Back-to-School Recipes with Chef Monica Glass

We have a yummy Back-to-School treat and challenge for you this month! South Philly Chef Monica Glass will be sharing four different easy to make recipes that are PERFECT for Back-to-School snacks featuring the following five local products from our shelves:

Week 1 - Conscious Culture Vegan Cheese & Habitat Farms Honey 

Week 2 - Soom Tahini 

Week 3 - Mother Butter Seed Butter

Week 4 - Local Apples 

YOUR MISSION IF YOU CHOOSE TO ACCEPT: If you make all 4 of Chef Monica's recipes in September, you get a FREE Habitat Farms Honey, Mother Butter, Soom, Conscious Culture, or local apple!

Rules: Tag SPFC in a video or photo of each recipe on social media or email them to [email protected] Once we get all 4, we'll reach out to you to arrange which FREE GIFT you want.

Below is a sneak peek of all 4 recipes:

Dear Member-Owners and Neighbors,

We want to begin by acknowledging the profound impact of the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization Supreme Court ruling. We stand with National Co+op Grocers, a cooperative of nearly 150 food co-ops across the country, in affirming the human right of bodily autonomy and the liberty of women, trans, and nonbinary people to make decisions about their own bodies, including healthcare decisions.

Our co-op’s mission is to use food as a force for good - at our tables, in our community and for our planet.

In response to Dobbs, using food as a force for good at our tables means:

• Reviewing our in-store benefits package to ensure coverage for reproductive health and abortion care;
• Committing to improving our benefits coverage for reproductive health and abortion care when we next have the opportunity to renegotiate our benefits plans; and
• Expanding in-store health coverage to provide Board-funded travel benefits in the event that Pennsylvania adopts restrictive abortion laws to ensure all staff have equal access to necessary health care.

Using food as a force for good in our community and for our planet means:

• Supporting local advocacy organizations through partnerships and our Round Up at the Register program;
• Educating folx about the significant impact reproductive choice and bodily autonomy have on food insecurity in our community; 
• Collaborating with our neighbors on special events, like Judy Ni of bāo • logy for a two-day community outreach event and bake sale with Bakers Against Racism; and
• Working to promote voter registration and participation throughout South Philly.

We encourage you, and everyone you know, to attend Bakers Against Racism’s Abortion Access Edition August Bake Sale on Sunday, August 7th and Monday, August 8th. The event aims to provide community education about choice, healthcare, human rights, and to raise funds and awareness for the upcoming election cycle. SPFC will serve as an order pick-up spot on Monday, from 2-7pm. 

We welcome all member-owners to help us continue to think about how we can collectively advance the dialogue on reproductive justice, the human rights of women and any individual who has the capacity to experience a pregnancy (planned or unplanned) and women’s and gender-expansive individuals’ health more generally. Member-owners are encouraged to email our Board with their thoughts.

In Cooperation,

Chad Hooper, President

Mita Banerjee, Vice President

Sharon Ulak, Treasurer

A Procik, Secretary

Molly Devlin

Brendan Duffy

Zaire DuRant-Young

Eliza Kinsey

Jenn Ladd

Beckett Woodworth

National Gardening Day is just around the corner — and it happens to be the same day as our Owner Appreciation Day! So, during Owner Appreciation Day on Thursday, April 14th, we'll be hosting a gardening activity from 3pm-5pm.

Here at the co-op, we are so excited for warmer weather and all of the possibilities a new season brings. One of our most anticipated hobbies this spring is growing food, flowers, and herbs! The benefits of gardening are exponential — both for our personal selves and for the planet. 

This event is all ages, kid friendly, and pay as you plant! 

We’ll be talking about all things gardening, including how to get started, community resources, container gardening in small city spaces, an interactive e-zine for kids and more. We’ll even have a raffle to win a variety of seeds from our friends at Southern Seed Exposure. 

Check out full details about the event here.

We hope to see you there!

Thank you to our friend Noah at The Energy Co-op for this guest blog post!

