Co-op News, Jan 6, 2025.

“We have decided to drop the five Sabra products”

In November, 1% of Owners (337) requested a boycott of Sabra Hummus. Per our Boycott Policy, in December, we initiated a two-week comment period, which ended on December 16, 2024.

These Owners called for Willy Street Co-op to remove Sabra Hummus from our shelves due to their ownership by PepsiCo and Strauss Group, which allegedly provides funding to Israeli military brigades. Responding to a letter from Willy Street Co-op, Sabra sent the two linked letters (response and about Sabra). Shortly before the comment period started, it was reported that PepsiCo is buying out Strauss Group’s interest in Sabra; see a link to that story here. 

We reviewed all Owner feedback we received on this topic; 205 of the comments supported the boycott, 38 did not support the boycott, and 3 comments didn’t fall into either of these options. Of these, 161 of them asked to be shared publicly, and they can still be found at willystreet.coop/sabra. 

This was a complex discussion involving political considerations, accessibility, customer interest, and other considerations. After careful review, we have decided to drop the five Sabra products that we carry at Willy North (the only store that carries Sabra) for the following reasons:

• Declining sales – Sales of this product declined significantly since the comment period started. 
• Comparable alternatives – We originally brought in this product as a lower-priced option, but we’re now able to offer other brands of hummus of equivalent quality at the same or even lower price.
• Owner feedback – The Boycott Policy states that the comment period is not an Owner vote, but the fact that the majority of comments supported the boycott did play a factor in this decision.

This decision is not a permanent ban on Sabra products or intended as a political message. 

We appreciate the thoughtful feedback from our Owners and staff and will continue to prioritize transparency and dialogue on matters of shared concern.