Seward Community Co-op

Jess Nimm

Assistant Produce Manager, she/they

I have spent the last 8 years building my cooperative and grocery knowledge at Chicago’s Dill Pickle Food Co-op, Local Foods Market, and Seward Community Co-op. My roles have included cook, deli supervisor, prepared foods manager, receiving manager, produce stocker, produce team lead, and assistant produce manager. This range of experience has given me a passion for grocery that I believe will positively impact the co-op’s direction.

Aligning with Seward’s ends, my focus has always been supporting local food systems, fostering equitable and honest relationships with farmers and producers, and providing responsible and sustainable options for consumers. I have proven myself as an observant, focused, and driven team member who supports and advocates for her co-workers, cultivating a collaborative and encouraging workplace.

Looking to Seward’s future, I hope the co-op will provide more culturally relevant products, programs, and services to better support and engage our neighbors. A more intentional focus on local food producers will allow us to thrive among constantly changing food markets, increased tariffs on imported goods, and what seems like never-ending supply chain disruptions. Strengthening these local producer relationships will in turn strengthen our brand as a leader in the Twin Cities food cooperatives.

In a capitalist economy, shopping at the co-op is a form of protest. Cooperatives are inspiring, they give me hope for a different future, and a deep sense of community in an increasingly individualist world. I am overwhelmingly and enthusiastically proud to be a co-op grocer and owner, and I would be honored to join Seward Community Co-op’s board of directors.