Love this market! The fresh vegetables are from local citizens and supporters of Bloomingfoods. There is a large selection of fresh produce. They have many aisles of boxed, canned, and bottled foods and ingredients. They even have a sandwich shop that makes delicious sandwiches and sides. It was such a fun trip and it also felt good to know we are supporting a small business. Most of the employees were friendly, especially the cashier. He had a happy demeanor and made us feel welcome as travelers. I would definitely stop and try a sandwich and some of their sides. read more

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After 14 years as a loyal customer, I canceled my membership at Bloomingfoods today. I won't support a business that tolerates bullying and ignores people who speak up against it. Anyone who shops here knows unfriendly, rude cashiers are a long-standing norm. But this goes far beyond that. I witnessed deli employees openly mocking and laughing at a customer for wearing glasses, including using fake voices and calling them "nerdy." It was cruel, public bullying of someone who appeared to have an eye disability. The stuff of Disney schoolyard villains. Truly an insane thing to witness from grown men in work uniform on the clock. Here's the really disturbing thing... Leadership didn't even care. I reported it immediately and followed up many times (phone, email, website form, social) asking for leadership to respond. The marketing manager assured me that leadership was well aware of the incident. Two weeks later, I still haven't gotten a single response. I won't support a business that tolerates bullying and ignores people who speak up against it. Vote with your money and shop at the Bloomington Farm Stop Collective, where you can get local food AND be treated with basic human dignity. read more

This is the most underwhelming co-op I've been to. The produce selection is limited, isn't especially local or high quality, and is incredibly expensive. The local apple cider was heavily filtered and just tasted like juice. Even the soy product selection has very little you can't get at another grocery store within a mile. It's hard to imagine a reason I'd be returning. read more

This is one of those college gems that I keep coming back to time after time when I visit for 3 things! The House-made Toll house. Chocolate chip cookies and the Sugar cookie! They are both delicious and a must try! And the Cashew Noodles! They are flavorful and spicy! This place also has any spice or root powder etc you could want in bulk! Even Goldenseal! read more

Really condescending and unhelpful staff. I have tried to ignore past experiences but have finally decided to never shop there again. Nothing here I couldn't find fresher and cheaper elsewhere and the parking lot is a nightmare. read more

In 2013 I rated Bloomingfoods a three star, as they had many rough edges, although food quality had been good to very good, and consistently so. After a long hiatus, I went back and did serious shopping and comparisons with the other chains (Aldi, Fresh Tyme, and the madness of Kroger) and other local independents in Bloomington. I'm happy to report that they're overall organization and mindfulness has improved. The tl;dr is that Bloomingfoods has the most sustainability-conscious selections in the area, and the tastiest produce. And although it remains the most expensive around, for some, the sustainability altruism is worth the extra price. There is still the born skeptic in me that snorts and giggles at some of the cloying product marketing and branding that goes on. The difference in price between the products that "wear sustainability on their sleeves" and other brands often isn't much, although sometimes it's clearly insane. Bloomingfoods actually is competitive with local chain grocers in a few areas, and if you buy bulk-packaged staples, you can save some real money. In some areas, their competitor is World Foods (ex-Sahara Mart). Their prepared foods are OK to great. It's worth a trek to especially the east side Bloomington store to check it out. I'll be going more frequently than before. read more

The food bar/salads are decent at best but that doesn't justify the price whatsoever. The only reason I could see someone paying so much for the food is due to dietary restrictions. Other than that the service is fast because it's a mini restaurant in a store so that's what the general ambiance is as well keep in mind. Overall solely regarding food, it's good but way too expensive, the grocery store itself is a different story, I love that part. read more

Stopped here with a friend on the way out of Bloomington after a day trip. What a cute lil' co-op grocery! Well-organized and well-stocked. Interesting and varied selections, including many vegetarian- and vegan-friendly options. Bulk spices and nuts and grains and whatnot. I never would have come in, had it not been for my friend. And if I hadn't already gone grocery shopping/had brought a cooler for the 2hr drive home...I might have left with quite a few products. read more

Great selection for vegetarian (Mediterranean). Burritos, different Mediterranean salads, burger Pattie's

