National Co+op Grocers: Food Co-ops Celebrate Peak Apple Season

Saint Paul, Minn. — Apple season is in full swing, and food co-ops nationwide are celebrating the harvest by spotlighting some of their favorite locally grown varieties. National Co+op Grocers (NCG) is highlighting where apple lovers can find these local varieties and sharing tips for picking the best apple this season.

One of the biggest differentiators of food co-ops from traditional grocery stores is their focus on locally grown produce. According to NCG’s 2025 Impact Report, the average food co-op purchases from 187 local suppliers, four and a half times as many as conventional grocers (41 farms on average). Local products account for 23% of the average food co-op’s sales, compared with just 2% at conventional grocery stores.

That local sourcing keeps profits circulating within the community rather than flowing to a distant corporate headquarters, supporting the farms and orchards that grow the produce co-op shoppers buy.

Buying local also gives shoppers access to specialty varietals unavailable anywhere else. As apple season ramps up, co-ops and growers around the country shared the varieties they’re most excited about this year.