Brown Bag Co-op

Brown Bag Co-op (BBC), located in Pyle Inn at Asia House, is an alternative to both the Oberlin College meal plan and the typical OSCA co-op dining experience. Brown Bag functions as an on-campus co-op grocery store for students with access to kitchen facilities, living off-campus, or living in village housing. Brown Bag orders farm-fresh produce from local vendors just like at other co-ops, but unlike other dining co-ops does not dine centrally: once food is delivered members take it home to cook for themselves! 

Food is delivered to Pyle, where members can easily receive their groceries. And the best part? Brown Bag is cheaper than the Oberlin College meal plan and less work than other co-ops. Labor requirements for Brown Bag members are only 1 hour of work per week, and can include ordering food, organizing deliveries, keeping the space clean, etc. 

Brown Bag is a manageable time commitment that ends up being low-effort and high reward. The system allows for budget-friendly, independent, creative cooking with locally sourced food. Because of its grocery system, Brown Bag offers a wider variety and greater diversity of food than most other co-ops: meat and frozen fruits are commonplace, as are other specialized items. Many members also use BBC to form their own “friend co-ops,” where housemates or friend groups get groceries from Brown Bag and distribute labor on a smaller scale. 

Brown Bag is perfect for Oberlin College students who have a busy schedule, want to cook independently, or are living off-campus.