General Manager Development Program: Building a Partnership at Detroit People’s Food Co-op
The job of a food co-op general manager (GM) is one of the more unique and challenging roles in the grocery industry. GMs manage their staff, report to a board of directors of many bosses speaking as one, and are responsible for a wide variety of functional areas within their business. At any given moment a GM must be knowledgeable about margin strategy, marketing, HR compliance, or fixing a coffee brewer. A GM likely makes dozens of decisions a day and needs context and subject matter knowledge to inform each one. They’re at once operating a for-profit business and stewarding a community asset. In short, it’s a lot.
Nurturing and Cultivating Retail Leadership with GM Development
In the ever-evolving landscape of retail grocery, effective leadership is paramount. Effective leadership doesn't just happen—it must be nurtured and cultivated, equipping emerging talent with the right tools, training, mentoring, and support. Cooperatives as well as other independent grocery stores face unique challenges in a post-covid world, and new challenges emerge frequently. Retailers must remain courageous and steadfast in making the necessary changes to prepare, build, and sustain a strong future.
Andre Chavez Brings a Long Career in Grocery Operations
As the cooperative grocery industry continues to grow, many stores are looking at hybrid models: a mixture of natural foods and conventional grocery. New Columinate consultant Andre Chavez has so much operational experience in both natural and conventional grocery that he could be considered a hybrid unto himself.
Reimagining Your Board’s Work
Have you ever felt like your board is in a rut? Maybe it seems that all you do at meetings is hear reports about operational or committee activities. Or maybe you notice that your board engages in robust dialogue during your day-long retreats, but your monthly meetings seldom include this sort of conversation. Maybe you have begun to wonder what value you—individually or collectively—are adding to the organization.
Columinate Contributes to Up & Coming in Kalamazoo September 12–14
With a dozen of its members part of the program, Columinate will have a strong presence at the annual food co-op startup conference, Up & Coming, to be held in Kalamazoo, Michigan, on September 12–14. Up & Coming is a spirited event, with enthusiastic members of co-op startups from across the country mixing with veteran trainers and consultants.
Kevin Edberg Receives Innovation Award as CCMA Honors Exemplary Co-op Leaders
Kevin Edberg and Cooperative Development Services: "We have been lucky to have Kevin and CDS in our corner all these years." Michelle Schry of National Co+op Grocers introduced the Cooperative Innovation Award and Kevin Edberg, who she described as the "longtime brain, backbone, and captain of Cooperative Development Services" (CDS). CDS is a nonprofit co-op development organization founded 38 years ago in Minnesota/Wisconsin, and it has had a profound impact for food co-ops and other ventures. What follows is edited from Schry's CCMA introduction:
BriarPatch Food Co-op’s Chris Maher Wins 2024 Cooperative Service Award
Chris Maher, general manager of BriarPatch Food Co-op in California, won the 2024 Cooperative Service Award, presented at the Consumer Cooperative Management Association (CCMA) recent annual conference in Portland, Maine. This award goes to someone who has contributed outstanding and sustained work in consumer cooperatives. CCMA is presented by the UW-Madison Center for Cooperatives (UWCC) has served as an interdisciplinary teaching and research center for all sectors and types of cooperatives since 1962: https://uwcc.wisc.edu/
Food Co-ops Lead Industry in 2023 Sales of Local, Organic and Fair Trade
Community-owned grocery stores last year led all food retailers nationwide in percentage of sales derived from local, organic and fair-trade foods and products. In fact, the average food co-op grocery store on average sources products from 169 local farms and producers. Read the details on the vast and generous impact locally-owned food co-op grocery stores have on food systems in general and their local communities in particular. The report comes from National Co+op Grocers, which represents 161 food co-ops with 1.3 million U.S. member-owners and combined annual sales of $2.5 billion.
Manager Compensation Examination: Gender Equity Gaps Persist
Three years ago, I presented a webinar with data showing that female food co-op general managers (GMs) were paid significantly less than male GMs. Since then, Columinate has rolled out a new version of the database I drew on for my data, with the ability to collect more detailed and nuanced information. Along with updated data and charts, with help from Mike Houston we have testimonials from co-op managers on the high value of what is shared through the Columinate Compensation Database.
Managers Utilize the Compensation Database
The concept of pay equity affects all co-ops, no matter who their general manager (GM) is. The ability of our stores to attract, train, and retain quality candidates creates a rising tide for all co-ops, especially as Principle 6 mandates our collective cooperation. Columinate’s Compensation Database is a remarkably helpful tool that enables general managers and boards to understand how their compensation package compares to similar stores throughout the country.