaign in which they sold sandwiches made at home at events, gatherings, and out of baskets around the campus. They were met with resistance from the local police but received overwhelming support from the student body. In August 1975, Matt Mayer, a student at the University of Maryland, College Park, submitted a proposal to the [https://www.umdsga.com Student Government Association] (SGA) for the formation of the Maryland Food Collective.{{cite news|last=Diamondback Editorial Board|title=Staff editorial: A co-operative effort|url=http://www.diamondbackonline.com/opinion/editorials/article_03ab60a8-fba0-57d2-a07a-cd1f8f3c4436.html|access-date=25 February 2013|newspaper=The Diamondback|date=5 April 2012}} The "sandwich line" remains to this day a staple of the food options offered to customers.

Although started as a movement against the university's administration, the food collective was featured on tours of the university and there exists a running archive of ledgers, advertisements and other documents from the collective in Hornbake Library.

In May 2019, the food collective closed after attempting to negotiate with the Adele H. Stamp Student Union to pay off debts amounting to $40,000.{{cite web |last1=Subin |first1=Samantha |title=Despite the best efforts of its workers, the Maryland Food Co-op is closed |url=https://dbknews.com/2019/06/11/umd-co-op-closed-permanent-official-stamp-food/ |website=The Diamondback |date=11 June 2019 |publisher=The Diamondback |access-date=16 April 2020}}

According to a draft of the business plan of the collective:

The Co-op's current management and worker organization is based on an equal-pay, equal-responsibility and equal-role system. Every worker is hired into the same position and immediately given the same amount of responsibility and power. Each worker has equal democratic decision-making power and is expected to contribute equally to The Co-op. All workers are theoretically responsible for every aspect of the store.

The Maryland Food Collective engaged in environmentally sustainable business practices.{{cite web|url=http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=sb_success.sb_successstories_umd_food |title=Success Story: Food Co-op – University of Maryland |publisher=Energy Star |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130308170854/http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=sb_success.sb_successstories_umd_food |archive-date=8 March 2013 |access-date=25 February 2013 }}

The Co-op used biodegradable plates and bowls and provided a 10% discount to customers who brought their own cutlery and containers. Additionally, the collective made use of Stamp's composting dumpster and composted much of their food waste.{{cite news|last=List|first=Madeleine|title=Stamp Student Union food court vendors lag in recyclable, compostable containers|url=http://www.diamondbackonline.com/news/campus/article_45295194-74cb-11e2-8e69-001a4bcf6878.html|access-date=25 February 2013|newspaper=The Diamondback|date=13 February 2013}}

Part grocery store, The Co-op featured a selection of locally produced and organic fruits and vegetables. These same ingredients were used in the making of the food served in the small cafe and sandwich shop. Although these were available in a much wider variety at the front of the store, the collective decided to remove their storefront vegetable shelves (along with much of their grocery section) around 2012. However, fruits were still available by the registers and customers could ask a worker to retrieve any specific vegetables from their kitchen's walk-in refrigerator.{{cite book|last=Evans|first=Andrew|title=VegOut vegetarian guide to Washington, D.C.|year=2004|publisher=Gibbs Smith|location=Salt Lake City|isbn=1-58685-471-2|page=126|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=n6m-yHGupq0C&q=Maryland+Food+Collective&pg=PA126|edition=1st}}

The Co-op offered a wide assortment of vegan and vegetarian-friendly food options,{{Cite news |last=Diffendal|first=Theresa|date=2019-06-11|title=Workers want to save the UMD Co-op before it closes in May |work=The Diamondback |url=https://www.dbknews.com/2019/03/15/umd-co-op-closing-debt-fundraiser-stamp-student-union-may/ |access-date=2020-07-15}} with the sandwich line featuring over 50 different ingredients. It also featured a vegan daily hot special. The store sold vegan sides, snacks and desserts, with meals averaging $5 to $7.

In 2007, The Co-op instituted an anti-discrimination policy for serving students after a worker refused to ring up the purchases of a student wearing a shirt that stated "I Stand for Israel".{{Cite news |last=Fisher |first=Marc |date=May 23, 2007 |title=Free Speech? Not if You Hurt Their Feelings. |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/local/2007/05/24/free-speech-not-if-you-hurt-their-feelings/01eb2a56-32ac-45b1-b97f-f880e54d2f6a/?isMobile=1 |work=The Washington Post}} The new policy "respects the right of an individual worker or volunteer to remove themselves from the work environment and to choose not to act as an agent of the store", while it also "guarantees the right of any customer in the store to be served by a representative of the store, unless the customer is acting in a verbally, physically, or sexually threatening manner".{{cite web|url=http://washingtonjewishweek.com/main.asp?SectionID=4&SubSectionID=4&ArticleID=7129&TM=52527.73 |title=Maryland food co-op policy respectful or insulting?Views differ as collective issues statement, university may take action |last=Fingerhut |first=Eric |date=16 May 2007 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130412034806/http://washingtonjewishweek.com/main.asp?SectionID=4&SubSectionID=4&ArticleID=7129&TM=52527.73 |archive-date=12 April 2013 |access-date=13 March 2013 |work=Washington Jewish Week }}

• List of food cooperatives

• [https://archives.lib.umd.edu/repositories/2/resources/861 Maryland Food Collective records] at the University of Maryland Libraries

{{Reflist}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Collectives

Category:Cooperatives based in Maryland

Category:Defunct restaurants in Maryland

Category:Food cooperatives in the United States

Category:University of Maryland, College Park

Category:Worker cooperatives of the United States