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Love this place

5 Posted on 04 / 26 / 2012

Great store with pretty much anything a vegan needs. Some prepared vegan sandwiches too.

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Good Variety!

4 Posted on 02 / 25 / 2011

My wife and I first visited Duck Soup a few months ago and were pleasantly surprised. Though the store itself is smaller in stature, it carries a wide-variety of veg*n-friendly foods and products. The prices are no higher than those of other specialty grocery stores and the staff is always friendly. If you're in the NIU area I'd reccomend giving Duck Soup a try.

Pros: Friendly Staff, Wide-Variety, Convenient

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Excellent find

5 Posted on 02 / 11 / 2011

I buy a lot of bulk items, so this place makes me happy. :) A lot of the bulk bin prices are cheaper than Whole Foods, and they stock quite a few options from a local organic farm in Malta, which makes it even better. As the other review says, they pack a lot into a small space. If you're looking for good, healthy, organic grocery options, don't pass up Duck Soup.

Pros: local food, organic options, vegan options

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Nice little health food coop, with some extras

4 Posted on 05 / 10 / 2009

This is a small health food co-op, with some produce, bulk bins, bulk spices, a small frozen food section, refrigerated section, pantry goods, some personal care products, arts and crafts, whole-bean coffee, and vitamins. They also have a wide collection of recent back issues of Vegetarian Times, available for half off cover price, and fair trade chocolate bars/honey-based chocolates near the checkout counter.

They cram a fair amount into a little store.

While anyone is welcome to shop here, it's possible to become a member (working or non-working). Unfortunately you can't just hand over your money; you have to sit through a 90 minute lecture on Our History and Why Co-Ops are Good. These are scheduled 2 or 3 times a month and can be specially scheduled if you ask. A $25 nonworking membership means you get coupons once a month; you get 12 chits per year worth 5% off your order, and you can order items in bulk. (There's no catalog - basically you ask "can I order this?" and they say yes or no.) People who work a couple of hours a week at the store can get 10% off.

Some of the prices are excellent (notably in the bulk department) and they have some good sales. The whole bean fair trade coffee is is the cheapest I've found (bring a coffee bag; they charge 25 cents for one). Overall prices are higher than Whole Foods or Trader Joe's. Of course, DeKalb doesn't have a WF or TJ's, though the local Schnuck's now carries some of the same items, such as the Amy's frozen dinners. If you're looking for hardcore health food such as Sucanat, though, the local Schnuck's can't compete. And I'd rather support Duck Soup.

Duck Soup carrys some items such as whole-wheat couscous that I simply haven't found anywhere else. I do suggest avoiding the refrigerated cheese; the rennet-free "gruyere" didn't taste anything like gruyere and when I tried a second cheese variety it was awful too.

They keep a store of plastic shopping bags, so don't fret if you forget to bring yours. Open 9-8 M-F and 9-5 weekends.

Pros: open late weeknights, half-off Veg Times, good sales and bulks