The article presents the phenomenon of contemporary food cooperatives in Poland, which draw inspiration from cooperative movement. The cooperatives were examined in the context of cooperative principles and values, goals and motivations as well as their attitude to formalisation as cooperatives. A key part of the paper is the results of an empirical survey, conducted using the CATI method. The survey covered 25 food cooperatives in Poland. Preliminary analysis showed that they are initiatives focused on: joint sourcing of hard-to-find food products, self-help or assistance to other people looking for healthy food, a desire to oppose modern consumerism and capitalism, care for the environment, and local activity is also key for them.