Our Experience

When many people hear the term “bulk food”, they envision a large, warehouse-style store selling large quantities of common groceries (think Cosco or Sam’s Club). However, this term carries an entirely different meaning to someone from a Mennonite or Amish community. During the 1960s and 70s, small stores began to gain popularity amongst the Mennonite and Amish communities of Lancaster, PA and the surrounding areas. The concept was simple: products were purchased in large quantities, repackaged, and then sold by weight. Usually, these products were packaged in clear plastic bags, with a simple label affixed to the bag, indicating the total weight of the product, the price per pound, and the total price. At first, these stores focused mainly on baking supplies, such as flour, sugar, and other supplies. Today, the product selection has grown considerably, now including many hard-to-find and old-fashioned candies, spices, snacks, chocolate-covered candy, nuts, beans, and pasta. Many items are sourced from small companies, including many Amish and Mennonite companies. Pine Ridge Grocery is a classic example of a “bulk food store”, with a very large selection of “bulk foods”. While we now carry many more traditionally packaged items, we still purchase the majority of our products in large quantities, repackage them, and then sell them by weight. Most items are repackaged in a size that the average package price is around $3 to $5. And while our focus is not on selling you large quantities at one time, we can usually order a large quantity of any product for you.