After questioning the absence of a natural food co-op in the city, the Portland

After questioning the absence of a natural food co-op in the city, the Portland Food Cooperative (PFC), has been taking slow steps toward filling that void. The current focus on environmental issues, a collective distrust of large corporations, and Portland\u27s Buy Local fever all seem to point to a need for a co-op. The co-op would have to compete with Whole Foods Market, as well as the natural and organic food section at Hannaford. Portland\u27s Good Day Market and Cooperative operated from the 1970s through 1997. Dan Gillotte, Good Day\u27s longtime produce manager, cautioned against treating the co-op too much like a nonprofit and not enough like a business. With comments by PFC core committee members Sarah Miller and Emily Graham