Sierra Vista Natural Foods Co-Op Named Grand Prize Winner In The SUN CRYSTALS™ Natural Sweetener Endowment Program

FORT WASHINGTON, Pa. (December 10, 2007) - Sierra Vista Natural Foods Co-op has one more reason to celebrate this holiday season. The co-op was just named the grand prize winner in the SUN CRYSTALS™ Natural Sweetener Food Co-op Endowment Program. As part of its mission to harness the power of the sun to sustain local communities, the SUN CRYSTALS™ Natural Sweetener Brand launched an endowment program earlier this year to benefit local food co-operatives (food co-ops). Co-ops had the opportunity to apply for endowments to improve their establishments, which serve as sources of quality natural and locally grown foods. From the applications received, the SUN CRYSTALS™ Brand selected five food co-ops as finalists and people across the country voted for the winner. Now, the votes have been tallied and the Sierra Vista Natural Foods Co-op has been selected the winner of the $5,000 grand prize.

"We are thrilled to have won the $5,000," said Donna Boe, membership chair of the Sierra Vista Natural Foods Co-op. "It's one more step toward our goal of opening a store, and we are thrilled that the SUN CRYSTALS™ Brand provided us this opportunity."

The co-op will utilize the funds to create a community newsletter on nutrition and wellness, as well as hire a co-op consultant to help update their budget.

Four other finalists will each receive endowments of $2,500. They are :

Brookings Natural Foods Co-op, Brookings, Ore. - for purchase of new refrigeration and freezer equipment that will help consolidate their resources and enhance the look of their store

Chatham Marketplace, Pittsboro, N.C. - to expand their café, which will help them continue to connect patrons with the foods local farmers produce and their kitchen prepares

Kandi Cupboard Food Co-op, Willmar, Minn. - for updating of computer equipment that will help the co-op run more smoothly and allow for the creation of a Web site and online ordering system

Vancouver Food Co-op, Vancouver, Wash. - to conduct a study to determine a suitable space for opening their storefront

Finalists were selected based on the following criteria: persuasiveness of statement of purpose, originality and creativity of proposed programming and value of project to the organization and its community.