While living in Bloomington, I dropped a small fortune on feeding my Bloomingfoods' addiction. Memorable addictive qualities: * Weekend breakfast bar with wonderful baked french toast, biscuits & gravy, frittatas; supportive of my many vegan/non-vegan back-n-forths; * $3 cheese basket; small hunks of normally expensive cheese to sample, all under $3 (Beehive espresso lavender cheese!) * Delicious, diverse salad & hot bar w. perfect baked tofu and herbal, bright green tao (?) dressing. * Marked-down ethnic shelf, with one-off orders of never-to-be-seen-again chutneys, tins of anchovies, korma sauces, etc. * Homemade chai * Best bulk section ever; spices, grains, lentils, flours...almost anything you could think of! * Tasty grab n' go deli section, reigned over by Spicy Chinese Noodles...my all-time favorite B-foods dish....followed by the BBQ seitan, HummBuzz sandwich, etc. * Close lunch option from my former workplace, when other eastside options were mostly chains or unhealthy. You'll see that I didn't list any produce or meat products above; these items were just a little too expensive for my price range. However, I think you can be sensible about your budget, if you stick to lower-priced bulk items and other sales items. I still travel down to stock up on unique bulk items or during their reoccurring truck sale. read more

Organic Veggies, Bulk Food, Pastries, Hot Soup, and anything in between. Bloomingfoods has food options for all dietary needs. Although some things are quick pricy at Bloomingfoods, they do offer some things that are close to the same price as the typical large grocery store. The difference being the Bloomingfoods has many more VEGAN, gluten free, etc. options. I stopped to get a drink and some snacks for the car ride, however you can definitely get all of your grocery needs here! Stop by the look at all of the wonderful foods and the fresh garden that you can purchase veggies and such to grow at home. read more

Bloomingfoods - Yummy VEGAN treats - Grocery Near Me - Bloomington, Indiana

I am so disappointed in this pseudo health food store. To echo another review , if Trader Joes or Whole Foods were in the area Bloomingfoods would not last. The prices are outrageous (the raw cashews being over twice the cost of the exact same product at Whole Foods in Carmel!!!) and the quality of produce does not justify it. The staff seems to be less then knowledgeable about the products and the gentleman in charge of what ends up in the freezer section has his head up his rear end. I actually had a meeting with him a few years ago about putting a product on the shelves and he showed up stinking of tobacco and chugging a 64oz cup of coffee.. This is the person deciding what health food products are stocked on the shelves?!?! Yikes... Overall I can't help but feel this is a poor excuse for a "community" store. After living in areas like Eugene Oregon, or even Oakland, California I would expect to find something more worthy of the title community grocery store. read more

Bloomingfoods is just fine. It's not amazing, it's not terrible. The produce is pretty good but I've had exceptionally bad luck with the garlic - seriously, probably one in every three heads I've purchased there has had mold inside it. Not cool. I don't mind supporting the co-op by being a member and paying slightly higher prices for higher-quality food, but often I don't feel the food is actually higher quality. The east side store has the biggest selection, the downtown one the best bulk. There are few redeeming qualities to the 6th street store except that it's closest to where I live. I agree with the reviewer who says that if there was a Trader Joe's or Whole Foods here, B-foods would be a in world of trouble. I love it for what it is, and if I could afford it I'd shop there more ... but I just can't afford it. I can usually find what I need between the Farmers Market & Kroger, and at better prices. I think Bloomingfoods would do well to figure out what it is. Are they serving lunch? Do they aim to be a one-stop grocery store? As it currently is, I can't just get everything I need there, I have to go to Kroger or Sahara Mart or Marsh to complete my shopping. I would like if they'd focus more on actual groceries and less on the cafe parts of the store. I do have to say that to the reviewers who complain about the hipsters, I have no idea what you're talking about. Some punks work at Bloomingfoods, yes. This is true everywhere in Bloomington. I highly doubt they care about you. If you feel insecure about that, you need to get over it. read more

Bloomingfoods has a good selection of food (local, organic, etc). Their prices are way off though - which is why I'll drive 1.5 hours to Trader Joe's in Indianapolis. The staff is generally friendly though most don't have a problem completely ignoring you and talking with each other while you're checking out. read more

Yeah, I'm a member of this "grocery" store. However, they are very lucky that there isn't a Trader Joe's or even Whole Foods otherwise they'd have a hard time competing. After shopping here for a year, there are things that I like, unfortunately there are more things I don't like. Starting off with the good. Bloomingfoods carries a lot of organic fruit and veg, a bunch of minimally processed foods and a decent cheese selection. If you're looking for something good tasting and good for you, you'll probably get it here. On the other hand there are definitely things that frustrate me. Starting off is the prices. I get that it's a small business and they need to make a little money to keep going, but their prices are still very high. For instance, I was looking at a pound of almonds and they were $15 at Bloomingfoods whereas they were $5 at Kroger. While I appreciate paying a little more for a small business, I have my breaking point, and Bloomingfoods constantly comes close and often exceeds this limit. Next is the general vibe about the place, lots of smug going on with hipsters running around all over. This isn't a good thing or a bad thing, just reality here. Bottom line, if you're looking for decent and healthy food at high prices from a trendy store, try Bloomingfoods. If you're not looking for all that, Kroger is still probably the place to go for groceries. read more

