Kane County’s First Zero-Waste Grocery Store Opens in St. Charles

Chipko Market​, which opened in November 2025 at 902 S. Randall Road in St. Charles, is proud to call itself “the Tri-Cities’ first bring-your-own-container grocery.”   

After seven years working for a corporate food flavoring manufacturer, founder and owner Vandana Singh-Planis became concerned about the amount of packaging and product waste associated with food throughout its lifecycle, from manufacturing to consumption. From that realization, the idea for Chipko Market was born. 

Named after a grassroots anti-deforestation movement that emerged in India in the 1970s, around the same time as the first Earth Day in the United States, Singh-Planis said Chipko Market is “designed to give shoppers control over the quantity of goods and packaging purchased.” 

Offerings include a wide variety of dry goods, such as flour, grains, dried legumes, coffee, tea, herbs and spices, snacks, bar soap and laundry powder. The store also carries liquid goods, including cooking oils, vinegar, and environmentally friendly soaps, shampoos and cleaning products. 

Many goods are produced in Illinois, including coffee roasted in Aurora, honey produced in Plano, and flours milled in Ashkum. In addition to appealing to eco-conscious shoppers, Chipko Market offers an opportunity to try new products and ingredients without committing to full-size containers. Customers are encouraged to bring containers from home, and most clean, sealable containers are acceptable. 

The store currently offers a 5% discount for items purchased in customer-provided packaging. Mason jars and durable plastic food storage containers are ideal for pantry staples, but shoppers can also reuse standard consumer packaging as long as it is clean and empty. Customers weigh their empty containers on a provided scale and record the tare weight before filling them. They then dispense products using metal scoops and funnels and label each item with a product code. At checkout, the container weight is deducted. 

For those new to the concept, dry goods can also be placed in recyclable paper bags, or reusable containers can be purchased on-site. 

Upon visiting Chipko Market, Kane County Recycling Coordinator Clair Ryan said she was impressed by the level of care and attention to detail throughout the store. Cleanliness is a top priority, with each bulk container fully cleaned and sanitized before refilling. Scoops and funnels are cleaned after each use, with clearly marked, color-coded systems for clean and used items. Even the optional printed receipt uses a specialized paper that does not contain the chemicals typically found in thermal printer paper, allowing it to be recycled safely. 

Despite the long hours required to bring her vision to life, Singh-Planis said she would make the same decision again.

“In a heartbeat,” she said.