Co-op Annual Meeting & Election

Dividends are determined by the profitability of the Co-op. We are focused on returning to and maintaining profitability for the Co-op, which will lead towards dividends and long term economic success. Profitability is also balanced with other initiatives such as community engagement, local food system development, being an exemplary workplace, diversity and inclusion, and stewardship and advocacy. We are mindful of ensuring the long-term economic resilience and profitability that allows us to offer dividends and member-owner benefits while striving to be a business that considers our impact on the community and employees.
Accounting

We do purchase recycled products, particularly in our office. We purchase as many products with recycled content (preferably post-consumer) as possible.

We’ve looked into providing compostable plastic bags several times, but they are much more expensive and if they aren’t composted in a commercial setting, they don’t biodegrade so they remain “plastic” in the landfill. Their performance also isn’t great, which could cause more bags to be used and lost product due to spills and leaks in the bags. We do offer paper bags as an alternative, which can be used for storage for some items or provide a mechanism so customers can transport their bulk purchases home and transfer them to a reusable container, and we will reintroduce reusable containers when WA Food Code changes in March of 2022.

We have been looking for viable alternatives to plastic containers for our grab ‘n go items for several years and had plastic reduction goals we were going to announce in March of 2021, but the pandemic caused us to put the majority of our sustainability goals on hold. We are aiming to get back on track in 2022, when the WA Food Code is set to allow reusable containers in many more settings in grocery stores.

One local business that is trying out a low waste approach is the Living Pantry in Blaine. Check them out! They are facing some of the same constraints as us with respect to reusables but their business model is encouraging and we hope they are a great success.

We did manage to eliminate one stream of plastic from our Forest St deli last year (change coming very soon to our Cordata store deli!); we started packaging sliced meats and a few other deli case items in lined freezer paper. While the freezer paper does have a poly lining, it is more sustainable than most alternatives as it is made primarily from minerals instead of petroleum. It’s still not fully compostable, but it is heaps better than the plastic saddle bags that we used to use.

We are following the phased approach outlined by the state. Capacity limits make some spaces challenging to open until the state has fully reopened.

We are members of the National Co-op Grocers (NCG). Part of our membership includes meetings, conferences, and shared knowledge with other co-ops on the west coast and throughout the country.

Jon’s book is available for purchase on his website.

No question that food co-ops are already stimulating considerable social change and I do believe there's significantly more work that can be done in this regard. The co-op movement's capacity to serve a wider diversity of people and communities is one area for development. I do believe that for co-ops to continue to effect social change more deeply, food co-ops will need to first invest considerable attention into ensuring their business as a grocer is finely tuned and competitive. A food co-op can't stimulate social change if it's not around! This has been a challenge for many co-ops as they are all now competing directly with the largest grocers on the planet. When co-ops were in a more comfortable position—having carved out a niche in their communities (pre-2005)—they could invest considerably more attention into their roles that extended beyond being just a grocery store.

A big one is the threat that co-ops have been navigating for 15 years now—the entry of most competing grocers into the natural food channel and with that a new need for co-ops to differentiate themselves and remain relevant. Digging deeper into that threat, is the threat that member-owners of food co-ops will forget about the vital importance of their grocery store's governance model and in forgetting, be tantalized into shopping at competing grocers.

New co-ops (startups) almost always begin with a core dedicated group of 8-20 people who spend years recruiting new member-owners. The co-op can incorporate at any time but usually incorporates immediately so that new members do indeed become owners immediately. There are then particular thresholds of member-owner numbers that are often needed before moving into subsequent stages of development. In some cases, existing organizations in a community may lead the initial efforts. This was the case in Butte, Montana recently when two grocers closed in the span of a few weeks. Some local non-profits focused on improving economic and social well-being initiated their successful efforts there.

I don’t have a lot of experience in either of these areas but would suggest on the diversity question to contact Seward Co-op to learn about their efforts. There are also two Columinate consultants who specialize in this area. On the broader question of connecting with communities for possible second locations, no better place to glean wisdom than from co-ops that have undergone multi-store expansions like the Community Food Co-op, others include PCC, Outpost, People’s (WI/MN), and Weavers Way.