Be part of something bigger at the Swarthmore CO-OP
Who are we?
The Swarthmore CO-OP is the third oldest food cooperative in the country, with a long history of serving as a community anchor and beloved neighborhood grocery store for both its members as well as non-member shoppers — “anyone can shop and anyone can join.” We place a strong emphasis on providing local and sustainably-grown/raised items and maintaining our important role as a full-service community grocery store. The CO-OP has approximately $6M in annual revenues and about 40 employees.
The Swarthmore CO-OP offers medical, dental, retirement, vacation and holiday benefits to eligible employees.
The Swarthmore Co-op team values diversity, and is committed to the principles of equal employment opportunity. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, gender, national heritage, age (over 40), religion, sexual orientation or gender identity. We look forward to meeting you!
The Swarthmore Co-op is an award-winning specialty food market in Delaware County looking for creative new part-time and full-time Fresh Foods/Deli Team Members. Our Co-op team focuses on local, organic and sustainable foods, and the promotion of healthy lifestyles to our community. Our goal is to create a customer shopping experience that is second to none. We offer a friendly, progressive team environment with competitive pay, healthcare, dental, sick and vacation paid leave, and 401K with an employer match for eligible employees. Our team members have great learning opportunities, advancement possibilities, flexible schedules, and strong attention to safe operations. We are proud to support and employ college students who meet the qualifications listed below.
What is your role?
The Co-op is well known for its popular Deli. Our talented Deli Team develops and creates top quality, made-to-order Deli masterpieces for our Co-op shoppers, and helps customers with quality cuts of meat, seafood and poultry, as well as the signature dishes in our Prepared Foods case. You’ll ensure that every shopper is offered the best meat, poultry, and gourmet deli sandwiches that the Co-op can create, and is treated with respect, and care. You’ll be trained by experienced supervisors and managers, and you’ll provide our shoppers with information and recommendations about foods that meet their individual needs and tastes!
[Please note that there are not seasonal positions, and the Co-op is looking for part-timers and full-timers who are available to work throughout the year.]
What you’ll be doing
- Become familiar with our award-winning Deli menu, and preparation of our signature dishes, and other related products. Create new menu ideas that excite our community marketplace.
- Become knowledgeable about weighing, pricing and packaging customer selections properly.
- Demonstrate reliability and professionalism in your work habits and appearance, and be a team player.
- Help maintain a clean and well-kept food preparation area in the store, and follow any pandemic protocols required.
What You Offer in Skills and Qualifications
- An interest in high-quality food preparation and creative presentation for a demanding marketplace.
- Availability to work 15-25 hours part-time, or 40 full-time during the week, including some evenings, and weekends.
- Some restaurant or other retail food experience, and a strong customer focus.
- An ability to maintain a positive attitude with customers and teammates despite daily pressures.
- Prefer applicants who are 21 or older; minimum age is 18.
- Must be able to meet the physical requirements for the role, including standing for up to 4 hours, bending, turning, squatting, using kitchen equipment, and lifting up to 25 lbs.
- Must have completed a high-school diploma or GED, and be computer literate.
The Swarthmore Co-op is an award-winning, one-of-a-kind specialty food market in Delaware County, and we’re looking for new part-time and full-time members for our Customer Service Team. We focus on local, organic and sustainable foods and promotion of healthy lifestyles to our community. We’re most proud of the friendly, progressive team environment that is the foundation of our store. Not a factory, or an impersonal warehouse where you’re a fulfillment drone– we value and work with each individual. Applicants that have weekend availability, and are 21 years of age are appreciated. The Co-op offers competitive compensation, flexible scheduling (we work to adapt to the schedules of our college student team members) full benefits for eligible employees, and an employee discount.
What is your role as a Customer Service/Cashier Team member?
A customer service team member’s priority is precisely that—Customer Service! This Co-op role is central to the Co-op mission, and you’ll ensure that each and every Co-op shopper is treated with respect, attention, and care. As a cashier and customer service team member, you’ll be handling customer purchases, providing information about membership and events, and creating a friendly, local feel for our valued shoppers.
The value that you’ll build for the Co-op
- Greet and treat customers in a welcoming way, and perform check-out activities for purchases quickly and accurately. .
- Demonstrate reliability and professionalism in your work habits and appearance, and have reliable transportation to the Co-op.
- Help maintain a clean and well-kept environment throughout the store and outside dining areas.
- Accurately handle a variety of cash/credit transaction types and maintain accountability.
The skills that you bring to the job
- You have availability to work during the week and on weekends.
- You can maintain a positive, can-do attitude despite daily pressures.
- You easily demonstrate outgoing, professional communication skills.
