Case Study

Reflecting Ends and Implementing Inclusivity Practices

By Columinate|2023-05-05T20:06:18-04:00July 12th, 2017|

Seward Community Co-op Minneapolis, MN Year founded: 1972 Member investment: $75 Number of members: 16,000 Number of employees: 335 Business units: two retail grocery stores, restaurant, production facility In 2013, when Seward Community Co-op began the feasibility process for their second location in a historically African American neighborhood in South Minneapolis, it experienced a tremendous amount of community interest as well as sharp questions [...]

Changing the Board Nominations Process

By Columinate|2023-05-05T20:06:23-04:00June 15th, 2017|

Ozark Natural Foods Fayetteville, Arkansas Year founded: 1971 Member investment: $140 Number of members: 9,300 Number of staff: 97 Retail square feet: 9,000 Ozark Natural Foods had a legacy of internal conflict and high board turnover. Historically, people didn’t necessarily run for the board because they wanted to serve the membership, but wanted to use the board as a platform for promoting their own [...]

Expanding Fresh Food Convenience

By Columinate|2023-05-05T20:06:27-04:00May 10th, 2017|

Eastside Food Co-op Minneapolis, MN Year founded: 2003 Member equity: $100 Number of members: 6,500 Number of employees: 100 Retail square feet: 9,500 Eastside Food Co-op in Minneapolis, Minn. had one of the highest sales per square foot in the nation, but this wasn’t all good news. The store’s small size meant that it couldn’t carry enough of what customers wanted. Survey results showed [...]

East Aurora: Early, Impactful Investment Led to Opening Co-op

By Columinate|2023-05-05T20:06:59-04:00July 6th, 2016|

East Aurora Co-op Market East Aurora, NY Founded: 2010 Opened: June 2016 Number of members: 1,280 Number of employees: 25 Member investment: $200 Retail square feet: 4,445 East Aurora Food Co-op in upstate New York has been open for over a month now, but they continue to celebrate the co-op’s opening in large and small ways. It is always a giant accomplishment for a [...]

Ambitious Community Outreach Yields Big Results

By Columinate|2023-05-05T20:28:40-04:00May 11th, 2016|

Common Ground Food Co-op Urbana, IL Year founded: 1974 Number of members: 5,800 Member equity: $60 Number of employees: 95 Retail square feet: 8,000 Common Ground Food Co-op in Urbana, Ill. has been one of the fastest-growing food co-ops in the country. When they moved to Lincoln Square Mall, their expansion plans included a comprehensive approach to community outreach, customer service and education that [...]

General Managers Speak About Value of Coaching

By Columinate|2023-05-05T20:29:09-04:00March 9th, 2016|

The to-do list is seemingly endless: cash flow, team building, category management, board relations, reports, goal setting. Many general managers report feeling pulled in many directions during a typical workday, and too soon it seems, another day comes to a close. The feeling that nothing is ever quite finished can be disheartening. The flip side is that being successful in the job means that [...]

Activating ‘New-Style’ Participation

By Columinate|2023-05-05T20:06:19-04:00November 11th, 2015|

Weaver Street Market Carrboro, NC Year founded: 1988 Member equity requirement: $75 individual, $135 couple, $175 three or more Number of members: 18,000 consumer-owners, 210 employee-owners Number of staff: 250 Number of locations: 3 retail stores and Food House commissary kitchen Over the years, Weaver Street Market has enjoyed significant success as an innovator in launching numerous retail stores and developing a commissary kitchen. [...]

Case Study: Telling the Co-op’s Story through the Ends

By Columinate|2023-05-05T20:30:08-04:00May 3rd, 2014|

City Market Onion River Co-op Burlington, VT Year founded: 1973 Member investment: $200 equity Number of members: 10,000 Retail square feet: 12,000 Number of employees: 215 The City Market Onion River Co-op in Burlington, Vt. is a thriving downtown food co-op celebrating its 40th anniversary. It’s poised for growth and with a membership of 10,000 people has made a real impact during its history. [...]

Case Study: Wheatsville’s BIG Direction

By Columinate|2023-05-05T20:08:47-04:00May 31st, 2012|

Wheatsville Food Co-op has always had big dreams to have multiple locations— going back to the days since it was founded. Now they are in a position to begin to make them come true. The co-op has, as general manager Dan Gillotte put it, “solidified home base” with its latest renovation and is primed to branch out into multiple locations. This has been an [...]

Elk Grove Case Study: From Home Run to Strike Out

By Patricia Cumbie|2023-05-05T20:22:31-04:00November 7th, 2007|

By Patricia Cumbie 133 November - December - 2007 The Sacramento Natural Foods Co-op (SacNat) location in Elk Grove, Calif., was a long anticipated state-of-the-art second store that opened with high expectations in June of 2005, but closed in January of 2007. SacNat seemed to have it all: experienced management, a good board of directors, and a profitable, established location to cushion the second [...]

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