By Noah at The Energy Co-op:

Shopping for renewable electricity can be as easy as shopping for your groceries. But it’s important to understand the quality and source of both the food that powers you and the energy that powers your home or business. Through April 30, 2022, South Philly Food Co-op members who become new members of The Energy Co-op by enrolling in its Renewable Electricity program will be eligible to receive $50 in Co-op Cash. Quality nourishment, quality power! 

The Energy Co-op is a different kind of renewable electricity supplier that was founded in 1979. As a member-owned, nonprofit cooperative, we offer 100% renewable electricity with 100% transparency and have done so since 1998. Our members know every cent is going towards our mission of helping them affordably and sustainably buy, use, and understand energy. So, keeping in mind the commitment by both South Philly Food Co-op and The Energy Co-op to building a sustainable community, we invite you to learn just how easy shopping for renewable electricity in Pennsylvania can be.

1. Choose a Pennsylvania supplier.
   
   If you’ve decided to power your Pennsylvania home with renewable electricity, why not support your local, clean energy economy by choosing a local supplier? When you do, your renewable electricity dollars have the most impact - not only reducing carbon emissions, but also creating local, clean energy jobs and investment in our region.
   
   
2. Choose a Pennsylvania supplier that offers 100% Pennsylvania renewable electricity.
   
   There is no better way to support investment in local, clean energy jobs than by buying renewable electricity generated right here in Pennsylvania. Members of The Energy Co-op have the option to power their home or business with renewable energy produced in our home state, which can help drive local renewable energy costs even lower.
   
   
3. Choose a Pennsylvania electricity supplier that only offers renewable electricity.
   
   In Pennsylvania, the least expensive renewable electricity is offered by large, vertically integrated companies that also generate and supply electricity produced with coal, natural gas, nuclear, and other non-renewable fuels. Renewable supply often makes up less than 10% of the electricity generated by these companies. There’s no assurance that the dollars you spend on renewable energy won’t be invested in non-renewable fuel projects.
   
   Buying from a supplier like The Energy Co-op that only offers renewable electricity provides peace of mind about where your clean energy dollar is going.
   
   
4. Choose a Pennsylvania electricity supplier that only offers wind and solar power.
   
   Wind and solar power are the two fastest-growing electricity generation sources in the U.S. But in many states, including Pennsylvania, electricity produced from a wide array of sources, including hydroelectric dams, wood pulping, and even coal mine methane is designated as “renewable” or “alternative.” Now is not the time for 19th century technology. In the 21st century, make sure all of your renewable electricity is 100% wind and solar power.
   
   
5. Finally, buy renewable electricity from yourself!
   
   The Energy Co-op is a nonprofit cooperative, owned by its members. We don’t have customers. There are no tricks or gimmicks. As a cooperative, The Energy Co-op’s business is entirely transparent to its members, and becoming a member of The Energy Co-op also supports the growth of a network of local, community-focused cooperatives like South Philly Food Co-op.

If you’re shopping for renewable electricity in southeastern Pennsylvania and want to check all the boxes, there’s only one choice—The Energy Co-op. As a Philadelphia-based cooperative, we offer only 100% wind and solar powered, renewable electricity to our members, many of whom choose our 100% Pennsylvania power option. Learn more at theenergy.coop and get in touch at [email protected] or 215.413.2122.

Dear Member-Owner,

This blog post is for our founding member-owners who invested in the co-op prior to October 2020. 

Happy Co-op Month! This October, we wanted to thank you for investing in your community-owned cooperative! Your $200 equity investment provided vital funding needed to get our doors open last December! 

Simply put, we would not be where we are today if it weren't for your support!

Last October, our membership voted “yes” to an increase in our equity share price from $200 to $300. When our membership voted, they were looking at both the short-term and long-term needs of our Co-op. Our financial projections demonstrated that we needed to raise additional equity from both current and future owners to ensure our success. 

