Hello Tallahassee Foodies!
My title is Madelon and I’m the Entrance Finish Supervisor and Ownership Services Coordinator at New Leaf Market Co-op, Tallahassee’s solely native grocery retailer. You’ll have seen information tales previously few days that say we’re closing our doorways without end and have some questions… and I’m right here to reply them!
What’s New Leaf?
New Leaf Market Co-op is a regionally owned (since 1974), cooperative grocery retailer that focuses on pure and natural meals. We’ve got recent produce, meat, packaged grocery, frozen, dairy, bulk meals and physique care, dietary supplements, and a deli and bakery that contains a scorching bar, chilly grab-and-go meals, and a smoothie bar. Our buyers can be part of the co-op, which suggests they get sure buying advantages and a voice in relation to shaping the way forward for our co-op.
Didn’t you guys shut a retailer already?
Sure, years of market research indicated that our second location at Bannerman can be very profitable, however our achieved gross sales quantity was half as anticipated. House owners requested for it and the vast majority of them supported it, however low gross sales couldn’t maintain the shop. We tried it, it failed, and we’re doing what we are able to to maneuver previous it.
So uhhh… you guys going out of enterprise?
No! Bannerman’s closing left us with a variety of debt. Regardless that we’re working our present retailer rather well with what little we now have, our debt is stopping us from being actually profitable. We’ve got one other co-op (Group Co-op Market) providing to purchase our property in order that Tallahassee can nonetheless have a meals co-op on the town. Our members (homeowners) have the choice now to vote to permit this sale to undergo. If it does, we modify our title, our cabinets get fuller, and the shop will expertise some renovation enhancements… better of all, everybody on our employees will get to maintain their jobs! We’re not planning to have any closed days throughout this transition.
Are you guys “going company”?
NEVER! Our neighborhood will nonetheless personal 2/three of the shop, with 1/three possession belonging to the investor group. We are going to nonetheless function the co-op by means of coverage governance oversight by the board of administrators.
The cabinets look empty and also you by no means have what I need!
You’re proper! Our monetary challenges don’t enable us to maintain the cabinets as full as we would like. We don’t prefer it both. The CCM asset sale will enable us to have full cabinets once more!
How does the employees really feel concerning the asset sale?
We’re PSYCHED! We work arduous and are pretty profitable regardless of having little to work with. We’ve been described as a “lean, imply, co-op machine”. Our arduous work has been acknowledged, we get to maintain our jobs, and we’ll get to work in an improved retailer! We’re fairly dang pleased with this end result.
How do I vote?
Totally invested, main homeowners can vote on our web site or vote in-store. Voting ends at our Annual Proprietor Assembly on December 28. We hope to see you there!
That’s it, Foodies! I hope that clears up the rumors which are on the market. When you’ve got any extra questions, be at liberty to remark and I’ll attempt my finest to reply all of them!
