Improve Operations

River Valley Co-op, located in western Massachusetts, opened its second location in the summer of 2021. Amid a raging global pandemic, debilitating supply disruptions, and unprecedented worker shortages, they were able to open the doors of the beautiful net-zero facility and welcome the residents of Easthampton. The co-op saw great success in its original location, growing sales to over $30M since opening their doors in 2008. However, weaknesses of the original location carried over to the challenges of launching a second store, and within a few months of opening the Easthampton location, General Manager Rochelle Prunty was looking for some help. Enter Dana Tomlin.

The Columinate Compensation Database is the fastest, easiest way to understand compensation practices at similarly sized stores and benchmark with your peers. Plus, National Co+op Grocers (NCG) members receive free access to the Columinate Compensation Database and Job Board as part of their membership.

Businesses of all types encounter financial distress through many different factors such as rising supply costs, increased overhead, changing consumer demand, or inadequate capitalization. Here are four warning signs that every co-op board and management team should watch for to ensure that financial risks are recognized early and necessary changes are implemented quickly, allowing your co-op to achieve its goals:

In January of 2022, Columinate Organizational Development Consultant Jeanie Wells launched a four-part remote training program for Ozark Natural Foods in Fayetteville, Ark., to address how to manage price image during a volatile period of high food inflation with a relatively new management team.

"What is the ratio between the highest-paid and lowest-paid employees in food co-ops?" When evaluating the compensation of their general managers, boards of food co-ops often ask this question. And behind that lies another, sometimes unspoken, question: "What should that ratio be?"

Cassia is a dedicated activist, a skilled community development professional, and a proud Kentuckian who brings 20 years of experience to the Columinate network. She is deeply rooted in the Kentucky local food movement, having organized farmer’s markets, established the Louisville Food Policy Council, and co-founded Louisville Association for Community Economics, which is opening the city’s only cooperative grocery store.

Columinate is proud to welcome Vernon Oakes as a new consultant. Vernon is a passionate advocate of the cooperative business model and brings a lifetime of diverse experiences to the Columinate network.

Seasoned Interim General Manager Garland McQueen arrived at Good Tern during the height of its busy summer season and quickly took steps to bring stability back to the small coastal co-op. Good Tern now has a permanent general manager on board, and the co-op is on stable footing.