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Provisions: The New Way to Preorder

by Karen Plourde, Editor, Weavers Way Shuttle
March 5, 2026

For decades, the preordering system at Weavers Way has been a stealthy, analog operation. Members fill out a form in the store, a staff person contacts them about their order and how much it will cost, and then again when the order is ready to be picked up. Plus, you mostly have to know what you’re looking for based on seeing the item in one of our stores.

Enter Co-op Provisions: a new, online ordering platform from which members can order everyday essentials, pantry staples and specialty items from the full UNFI catalog for convenient pickup from our Ambler or Germantown stores.

Provisions, which was started by Orcas Food Co-op in Eastsound, WA, now has 10 other co-ops, including Weavers Way, as part of the program. The platform is designed to be easy and intuitive. Shoppers can create custom product lists, search by dietary needs or product attributes and order on a schedule that works for them. 

The platform was launched late last year and from the beginning, members had questions. Chief among those was, “why switch to this system?”

“Before Provisions, we didn’t have a way for our members to have access to full product catalogs from UNFI, so they can see what’s available,” said Jess Beer, the Co-op’s retail director. “What flavors does it come in? What size does it come in and how much is it actually gonna cost me? There’s been so much back and forth previously.” 

Since the UNFI catalog contains 25,000 items, members will be able to order many products that the Co-op doesn’t carry and isn’t likely to anytime soon.

“Our stores are quite small; even Ambler is only carrying a portion of their catalog,” Beer said. “The question we often get from members is ‘why don’t you stock this flavor?’ ‘Why don’t you stock this product?’ The answer is that a lot of these products have less demand.”

Members also wondered why they’re limited to picking up their Provisions items in Germantown and Ambler — at least for now. 

“Part of that was that they’re newer stores, [and] they have less customers using our legacy program,” Beer said. “And they also have more physical space.”

However, Beer added, the plan is to roll out Provisions in Mt. Airy and Chestnut Hill this summer. Once that happens, members will be encouraged to shift away from the legacy preordering system and toward Provisions. But it’s likely the old system will continue in some form, mostly because the Co-op won’t be able to add all our vendors to the Provisions platform. 

“We’re planning to get our pet vendors on there, since we do so many pet preorders,” Beer said. “We’re working on getting Lancaster Farm Fresh on there, [and] potentially our produce vendor, Four Seasons, so people can buy all sorts of things by the case.”

Because member discounts are already built into the wholesale price being offered through Provisions, the senior and working member discounts don’t apply to items purchased on the platform. 

“[With] our legacy program, we often ended up overdiscounting some items, because when all the membership discounts stacked with the preorder discount, we were sometimes paying people to take products home,” Beer said. “So with Provisions, we’re just cleaning that up a little bit and making sure that the Food for All discount exists — they get an additional discount — and that all other members get the same discount.”

However, all members have access to volume tier discounts on the program. If a member orders $150 of merchandise on Provisions, they get an additional 5% off their order. At $450, they get an additional 10% off. And if they order $750 of product or more, they get an added 15% off. 

“A larger order requires less labor per dollar than a smaller one, so we can pass those savings on through lower prices,” Beer said. “Think of it like the Costco model: They run fewer staff per transaction and make it up in volume, which lets them offer lower prices. On Provisions, our average transaction is higher than in-store, so we can afford to offer bigger discounts on bigger orders. The more you spend, the more we can give back.”

Beer is also hoping that the program will allow the Co-op to grow the number of institutional accounts it has.

“Most small businesses and nonprofits struggle to order from UNFI directly — the minimums are high and the pricing is tough,” she said. “Through the Co-op, they’ll likely get better pricing than they could on their own, with no minimum order required.”

Helpful Hints for Using Provisions

When you’re making your list, be sure to check out the monthly Co-op Deals and Co-op Basics sections. Deeper discounts are available when you refine your search to Co-op Deals and Co-op Basics, because items in those categories will have extra savings attached on top of the low bulk pricing. However, according to Beer, because of when the products get ordered and when they land in the stores, the National Cooperative Grocers Deals cycles are slightly different on the Provisions platform. 

“Sometimes a customer will say, ‘Hey, this was on sale in the store, but not on Provisions,’” she said. “It’s because the promo period has already changed over on Provisions — [they’re] a little ahead of the game.”

These shelf-stable essentials are used often, store well and deliver the biggest savings when purchased in bulk:

  • Canned legumes (black, chickpeas, kidney, lentils)
  • Diced tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, tomato paste
  • Broth and stock (vegetable, chicken, bone broth)
  • Olive oil and cooking oils
  • Coconut milk and nut butters
  • Honey, maple syrup, agave
  • Rice, quinoa, oats, pasta
  • Baking basics (flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder)
  • Vinegar and soy sauce
  • Spices you use regularly (salt, pepper, cinnamon, garlic powder)

Items Worth Stocking Up On:

Perfect for households, workplaces and anyone who likes to be prepared:

  • Cereal and granola
  • Snack bars and crackers
  • Coffee and tea
  • Plant-based milks and shelf-stable dairy alternatives
  • Sparkling water and beverages
  • Condiments (ketchup, mustard, mayo, hot sauce)
  • Applesauce and fruit cups
  • Baby food and toddler snacks
  • Cleaning supplies and paper goods
  • Personal care basics (soap, toothpaste, etc.)

Favorite Brands:

  • Bianco DiNapoli 
  • Spindrift 
  • Ollipop 
  • Rao’s 
  • Kettle chips 
  • Truvani protein powders
  • Frontier spices and teas 
  • Lara bars
  • Siete chips
  • Saratoga Springs
  • Justin’s nut butters 

To get started, go to the Member Center and look for the secure link under “My Message Board.” If you still have the Provisions email the Co-op sent to members at the end of December, the link is the same as the one on the Member Center message board. 

“Give [Provisions] a shot,” Beer suggested. “If you are someone that goes to Costco on a quarterly basis, see if we have an option for you. Remember, every dollar spent at the Co-op is keeping the money in the local cooperative economy and not going elsewhere.