Yuck...these people in the Midwest shouldn't even attempt o-food (that means organic food if you don't know...which you probably don't because you live in Indiana)! Although this place is inexpensive (the blood orange juice is only $7/bottle, 7th Generation soap is about $8), it's nothing like what you get on the coasts. I asked where the bacupari fruit was, and the guy stocking shelves didn't even know what I was talking about! No wonder everyone in this part of the country is so fat! I wanted to buy a simple block of tofu, but not only was the o-food certification nowhere to be found, I couldn't have bought it anyway because it was sitting in the fridge right next to jars of FISH ROE!!!!!! If you're going to throw ethics out the window and kill baby creatures before they get a chance to live, at least put them in a separate location from the vegan items! These rednecks are so frustrating! Worst of all, the place is full of imported wine! OMG, are these people too stupid to know what is means to buy local!?!?? Practice what you preach! If you're not interested in making the planet a better place, then the planet should have no place for you!!!! Go to the coast to see what real o-food is like!!!!!! read more

John: "It's just a grocery store." Me: "It's a CHILDHOOD MEMORY. Let me have this." And that's how our conversation went on Sunday when we were driving through Bloomington on our way back to Indianapolis. Bloomingfoods holds a special place in my heart. Growing up in Terre Haute, where whole, organic and unprocessed foods were (and are still) hard to find, Bloomingfoods East was a frequent stop off of SR-46 each Memorial Day weekend when we would stay in Brown County State Park. We would visit other times of the year, too, but the annual Bloomingfoods trip to stock up our cabin with whole, delicious foods, sticks out in my mind as a childhood memory I won't ever forget. Are you like John, saying "It's just a grocery store?" Well, it's not. It's so much more than that. Like Bloomington, Bloomingfoods is, in essence, a representation of whole foods and a style of living that I grew up with. In Terre Haute, those feelings were ostracized. I grew up knowing that McDonalds was not the best option and that there was so much more out there. Flax seeds, wheat grass, tofu and rice milk - these were everyday words in my 8-year-old vocabulary thanks to my wonderful mother who wanted to feed us right, even if those foods didn't exist in our rural suburb. Now that I live in Indianapolis and have easy access to Good Earth (also a frequent out-of-town grocery stop for us), Fresh Market, Whole Foods and even Kroger, my trips to Bloomingfoods don't hold the same awe and excitement as they once did. But that feeling, those smells, those tattooed, dread-head clerks who can tell me why organic is better, are all of the reasons why I'm the kind of person I am today. read more

Oh how I miss Bloomingfoods. I lived very nearby for 7 years, and for the last year and a half, I've been lost without it. The bulk section is great. The produce is divine. And the whole vibe is so great. I miss it terribly. I have a few great pictures to post. I highly recommend Bfoods. If only they could export the place to Boston where I live now! read more

Bloomingfoods - Grocery Near Me - Bloomington, Indiana

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Oh Bloomingfoods, you are always a happy stop when in Bloomington. You were my first meal in Bloomington the first time I visited some friends at IU in probably 1999, though it wasn't at this fancy location. You were a happy, vegan oasis for 18 year old Heather in an otherwise vegan unfriendly state. While your prices are high, I do understand that you are a coop and that I could join to help in that regards. I also get that you don't order in the huge quantities that a Trader Joes or Whole Foods does, so can't price match with them. For an Indianapolis resident who only stops by when in town, I will just stick to buying some of your wonderful local produce, local fresh bread, and some specialty items I can't necessarily find other places. read more

