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Ever look at the price of food and think, “There has got to be a better way”? Same here. That’s exactly why a couple of friends and I decided to start a bulk purchasing group—and let me tell you, it’s been a game changer.
If you’ve ever split a Costco run or gone in on a case of tomatoes for canning season, you’ve already tasted the magic of group buying. But what if you could take that same idea and make it something bigger, more intentional, and more aligned with your values?
Let me walk you through exactly how we did it—what worked, what we learned, and how you can start your own community-powered buying club.
Step 1: Find Your People
I started by casually asking a couple of friends if they’d be interested in buying things in bulk together. That’s it. No formal pitch, no PowerPoint presentation—just a, “Hey, would you want to split a big order of [insert your thing here] sometime?”
Turns out, I wasn’t the only one frustrated by sky-high prices and low transparency in the supply chain. My friends were totally on board. We were all craving more control over where our money goes—and who it supports.
So we made a little pact:
- Source locally when we can.
- Choose ethical suppliers when we can’t.
- Cut out the “middle man” whenever possible to stretch our dollars further.
Step 2: Choose Your First Purchase (and Go Big!)
Our first official group buy? 170 lbs of green coffee beans from Peru, sourced through Café Femenino—an amazing project that supports women coffee growers around the world. Not only did we get high-quality beans at a much better price per pound, but we knew exactly who was benefitting from our dollars.
Coffee might seem like a bold first buy, but it was something we all used regularly, and buying green beans meant we could roast them ourselves (or share tips and tools for doing it). Plus, supporting women in agriculture? Yes, please.
When you’re starting out, choose something your group genuinely uses—things like:
- Flour, oats, beans, rice
- Olive oil or maple syrup
- Soap-making supplies or beeswax
- Seeds and gardening supplies
Don’t be afraid to start big (if the group is in), but do make sure everyone’s clear on cost, storage, and pickup logistics.
Step 3: Set Some Ground Rules (the Friendly Kind)
We didn’t want to drown in admin work, so we kept our structure simple. Here’s what helped us get started:
- Communication platform: We went with email, but you could use other platforms like WhatsApp group for quick decisions, plus a shared Google Doc for tracking orders and suppliers.
- One person as point of contact per order: They gather interest, get quotes, and handle ordering.
- Everyone pays in advance: No chasing money later.
- Split the order as agreed: By weight, volume, or item count.
If things grow beyond a few folks, you might want to create a simple spreadsheet with past orders, price comparisons, and contact info for suppliers. But honestly? Keep it simple at first and adjust as you go.
Step 4: Prioritize Values Over Volume
One of the best parts about doing this as a group is the shared decision-making. We’re not just shopping—we’re being intentional about how we spend our money.
By pooling resources, we can support:
- Local farmers and makers
- Worker-owned co-ops
- Fair trade and women-led initiatives
- Suppliers with regenerative or organic practices
We can choose who benefits from our purchases. And we can have some real talk about what’s important to us—without judgment.
The payoff? Knowing our money is doing something good instead of just lining corporate pockets.
Step 5: Keep the Momentum Going
Once the first order went well (and we were happily sipping our freshly roasted coffee), the group was hooked. Now, anytime someone needs something in bulk—or discovers a great local supplier—they bring it to the group first.
We’re not just saving money—we’re building relationships, learning new skills (hi, home coffee roasting!), and growing a low-key mutual aid network.
Bonus Tips:
- Rotate roles so one person doesn’t carry all the mental load.
- Host a sorting party when the order arrives—put on a pot of tea, play some music, and divvy things up together.
- Share storage tips: Not everyone has space for 25 lbs of flour. Can someone host a pantry shelf or freezer bin?
- Invite others gently. If someone seems interested, let them join a future buy. It doesn’t have to be exclusive, but you do want people who share your values and are reliable.
From Coffee to Community
Starting a bulk purchasing group isn’t just about stretching your grocery budget (though it definitely does that). It’s about reclaiming a bit of autonomy in a system that often feels too big and too broken to change.
It’s about building something small but mighty—together.
So, if you’ve got even one or two like-minded friends, you’ve already got the start of something good. Throw out the idea, see who’s in, and let the group evolve naturally.
Let’s grow the movement:
💬 Share this with a friend who’s always trying to save money on groceries.
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☕ Curious about roasting your own beans? I’ll be sharing our setup soon—stay tuned!