What's it take to form Co-Op to buy bulk foods direct?

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I don't have a lot of money. I want to buy food in fairly large bulk. I could probably get at least a few people to go in on a few things with me. I'm told many major bulk food dealers sell to stores or Co-Ops but not to the general public (with some exceptions). Is forming a co-op complicated, expensive, legally/tax painful, etc.? Or can it be done with a simple Texas DBA and a few signatures? Anybody know?

I ask this in response to a post that responded to a different question. I quote that response below:

Try Mountain People's Warehouse: (800)336-8872. They supply most of the health food stores, and carry bulk bags. You can form a buying co-op or find someone who buys from them already.

-- Dana (wagoods@aol.com), January 09, 1999.

-- PJ Gaenir (fire@zmatrix.com), January 10, 1999

Answers

PJ, What part of the state are you in? I'm in North Central (Greater DFW). If close I might be interested in joining a co-op.

Greybear

- Got eough beans?

-- Greybear (greybear@home.com), January 10, 1999.


Forming a co-op is easy and simply involves getting enough people together to put together an order of a minimum $500.oo at a time. They don't care who is involved, but need the name of one person who will pay the bill and be present at the given address to receive the shipment. In our area, this can arrive anytime Monday, up to 7:30 at night-- so the person designated really has to be home and have a roof to store things under if it rains. You have to order and pay for the catalogue and prices will sometimes shift up or down between when a catalogue was issued and when you order the product-- usually not a big amount, but it can happen. Also, things will occasionally not be delivered; either the warehouse missed the item or, more likely, they were out that week. You pay the same prices as the health food store does.

-- Maria (encelia@mailexcite.com), January 10, 1999.

PJ -- Let us know how this works out.

-- Tom Carey (tomcarey@mindspring.com), January 11, 1999.

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