I'm over it. They call themselves a Co-op but they aren't in a way that I understand it. I feel that a true co-op is a co-operative relationship of trust. Bloomingfoods should provide me access to quality products at the best possible price (for them and me.) They should provide an environment where I understand the quality and value of a product. They sell skincare products that market themselves as organic but aren't which Bronners has made a lot of noise about. A lot of the products there are owned by large corporations. http://nutritionwonderland.com/2009/02/organic-corporate-hierarchy/ I can't tell who runs the show there. I was in there the other day to get a favorite cereal of mine. There was a price differential between the regular and gluten free brands in the retail price because the GF contained less in the package. The sale price was the same. I asked about this and the food "manager" said there wasn't anything he could do about it because their distributor set the sale price. I am trying to understand this co-op thing but I don't get it. I have walked out of there a few times in the last 3 months and I think I'm better off at Kroger and the farmer's market. At Kroger, they will order special things for you and Gluten Free items actually go on sale!! They will start to stock different stuff for you if you ask them and they are way friendlier than the people who work at Bfoods. I am so fed up with that place. read more

This is a local, natural foods store done well. The prices on all of the products are fair and there is a very large selection of just about everything. However, I was in over the weekend and noticed that the olive bar was all packaged up and I was bummed about that and there was no hot or cold salad bar options available. Other than that, I was able to find everything I needed (and a few things I didn't) and find them quite easily. read more

It was a beautiful day and my husband said, let's drive to Bloomington! We wanted to do some hiking in the park and I showed him around my old campus. First, we stopped at Bloomingfoods to grab some lunch. I've been in many times before and I just love it. They have a better vegan section than Whole Foods in Louisville. Their pre-made food section is amazing! Little salads, dips and sides. Kale slaw, bean salad, hummus, salsa, guacamole and MORE! They can also make you what you want. Any type of sandwich, for anyone, meat or no meat options. They have a killer veggie burger, gluten free options if you prefer. They have specialty sections, items I can't find anywhere but online. It's always wicked busy when I come in, they are killing it and I love to see people love this place as much as I do. Let's not forget they do have a fresh produce section, fresh flowers and garden goods as well. If I lived in Bloomington, this would be my place! read more

Pros: No latex glove use, latex balloons, or poinsettias, making it a safe grocery store for the 5-15% of the population with a latex allergy. (VERY hard to find!) Lots of locally sourced options! Employees are friendly and helpful. Real food! Fragrance-safe: they don't spew toxic fragrance into the store and thusly onto all of their products, including essential oils which are concentrated plant terpenes/ VOCs. This is literally the only grocery store in the area I can shop at without risk of anaphylaxis! Cons: Prices are high. Sales are helpful. For people who are claustrophobic, it can be a bit of an adventure I'm sure as it is quite compact. Shopping at off-peak hours would help with that. read more

I love Bloomingfoods!. They've done a great job with responding to the pandemic. They have very well-organized pick-up orders, with personalized help. If they're out of something, they'll let you know, and help you find a substitution. They let you pay over the phone, so you can keep your "social distance." Their staff is very friendly. I appreciate the Co-op aspect. They have great produce, often locally grown. And, for the kind of store it is, the prices aren't too bad. read more

I usually go to Bloomingfoods for bulk items: oats, nuts, etc so I can make some natural energy bars. On this particular night, I went in after work on a Wednesday (member's day) and saw this elderly couple go to town on some of the bulk items, eating everything. Now, I completely understand sampling... but eating and eating and storing it in their cheeks like squirrels. I understand it's cold out, but seriously. Anyway, I ended up leaving with my items and a delightful chicken pot pie that all ya need to do is stick in the oven. I would recommend Bloomingfoods for a special place on the people of Bloomington tumblr. read more

We were hoping to eat at the little French place across the street but they did not have what we were hoping for. We hopped across the street here to the deli and got some sandwiches. They were fresh, made to order. We also grabbed some items from the grocery area as well. All the employees were super nice. I highly recommend this store. read more

Let me refine my star rating: Service: -5 Food: 5 This is yet another Bloomington establishment run by a bunch of holier-than-thou hippies. I ordered a sandwich and watched the deli worker blather on with her co-worker for 5 minutes while she half-heartedly put my meal together. Then, as she was going to put it in the bag, she dropped it on the floor and she had to start again. When I went to check out, the cashier would not even greet me. This place is in every way a cozy little club of insiders and if you don't conform to their "non-conformist" image, good luck getting decent treatment. The food, on the other hand, is heaven. When I bit into that sandwich, I'll admit the extremely bitter taste left my mouth. I suppose there's nothing to be done about this, but just beware. read more

Bloomingfoods is a very nice co-op. I have seen other ones that I liked slightly more. Still, it is a democracy, so you get to change things if you don't like something. I wish that there was a more extensive produce section, but what is there is very nice anyway. If you are a big fan of active co-ops, Bloomingfoods is not very big on community and voluntarism. read more

