Thanks for your support in 2013
Dear SLO Natural Foods Co-Op Members and Supporters:
All of us from SLO Natural Foods Co-op thank you for your support this pivotal year. You already know the BIG MOVE is complete. Most of you have seen the wonderful new place that offers more shelf space, more aisle access, a Health and Beauty section and off-street parking.
In addition to getting through the move, we have achieved more than a few milestones:
- Sales Growth of 28% month over month since the move.
- ·Training & Development - Our new General Manager, Gwen Schmidt, has helped to improve staff training and communication, financial reporting and new product development. To further her efforts, we received a $3700 grant from the California Cooperative Development Fund and received several donations to provide needed matching funds to bring a nationally known co-op consultant to do training and development with our team Dec 12-14th. We appreciate your patience during this especially busy time as we made an investment in the wonderful and dedicated folks who keep things running.
- “Go Local” focus with more local farmer and supplier partnerships. SLO Natural Foods is working towards being a nexus of local food distribution – a farmer’s market open SEVEN days per week. Staff’s Go Local program is encouraging more local businesses to work with us. We have a sign-up form available to new partners and are creating procedures to further encourage and measure our success with this process. You have already seen an abundance of local corn, pumpkins, apples, olive oil, walnuts, wine and locally made health and beauty products this fall. This takes an up-front investment and YOUR SUPPORT in buying more local products than ever. We’ll do even better with signage highlighting our local partners in the year to come. Our goal is to source 35% of our produce from local farmers by summer of 2014.
- Building improvements with Community Bulletin Board, Front landscaping, Carl Corral, and Permanent Front Signage. All were completed with donated time from community members. We can’t say thank you enough for the facelifts - of a healthy and organic nature, of course.
We have a lot to celebrate and have accomplished major milestones - yet our work has just begun! To break even in 2014 and continue to pay down construction investments, we’ll need to see an increase in monthly sales of 9%. This shouldn’t be a stretch if you look how far we’ve come in 2013. With all the new great products on the shelves, shoppers have a better selection than ever.
Our Membership goal is more ambitious – to have 1,000 Members by the end of January. In 2013 we had 750 members so we’re looking for a 33% increase. Gift memberships make great holiday presents for your friends and family. 2014 Memberships are available at the store NOW.
In addition to being a member and shopping more at the store, there’s more you can do: In order to ensure that you and new shoppers continue to have the BEST experience, please do put product, service and other suggestions in the suggestion box, or email us new product ideas at info@slonaturalfoods.com.
It has been my pleasure to help oversee construction & operations and work with so many dedicated people during this transition. In 2014 I look forward to leading the SLO Natural Foods Board of Directors in longer term strategic planning.
What’s important to you? You probably shop at the co-op for more than just abundant access to reasonably priced products and real food that our great-grandmothers WOULD recognize, friendly staff and convenience. Perhaps these include:
- Desire to support local economy with to stock, market and SELL more local products
- Work with partners on better food education and advocacy (for food labeling and sustainable farming practices, for example). We can do more to partner with local Groups like Central Coast Grown, the Paso Food Cooperative development group and others doing good advocacy work.
- Develop a Vision and Mission based on YOUR input that will guide future business development that could include a bigger café space, community garden or a community kitchen or ..?
We invite your participation in this new phase. Consider becoming a board member or serving on one of our committees that will meet every other month. Perhaps you have some ideas on how to add a little more spice to our newsletters and you have time to help? For more information, see the board page on our website or feel free to contact me info@slonaturalfoods.com or by phone at 788-2706.
Continued success of this truly LOCAL, MEMBER-OWNED grocery alternative in San Luis Obispo is thanks to the time and positive energy given by all involved; Staff, Member/Owners, Local Investors from Slow Money SLO, an incredibly generous financial donor AND dozens of volunteers so generous with their time. As always, stop by and shop at the little store that gets more and more amazing every day. Please, TELL YOUR FRIENDS about the store – word of mouth is the most cost effective promotion.
In gratitude,
Aimee Wyatt,
President, SLO Natural Foods Board of Directors