Bii-Rite Market Mission Statement

Bi-Rite Market is located in San Francisco, California on the 18th street market. This social benefit corporation is a certified green business, as well as the founder and active member in The Good Food Retailer’s Collaboration. Bi-Rite’s mission statement is, “Creating community through food” and has been family owned and community focused since the business was founded back in 1940. When current owner Sam Mogannam brought back his family’s business legacy in 1997, he has owned and operated the revamped Bi-Rite Market for 20 years. Mogannam implemented an in-house kitchen into the market to be able to prepare foods and express his creativity as chef with a passion for amazing food. From all of Sam’s creative talents and outlets within the
“Education is an important part of empowerment” explains Mogannam. 18 reason, the nonprofit cooking school, is a perfect example of going deeper in creating community. This program started in 2008 and now reaches around 3500 students a year and engages them in cooking classes and community dinners. 18 reasons now extends to 5 underserved communities in the bay area and deals in teaching students nutrition and tailored diets around food related diseases they may have. They are then taught by a chef and they all work together to prepare a meal and sit down to share it together. They’ve seen a great success rate of attendance in the program and see a 10-12% improvement on how students are changing their eating habits and diets; and are spending more time cooking and feeding their own families. Mogannam says, “We know that if people are healthier, then they’re feeling better and are going to make others feel better and the community is going to be tighter, stronger, and more vibrant.” 18 reasons is funded by private donation (Bi-Rite included), grants, and basic fundraising
He knows that as a business they must operate in a fiscally responsible way; unless the business is profitable they can’t achieve their mission, hire good people and treat them well, and can’t support a good food system. Bi-Rite has never been driven by the status quo business mindset (to only maximize profits), Bi-Rite thinks that businesses have a responsibility to the community they operate in. Mogannam even goes as far as to say that, “Community service should be integrated into how we make a living and into our work.” Bi-Rite knows that this is in line with their own values and