- You are attentive to detail and accuracy, and don’t mind the daily rigors of handling cash.
- You enjoy and take pride in going the extra mile to provide outstanding customer service.
Desired Background Experience
- Prefer some cashier experience, and/or other retail experience.
- Possess a high-school diploma or G.E.D. at a minimum.
- Ability to stand, bend, operate check-out system for up to 4 hours continuously.
- Be technology-literate, and able to work with email and other business software.
- Be able to successfully complete specialized compliance training for beer and wine retail transactions.
The Swarthmore Co-op is an award-winning specialty food market in Delaware County looking for a new full-time Fresh Foods/Prepared Foods Team Member. Our Co-op team focuses on local, organic and sustainable foods, and the promotion of healthy lifestyles to our community. Our goal is to create a customer shopping experience that is and second to none, and serves our community. We offer a friendly, progressive work environment with competitive pay, great learning opportunities, and strong attention to safe operations. This is not your typical food retail job. Interested?
Read on…
What is the role?
A Fresh Foods/Prepared Foods Team member’s priority is in-house preparation of great menu dishes for our Prepared Foods and Grab’n Go cases using high-quality ingredients. You’ll ensure that each and every shopper is offered the best signature dishes that the Co-op can create, and is treated with respect, attention, and care. You’ll be mentored by an experienced chef, and you’ll provide our demanding marketplace with information and recommendations about foods that meet their individual tastes and dietary needs. This is a fast-growing department at the Co-op, and if you are a foodie that loves cooking, this role may be a great fit.
[Please note that this is a full-time position, and the Co-op is looking for availability to work throughout the year.]
What you’ll be doing
- Become familiar with preparation of our signature dishes, ingredients, and other related products. Recommend new menu items and test new recipes to keep our food current.
- Become knowledgeable about weighing, pricing and packaging customer selections properly.
- Demonstrate reliability and professionalism in your work habits and appearance.
- Help maintain a clean, safe, and well-organized food preparation area in the store.
What you offer in Skills and Qualifications
- Experience, or interest in food preparation and development of culinary skills. Experience with an upscale marketplace is a plus. (Compensation level is based on relevant experience and culinary training.)
- Some restaurant or other retail food experience, and a strong customer focus.
- Resilience and the ability to maintain a positive attitude with customers and teammates despite daily pressures.
- Availability to work some evenings and weekends.
- Strongly prefer applicants 21 or older.
- Must have completed a high-school diploma or GED, and be computer literate.
We offer competitive pay, three paid holidays per year, a generous employee discount, potential eligibility for a 401K plan with an employer match, employer supported healthcare, dental care, and HSA, paid sick and vacation leave, opportunities for extra holiday pay, and a positive, progressive team environment.
Are you our new Fresh Foods/Prepared Foods Team Member? Please submit an application and resume. We look forward to meeting you!
The Swarthmore Co-op is a one-of-a-kind, award-winning, specialty food market in Delaware County looking for a part-time Produce Team Member for our high-performing Produce Team. We focus on local, organic and sustainable foods, and promoting healthy lifestyles to our community, and we have recently added a beer and wine selection. Our goal is to make our customers’ shopping experience uniquely gratifying, and second to none. Moreover, we offer a friendly, progressive work environment in an upscale marketplace with good benefits, great learning opportunities, and a great team. We are dedicated to providing a safe workplace for every member of our team.
[Please note: We prefer applicants with weekend availability, who are at least 18 years of age, and have a minimum educational level of a completed high school diploma or GED. These roles can involve physical activity including standing, moving and lifting for continuous periods of up to 4 hours. Our Co-op team includes a number of college students who are valued members of the staff, and we work to accommodate class schedules.]
What a Produce Team Member does…
A Produce Team Member’s top priority is the preparation and merchandising of a superior selection of the best available local and organic produce, and can include work with our plant and floral department. As a team member, you’ll use your experience to make the Co-op a great place to shop by:
- Working with local vendors to bring in the best produce and best value year-round for our customers
- Gaining basic knowledge of fruit and vegetable growing and ripening cycles to prepare produce for effective merchandising, display and sale
- Providing effective information about produce uses, varieties, origin, prices, and recipes to customers
- Ensuring produce is received, stored and maintained properly in coolers and on the retail floor
- Facilitating communication with vendors and products, and working to creatively promote produce through creative in-store signage, website promotion, and special events
- Collaborating with team members in our Specialty foods department to cross-merchandise and handle our selection of gourmet cheeses, specialty meats, and artisanal sweets.
Are you interested?
The Swarthmore CO-OP is always looking for talented, experienced full-time team members. Submit an application by clicking the link below, if you are interested in full-time employment at the Swarthmore CO-OP.