Shop Black in Oakland at Mandela Grocery Cooperative

One of the highlights of my Oakland & San Francisco trip was shopping at Mandela Grocery Cooperative.

Mandela Food Cooperative is a Black employee-owned food cooperative based in Oakland, California.

It’s located right outside of the BART West Oakland station.

Mandela Grocery Photos

What I noticed about this food cooperative is how bright and welcoming the environment is. I walked by various hand-painted signs outside of and near the store.

As soon as I walked inside, I was greeted warmly. 

The store is laid out well, incredibly neat, and has super fresh and vibrant produce.

The only reason I didn’t buy any produce is because I was on a trip and didn’t have the time or space to prep and cook.

Also, some of their produce comes from Black farmers!

Oakland food: What I bought at the food co-op

Everything I bought is from a Black owned restaurant or food business:

• Choc’late Mama Cookies
• Teranga Super Food Energy Bar: Baobab
• PaPa’s Bean Pie
• Kube Non-Dairy Frozen Dessert: Salted Caramel with Toasted Pecans

It was easy to find these items because of the ‘Black Food Connection’ labels in yellow and black. 

One of the employees asked me how I knew the items were Black owned.

I told him it was a combination of seeing the label and me knowing about some of the products ahead of time, like Kube, whose founder I interviewed on the Pro Food Maker Podcast.

Is Mandela Grocery Cooperative a Black owned grocery store?

Yes, it’s a Black owned grocery store.

Is grocery delivery available?

Yes, Mandela partners with Piikup (also Black owned) to deliver groceries, but you have to check their website to see if they deliver to your area in Oakland and beyond. 

Mandela Grocery Cooperative Menu

The kitchen was closed when I visited, but here’s what’s on the menu:

Breakfast Menu

• Breakfast Sandwich: $8
• Breakfast Burrito: $10

Sandwich Menu

• Rotisserie Chicken: $10
• Slow Roasted Brisket: $13
• Koji Salami and Cheese: $12
• Veggies in the RAW: $8

Sides (Vegan) Menu

• Handcut French Fries
• Sweet Potato Wedge Fries
• Seasonal Greens
• Black Eyed Peas
• Potato Salad

There are also pre-made items from the kitchen located in the fridge.

Learn more about food cooperatives

Black-Led Fertile Ground Food Cooperative in Raleigh, NC