This change and the way we structured it was about our immediate survival, positioning the co-op to reach our long-term potential, and ensuring equitability amongst founding and new members alike.  

Immediately after the vote, 300 long-time members sprung into action, adding their additional $100 by December. This gave us the final $30K push needed to open our doors after facing major set-backs caused by Covid-19. The pandemic caused construction delays, cost increases, and added necessary improvements to keep our staff and customers safe, healthy, and satisfied. We would not be open today without the support of those 300 owners. 

Since then another 190 long-time members added their $100, bringing us up to $49K in additional grassroots community capital. This additional $19k allowed for us to make additional improvements to our space, product selection, and staff compensation and benefits all of which were needed to keep our young store afloat in an challenging, ever-changing environment that left countless well-seasoned businesses floundering. 

Now, it’s your turn. We are writing today to encourage you to take the next step in building our financial foundation. If you are still at the $200 equity mark, and there's no better time than now to pay your $100 balance in order to reach the full $300 equity! 

We rely on a growing base of owner equity to ensure a strong financial foundation that will allow our store to continue to grow and improve so that we can do more to live our mission of "Using food as a force for good - at our tables, in our community and for our planet." 

Owner Equity is fundamentally important to our Co-op and this blog post explains why. 

Here are two easy ways you can help our October Ownership & Equity Drive and pay off or start to pay off your equity owed:

1. Pay it off! If you are able, please add $100 to your equity investment today! 
2. If you are not able to add $100 right now, please sign up for an installment plan, or simply add an amount you can afford today.

Your investment will help us reach our October goal of raising $8,000 in additional equity. It will also ensure that you will be a member in good standing so you can enjoy the continued benefits of member-ownership which include:

• Our Community & Store - Build the local equity needed for South Philly to thrive.
• Democratic Elections - Elect and have the opportunity to run for the board.
• Owner Appreciation Days - Get special discounts and enjoy free product samples (this is coming up on 10/19!)
• Bulk Discounts - Save on case quantities and get special deals.
• Patronage Refunds - Share in the profits based on patronage of our store.
• Local Business Discounts - Save at over 40 participating local businesses.
• Workshops & Events - Participate in free community workshops and events.

We are asking every member-owner who is not yet at the $300 equity level to sign up for an affordable, flexible installment plan by the end of the year in order to stay active. 

As a consumer co-op, we own the co-op equally and that’s why we ask everyone to contribute the same amount of equity. If you need an extended payment plan, we’re here to work with you. Just $5/month will keep you active. And if you are facing economic hardship, our Community Equity Fund is here to help. 

We know that the holiday season can be busy and that is why we’re asking you to take this important step today. 

*BONUS* If you add equity in October you'll get:

• Entered into a raffle to win a $100 SPFC gift card or a pair of Eagles tickets for a game in December
• A 10% off coupon good through the end of the year
• A shout out on the wall in the store

*For raffle: $10 minimum equity to enter and one entry per day max

If you need assistance with making your payment online, these instructions may help. You can also stop by the store and add equity or sign up for a CEF scholarship with the help of one of our friendly cashiers. 

Your additional Equity will make a lasting impact on your Cooperative, setting us up for success so that we can continue to navigate the changing landscape and advance our mission for the better of our whole community. We know we can do it with your help!

In Cooperation, 

Lori Burge, General Manager 

Happy Co-op Month! 

This October marks the first Co-op month we get to celebrate with a real brick and mortar store! Our store has been warmly received and as a result we’ve been able to expand our selection, increase the number of jobs we provide, and bring on more local farmers and producers. 

As a mission-driven cooperative, we’re always working hard to advance our mission. That’s why, this October, we're working hard to grow our reach in the South Philly Community! 

It's our October Equity Drive! Our goal is to welcome 40 new member-owners and raise $8,000 in equity this month! And there’s something everyone can do to help! 

Not a member? Now is the time to join! Already an owner? You can help too!

