PCC Community Markets history

PCC began as a food-buying club of 15 Seattle families in 1953.

In 1957, the club moves with the Affolter family to Renton, Washington, where it’s known as the May Valley Food Club.

The Central Co-op in Seattle opens with financial support from PCC. It replaces the Capitol Hill Co-op, which closed in 1976.

Kirkland PCC opened in 1978 and is the co-op’s second store, currently standing in its original location.

PCC founds the PCC Farmland Fund, now known as PCC Farmland Trust, an independent 501(c)(3). The Trust saves its first farm in 2000 when 100 acres on the Olympic Peninsula are leased to master farmer Nash Huber and incorporated into his organic farming apprenticeship program.

1 ranking in 2009 for sustainable seafood among all United States retailers by Greenpeace.

PCC pledges to label GMO items in our stores by 2018, and to strive to become a GMO-free retailer.

PCC is recognized by the Puget Sound Business Journal: Corporate Citizenship Award for its commitment to the environment and is also awarded Progressive Grocer’s 2019 Outstanding Independent Award.

As part of the co-op’s updated membership program, PCC issues its first dividend for member shopping in 2020, with the average member dividend paid at $46.93.

PCC announces that it will relocate its Kirkland store to a location that is 30 percent larger in 2021.

These include eliminating petroleum-based plastics from deli packaging, operating CO2 positive stores and donating 1 million meals to neighbors in need by 2022.