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 Student Government Association (SGA) for the formation of the Maryland Food Collective. The "sandwich line" remains to this day a staple of the food options offered to customers. ==Cooperative business structure==

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. ==Sustainable practices==

The Maryland Food Collective engaged in environmentally sustainable business practices. 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. ==Food==

Local and organic 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. Vegan and vegetarian The Co-op offered a wide assortment of vegan and vegetarian-friendly food options, 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. ==Customer service==

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". 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". ==See also==