Ways you can help your Co-op and our store:  

• Become a Member-Owner
• Add Equity to your Share
• Donate to Our Community Equity Fund (CEF)
• Refer a Friend to Join

One of the goals of our month-long drive is to raise visibility to the cooperative difference and to illustrate why growing our base of ownership and equity is just as important to us now as it was before we opened our doors. 

Why is Equity Important to the Co-op?

• Equity is ownership, and ownership is the foundation of the co-op model.
• Consumer ownership and equity makes us more than just a grocery store.
• We would not be open today without equity and ownership.
• Co-ops are able to open and thrive where chain stores and sole proprietors won't or can't and it is our ownership and equity numbers that allow us to do so.
• Equity is capitalization, under-capitalized businesses fail.
• Grocery is a capital intensive, low-margin business, profits are slim.
• Equity builds our financial foundation, allowing us to replace aging equipment when needed, and to grow and improve to better serve our community.
• Current funders require us to attain and report on ownership, equity, and other related benchmarks.
• Equity is necessary to secure future loans and other funding.
• Community investment through ownership and equity make it possible for us to advance our mission.
• Equity is ownership, when we own more and owe less, we are stronger.

Your equity investment makes you an owner. Ownership comes with these benefits: 

• Our Community + Store:  Build the local equity needed for South Philly to thrive.
• Democratic Elections: Elect and have the opportunity to run for the board.
• Owner Appreciation Days: Get special discounts and enjoy free product samples.
• Bulk Discounts: Save on case quantities and get special deals.
• Patronage Refunds: Share in the profits based on patronage of our store.
• Local Business Discounts: Save at over 40 participating local businesses.
• Workshops + Events: Participate in free community workshops and events.

We want everyone who shops with us to experience the cooperative difference and to have access to and enjoy the benefits of member-ownership. 

Our Community Equity Fund extends the benefits of ownership to community members who would otherwise be unable to afford the full $300 investment. 

Investing in the Co-op and our CEF and patronizing our store as a shopper make a big difference. 

By each of us taking the next step together we can do more to advance our mission:  “Using food as a force for good—at our tables, in our community, and for our planet.” 

If you are not yet an owner, join. 

If you are not yet fully invested at the $300 level, add equity.

If you are fully invested, donate to Our Community Equity Fund.

And whatever your investment status is, invite your family, friends, neighbors, and co-workers to join our effort! 

Lastly, we encourage you to shop with us this Co-op Month and throughout the upcoming holiday season. When you invest and shop co-op you are voting for a more equitable food economy. 

In Cooperation,

Lori Burge

General Manager 

Dear Co-op Owners and Shoppers,

We are so excited to have finally opened our doors after 10 years of community organizing, investment, and hard work. Now that we’re open, we are working to fine tune our systems. That means our department leads and I are doing walkthroughs of our store and operational systems to ensure they support operational sustainability and also fall in line with our mission and end statements. We also welcome your input here: customer comment form.

As you know, one of our most important values is providing our whole community access to fresh, healthful foods.  Throughout January and February we will be making it a priority to review our pricing structures and roll out new programs to advance our goal that "Our neighbors at all income levels have access to high-quality, healthful food."

On the topic of pricing, we are happy with the progress we have made in regards to pricing for our produce, bread, and many local items. We are aware that we have some work to do in regards to both the wholesale price we pay as well as the retail price of some of our nationally distributed items, there is a connection between the two.

As a small start-up there are many complex variables and hurdles that we must navigate to meet this important goal. Our first year sales projections fall under $2M, and that means we are small potatoes compared to chain stores. Economy of scale is real and larger chains can buy things by the truckload that we purchase by the case. The food system has many challenges and this is one of them. Money = power. It's important to note that as a small retailer large distributors do not give us the same lower prices as chains like Acme, Walmart, and Whole Foods get through substantial volume discounts. Chain store volume discounts vastly exceed ours and that means at times they are selling items close to what we pay cost. Additionally as a new store bringing in thousands of products, means there thousands of prices that need to be evaluated. Lastly opening the store in the midst of a pandemic meant that we a number of other adjustments we had to make to open our store safely that included additional equipment and planning, and we had to reduce the number of people who could be involved in the setting of the store to ensure we were working with the health of our workers and the public in mind. Overall we came into this opening with less capacity than we had originally planned, but it was important for us to open when we did because our community needs fresh, healthy food, our staff need jobs, and our sustainability relied on opening our doors as quickly as possible given all the construction, equipment, and supply delays caused by the pandemic.

