Record Breaking Member Meeting
By John Tashiro, General Manager
I find it hard to believe there are less than two months before we round the corner into 2016 as things remain incredibly busy at your downtown Co-op! It was wonderful to see and meet with many of you, our Members, at our October 14th Annual Member Meeting where we set a new attendance record with over 433 people, an 82% increase over last year.
The atmosphere was absolutely fantastic with great conversation and opportunities to both connect and reconnect with Members old and new, hear from our Board candidates, and learn about the state of the Co-op, all while sharing some very tasty food. We had a lengthy Q&A session toward the end of the evening as well. I wanted to take some time here to share some thoughts and observations from the evening, for those who attended and those we hope to see next year.
Growing Membership. We now have more than 11,200 Members who remain as passionate and supportive as ever. Your purchases generated approximately 70% of the store’s $39 million in annual sales last year. Sales of local products and organic produce grew by 7% and 1% respectively, and Members volunteered over 16,000 hours, mostly with our 19 non-profit partner organizations. The Co-op is thriving and continues to make a huge impact in the community, all because of you and your unbelievable commitment.
Expansion Updates. We are making good progress on plans for our South End Co-op and the community’s positive support has been tremendous. Our plan is to break ground by June 2016 followed by a grand opening in June 2017. Slightly larger than our current location, the South End Co-op will be about 25,000 square feet and will offer the community at least 100 new employment opportunities (that come with great benefits!). Most importantly, we’re approaching this work in a way that meets the needs of Members and is representative of the South End’s community spirit.
Committed Staff. An incredible amount of work happens behind the scenes that enables the Co-op to be so successful and such a great place to work. Our staff are absolutely amazing and are always willing to go the extra mile to help make your experience as enjoyable as possible. We have a long-standing and amicable relationship with our employees’ union and our labor negotiations this year were thoughtful and productive. We continue to have great conversations about livable wage, and how we index that wage (with data from Vermont’s Joint Fiscal Office) based on our robust benefits package. Currently, based on this data, all of our employees earn a livable wage from day one here at the Co-op.
Accessible & Engaged Board. City Market’s Board is made up of 9 Members, elected for 3 year terms (with 3 Board Members up for election each October). Your Board Members dedicate well over 50 hours of their time annually through monthly Board meetings, strategic retreats and participation in many Co-op events and conferences within and beyond Vermont. Their contribution is significant in ensuring the General Manager and the organization adhere to our governance policies and deliver on the Co-op’s Global Ends. I have truly found their views and guidance incredibly helpful during my short five month tenure so far, and feel fortunate to be working with such dedicated and driven people who always have the best interests of the Co-op at heart.
As always, thank you all for your ongoing support as we continue to make every effort to listen and serve you, our Members and the community, in the very best way we can.