The establishment of a Food section in the Chestnut Hill Local reflects a reality in Northwest Philadelphia: There is a vibrant, dynamic and ever-changing food scene here. Whether you’re in the mood for a night out at local favorite restaurants along our cobblestone streets or staying in to cook at home, there is no shortage of delicious food options.

Stocking our kitchens can be a real adventure, thanks to local food purveyors, farmers markets, bakeries, and a community-owned store, Weavers Way Co-op, which we help to operate.

From this vantage point as a retailer and community-owned organization, we hope to contribute to the Local’s Food section. We operate differently from most grocery retailers because we are mission-driven. Our commitment is to nourish our local community by offering healthy, sustainable, and local foods. Our staff engages deeply with the local food scene in meaningful ways. We actively go between our shoppers and local food purveyors to bring in foods that people want and need. We also serve local food purveyors by helping ensure that they are retail-ready. Our buyers take into account price, availability, environmental impact, seasonality, nutrition, and, of course, taste. They consider whether a product will appeal to home cooks and how it can be packaged in ways that are both safe and sustainable.

Through this work, our retail team learns a lot. We look forward to sharing their knowledge with you in future editions.

Expect tips and tricks to handle specific produce items, whether they’re parsnips or pears. You’ll also hear directly from our retail and management team as they weigh in on local food issues, from supply chain logistics and food policy to their current culinary obsessions.

Along the way, we hope to hear from you, too! What food, nutrition, or sustainability issues are you facing in your kitchen?

We love food and the Philadelphia-area food system that surrounds it; we believe it’s something special. Southeastern Pennsylvania benefits from an incredible agricultural landscape, and the many hardworking food purveyors in our area bring energy and innovation to the marketplace.

The Food section is a great opportunity to celebrate this food system. Just just like we strive to do at the Co-op, we hope it will bring us all a little closer as we share in its pleasures.