Urban Greens Buying Club is a cooperative health food buying club with headquarters on Providence's west side. Our mission is to provide simple, direct access to affordable, local, organic products and to offer a community-based alternative to corporate supermarkets.

Urban Greens began as a bulk buying group in the West End of Providence, organized in 2000 by a group of West End businesspeople and artists. We were originally based out of the old White Electric space on Broadway, but since then have moved to the West Broadway Neighborhood Association at 1560 Westminster St.

Urban Greens provides the opportunity for Providence community members to come together and share in the process of acquiring grocery items. We purchase from Associated Buyers, which is a health food wholesale distributor based in New Hampshire. Associated, with their 6,000 item catalog, offers the option to buy large amounts of bulk goods at decreased prices, plus the flexibility to order smaller quantities.

Urban Greens is run collectively and operated by member volunteers to keep overhead down. By shopping with Urban Greens you can get wholesale prices without the grocery store markup. Non-volunteering members are charged a 10% processing fee on each overall order.

Urban Greens also offers local goods that members can pick up when they pick up their Associated order. Right now, we are offering locally roasted coffee from New Harvest coffee roasters, eggs from Zephyr Farm, and numerous other local goods through Farm Fresh Rhode Island's Market Mobile distribution network. Sign up to see all of the available local items. Orders take place once per month, usually every four weeks.

To start shopping with Urban Greens, just place an order. First sign up on the website. You can order from the Associated Buyers catalog by going to the catalog, or you can order local items by going to the local items page. For more detailed instructions on how to order, make sure you read the Frequently Asked Questions/Instructions page.

So join, volunteer, order, and eat.