Here is our plan:

• Everyday Basics Program - Roll out our Everyday Basics program which will bring over 75 staple food items and other household essentials down to an everyday low price. We’ll be rolling this out by January 18th.
• Field Day Program - We are signing up for volume discount pricing on Field Day brand products. This will allow us to work those items into our Everyday Basics Program.
• Product Mix Assessment- We will be working to evaluate our products section by section to make sure we have a lower priced item in all key categories.
• Increasing our Sales - This is where you come in! When you support the store by shopping at the co-op we can increase our sales to get more deliveries from our distributor. As we are able to increase the number of deliveries they can make and the dollars we purchase from them we will have better, more consistent supply and greater volume discounts.
• Working with Vendors - We will be negotiating with vendors to get lower wholesale prices, more volume discounts, seeking out new suppliers, and lowering prices whenever possible.
• Sales Programs - our produce department sales program is in effect, check back each week for special deals, our grocery department will be rolling out it’s first sales items on January 14th.
• More Ways to Save! - We will also be rolling out our Owner Appreciation Days, Sales Program, and Owner Only Specials as outlined on this page. Stay tuned for more details.

We appreciate your support, feedback, and patience. And remember this is your store and your patronage is fundamentally tied to our long term financial health and vitality.

In Cooperation,
Lori Burge
General Manager

The health and safety of our Co-op community is our highest priority. As the spread of COVID-19 increases, South Philly Food Co-op is taking action to help protect our patrons and our employees.

Our General Manager and department leadership team will continue to closely monitor guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and local health officials in our area. The team will rely on their recommendations and expertise to inform our decisions. Based on that advice, we are:

Providing safe social distances: 

• Limiting the number of shoppers allowed in the store at one time, currently 12 total customers, based on new CDC recommendations.
• Creating a queue for waiting in line and offering umbrellas to customers outside of the store when we are at capacity inside. 
• Installing shopping guides and 6 foot social distance markers to ensure good flow and limited customer interactions within the 6 foot social distance recommendations. Following these guidelines is especially critical when the store is crowded,
• Installing plexiglass barriers to minimize interactions between cashiers and shoppers. 
• Commissioned the build of a third mobile register to make it easier for customers to get in and out of the store and keep the lines inside the store to a minimum
• Cancelled in person meetings until further notice, all non-shopping related events with limited exception, will be held virtually until further notice. 
• At risk shopping our Wednesdays from 9-10 am. 

Offering alternatives to instore shopping: 

• Are offering an online order service with home delivery (and curbside pick-up, coming soon). Those unable to use the online store may call at certain times to place an order.
• Are launching a shopper buddy program so that those who are high-risk can get a neighbor to pick up their groceries.

Ensuring cleanliness and proper hygiene: 

• Requiring that all staff, delivery persons, and patrons over the age of 3 wear a mask in the retail areas of the store.
• Making hand sanitizer available in the entryway of the store, near the customer bathroom, and in the staff work and break areas.
• Encouraging staff and customers folks to frequently and diligently perform hand-washing as a means to prevent the spread of germs.
• Routhine, frequent, and rigorous cleaning of the store and sanitization of all high touch areas will be emphasized and enforced. 