This is a very complete local grocer for healthy eating and living. It has an awesome assortment of veggies and vitamins. Great organic goods and take away lunches for vegetarians. Good people shop and work here. read more

My husband and I love this place! The organic produce options are vast, they have hard-to-find vegan items, local and fair-trade products, and bulk bin organic items. Also, the hot bar, bakery, and deli is full of deliciousness (especially the breakfast). They have a staff that is helpful, friendly, and look happy in their work. We appreciate that it is a co-op, and enjoy the check we received every year. We have since relocated, and we can honestly say this is the place we sorely miss. read more

This is no Trader Joe's. Although the price is close to Whole Foods, the variety that Bloomingfoods offers is far less, and also it does not have a good store/private brand. I think local people should really write to Trader Joe's to ask for a store here, even State College or Gainsville has one. read more

Had a great Cubano sandwich today. Bread was awesome. The pulled pork was spicy. A great combination.

I was in town for work and had a scrumptious lunch at Bloomingfoods. I put together my own little salad from their plentiful salad bar and added a side of BBQ seitan. Yummy, yummy, yummy. read more

Bloomingfoods is a coop, and quite responsive to demand. (They'll order products, cases, etc. on demand) As other reviewers have noted, it's not as cheap as Kroger. However, it sells lots of stuff Kroger doesn't. If you want "yogurt," go to Kroger. They have several brands of yogurt, several of which contain more yogurt than sugar & food colorings. If you want Oregon Tilth yogurt (a higher standard of certification), go to Bloomingfoods. To save money, assuming you can plan ahead, buy cases at the twice yearly truckload sales (October & May), when prices are as little as about 1/2 regular (oddly, the same product inside is NOT for sale at the truckload price). Also, join. it's cheaper than other "nearby" coops, and gives you extra savings 1 day/week, plus coupons, plus the bonus coupon day (pick your own day once a month to get an extra discount), plus the annual member rebate. . . . . Sadly, the buffet is about 1/3 the size of the buffet at other coops I've visited, :( read more

Bloomingfoods east is the more comprehensive of the three stores but not as aesthetically pleases as the new near west side one. Still the present healthy most often ethical choices for a relatively reasonable price. Now they have a much more expanded garden section and a repositioned easy to access parking lot. I highly recommend it for those who are health and community conscious. The workers seem more happy hence a more pleasant shopping experience. read more

Blooming foods is expensive - I don't grocery shop here. However I'm giving it a positive review for its specialty items. I visit Bloomingfoods once monthly to grab a bulk item or two, some gf treats (I'm a Celiac), or for some 2 dollar deli items as healthy work snacks when I don't have time to meal prep (I.e. Roasted ginger carrots, roasted Brussels sprouts). I'm not a vegetarian but their yeast tofu is like a healthier chicken nugget to a person eating gf. However to everyone else else they have nice specialty foods, treats, and snack to supplement your grocery shopping. read more

Bloomingfoods just plain rocks. The prepared food section is awesome and the local and specialty produce is better than any in the rest of town. They have great sales from time to time and the co-op cost isn't really that much if you plan on living here for a few years. Additionally, one of the deli managers Kai Bookwalter made a bacon and butternut squash soup for the soup tasting at the farmer's market and it was my favorite of all of them (though I should point out that the soup from Tallent had run out...they probably made something out of this world). Then much to my delight, glee and gluttony, they posted the recipe online http://www.bloomingfoods.coop/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=575&Itemid=29 I've made it twice and it's fantastic. As Evan B pointed out in his super rude and anti-Midwest review, they don't have absolutely every food under the sun like some California stores seem to. But this is the Midwest and a co-op that focuses on LOCAL food so the lack of overly exotic foods shouldn't come as a surprise. But overall the selection and price is good and the customers and co-op-ers are really involved which means the customers pick the products (maybe we just don't WANT bacupari! =P) and the managers listen. read more

This is a great little whole foods store. It has everything you can possibly need to provide nutrition, health and beauty and more. I enjoyed the customer service, as well as the purchases from their deli case. They also have a made-to-order kitchen with a variety of choices. I will shop here,again, when I return to Bloomington. read more

I love this place with so many fresh fruits and vegetables, and I love buy dried fruits here, they have a lot of selections of fried fruits, I like dried bananas and mangos most, I also like the little gardens outside store, I bought a aloe before, it was lovely, lasted really long^^ read more

Good natural foods co-op with a just decent selection of products. Very good produce department divided into Organic and non-organic sections. Slightly pricier than grocery chains, but not by much. I am a member. read more