The member-owners of the three St. Paul-based Mississippi Market Co-ops and Stillwater-based River Market Community Co-op have decided to merge.

The new entity, known as Rivers Cooperative Markets, will launch in January.

The three locations in St. Paul will continue to operate as Mississippi Market, and the Stillwater location will continue operations as River Market, according to a statement the organizations posted on social media.

Eighty-nine percent of the 1,187 Mississippi Market member-owners and 81 percent of the 489 River Market member-owners who voted approved the merger.

“This is an exciting moment for our co-op community and the future of sustainable cooperation,” said Catherine Downey, CEO of Mississippi Market Co-op and incoming CEO of Rivers Cooperative Markets.

Mississippi Market on Selby and Dale in St. Paul. (Jean Pieri / Pioneer Press)

Downey said the co-ops are grateful to their member-owners for their engagement and their “commitment to our collective power to shape and strengthen the future.”

“Together, we aim to expand access to healthy food, deepen our support for local producers and build a more resilient, sustainable, community-owned food system,” Downey said.

Member voting took place Sept. 12-Oct. 8 as part of each co-op’s annual election.

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