Taking care of our staff: 

• All staff members have paid time off that they can use in the event that they become sick or need to take leave of absence due to COVID-19.
• We are working to establish a partnership with Vybe for staff rapid testing. 
• Staff will have scheduled access to  break areas to ensure safe eating be provided to staff. 
• Providing a set of reusable cloth masks for staff to use while on shift as well as ample access to disposable masks when a temporary replacement is needed. 
• Providing a limited hazard-pay premium from opening day through the end of this calendar year. (Contribute to our Hazard Pay Fund so that we can continue this essential benefit into 2021.)
• We hope to provide hot meals to staff on shift. (Donate local restaurant gift cards to show appreciation for our staff in this busy and difficult time. Email [email protected] to help.)

As circumstances continue to develop, we will make our decisions with the health and well-being of our member-owners, customers, employees, and community as top priority.

Support Our Effort to Raise Wages for Co-op Staff (Nov 2021)

A special request from your Co-op’s General Manager 

We’ve gotten a few questions about the compensation and benefits package we plan to provide to our staff. Transparency is very important to us, so we wanted to share our answers. We are so grateful that our community shares our desire to pay our amazing team fairly!

Let’s review the package we currently provide, and the package we plan to provide with your support. 

Currently, Clerks earn at least $11/hour and Department Leads earn at least $13/hour. We will offer hazard pay for retail frontline shifts to the extent we can. We will provide health insurance, paid leave, and a store discount. Our workers will have access to professional development too. We set a new employee’s pay based on their experience. We were able to attract very experienced candidates so currently none are set at the base rate for any position. 

We know this isn’t enough and we want more for our staff. We are working hard to bring our wages up and expand our benefits, but we need your support. Keep reading to find out what you can do to help. 

Hazard Pay: Our goal is to raise $12,400 to cover 6,200 hours of hazard pay starting January 1st, 2021 and running through April 30th, 2021. This would double our current hazard pay ($1/hour) and extend that beyond the first month of operation. We are currently searching and applying for grant opportunities, however self-funding is our strongest option for increasing this essential benefit. You can support us by contributing to our Hazard Pay fund today: click here. You will also have the opportunity to contribute to this fund at the register.  

Wages: Our goal is to increase base pay by $2/hr for our entire team, while also increasing our maximum hourly rates. This would be the first incremental step in raising wages even higher in the future. Our Department Managers, staff, and I are working together to realize these goals. We all need to work together to make this possible and that includes our Member-Owners. 

Here’s how you can support Co-op staff members:  

• Pledge to shop at the Co-op and spend your grocery dollars with us in 2021. 
• Encourage your friends, family, and neighbors to shop with us also (and to become Member-Owners if they aren't already). 
• Contribute to our Hazard Pay fund.
• Donate local restaurant gift cards to show appreciation for our staff in this busy and difficult time.

If we can beat our revenue projections by 15% next year, we will be able to sustain the increased wages outlined above. Higher than expected sales will also increase our Co-ops efficiency. An efficient store can afford the best benefits for its team and we can’t do it without you. 

Until we reach our sales goals for a sustained period of time, we will fund Hazard Pay through community donations. We will pay quarterly staff bonuses when we exceed our sales and labor margin goals. This will help bridge the gap, until we are certain our sales are hitting our goals in a sustained way. 

Before I go, a word about accountability. The Board requires me to submit  reports on staff treatment and pay each year. Those reports also include plans to offer better benefits and pay going forward. I look forward to reporting on the accomplishment of these goals, with your help and support.  

Thank you for your continued consideration. We are humbled and inspired by the outpouring of support that our community. Your help allows us to get the store open during this pandemic. We appreciate your commitment to shopping our store and support for our Hazard Pay fund.

In Cooperation and Solidarity, 

Lori Burge

General Manager 

(UPDATE: May 2021, while we were not able to attain any grants we have been able to sustain the $1/hour bump that was hazard pay and converted that $1/hour into our regular base pay while increasing our wage cap. This means our starting wage is now $12/hour. We continue working to attain our goals so we can increase the base wage further). 

(UPDATE: Dec 2021, we are now working on testing some projections to see if we can sustain another increase in the upcoming fiscal year)