We help independent businesses become vibrant and resilient partners.


The Independent Retailers Shared Services Cooperative originated with a group of New England based independent businesses who believed collaboration with other independents to pursue new business opportunities would lead to improved sales and profitability.

News Feed

  • Gowell’s in Greene: Grand Opening

    The IRSSC congratulates Rick Gowell’s family and staff on the grand opening of their beautiful new store in Greene, Maine. Their staff has been working extremely hard, especially during these challenging times. The pandemic and other global issues are impacting the entire food supply chain,

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  • Buy-Local Loyalty Program

    The Independent Retailers Shared Services Cooperative (IRSSC) created our BUY-LOCAL Loyalty Program to help lower costs for consumers while also ensuring farmers are paid fairly for their hard work. The IRSSC created this program in response to the worldwide challenges created by Covid and reduced

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  • PepsiCo’s Promotional Opportunity

    The IRSSC and ReTreeUS are grateful for the support that the PepsiCo Corp is providing. This promotional opportunity is being offered only to Maine independent grocery stores. Independent retail supermarkets and the wholesalers that supply them play a vital role in the communities they serve,

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  • The Common Market and Green Meadow Farm

    Grass-fed Beef, Pasture Raised Pork & Poultry right here in Union, Maine! The Common Market is excited to be working with Green Meadow Farm, which is situated on 180 acres in Union, Maine. Did you know… — Grass-fed beef contains up to six times more

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  • IRSSC 2020-2021 Impact Summary

    Independent Retailers Shared Services Cooperative continued to work with various food businesses (often 7 days a week) to navigate many challenges relevant to COVID 19. We measured our joint successes and collaborations by the number of jobs supported and employees impacted by our work, and

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  • USDA Farm to School Turnkey Grant Award

    United Charitable has been awarded a 2021 USDA Farm to School Turnkey Grant through its fiscally sponsored program, ReTreeUS. This grant will enable ReTreeUS to support 10 schools throughout the state of Maine with ReTreeUS’ Back to School Garden program. This program solves major issues

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  • The Common Market

    The IRSSC is extremely grateful to have been working with Gary Sukeforth, principal owner of The Common Market, located at 40 Burkett Road, Union, Maine, for well over 9 years. Gary’s been a long-term founding member of the IRSSC, serving as an adviser, and is

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  • Local Micro Protein Processing

    The IRSSC has been providing technical assistance to a group of farmers in Maine for over 32 months at no charge; the IRSSC has invested well over 475 hours into researching and mentoring our clients. Additionally we were successful in securing a large grant from

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  • Independent Garden Centers of Maine

    The IGC of Maine have a new video on TV and YouTube. You can watch it here, too. The organization is pleased to announce that they have a new web site as well: https://igcofmaine.com . IRSSC congratulates them on their efforts to increase awareness of

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  • New IRSSC Project

    We foresee working with Bad Adz, Shophero, and locally owned businesses impacted by the pandemic in a coordinated public relations campaign to help increase the gross sales for those businesses impacted. Our project will help make jobs more secure and enhance food security and education

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