Spring General Membership Meeting Recap
Thanks to all who attended last week’s Spring General Membership Meeting, to the East Passyunk Community Recreation Center for hosting us, and and to South Philly Barbacoa for the delicious snacks!
Missed the meeting? We’ve got you covered. Here’s a recap of what we discussed:
State of the Co-op:
The search for a space continues, and as we have said previously, given the inventory and pricing of today's South Philadelphia real estate market, opening a successful co-op will mean finding a development partner who is as dedicated to and passionate about this community as we are. The great news is that we are in conversation with such a partner, about an extremely promising space to call our home.
We are farther along in the negotiation process than the Co-op has ever been before. We've been down this road before (although never quite this far) and things haven't worked out, so nothing is final yet. We'll share more details when we can, so stay tuned!
In financial news, the Co-op generated $5,393 in net income this fiscal year and has $144,055 in total assets. The Board has also engaged local business consultants Elysian Fields to further refine the Co-op’s financial models.
Board Election Results:
Thanks to all who made your voices heard in this year’s Board Elections. Congratulations to returning board members Jessica Calter, Angel D’Ippolito, Alison Fritz, Anna Kiesel, Matt Stern and to brand new board members Katy Travaline and Emily Wyner! And of course, a big thank you to our outgoing board members, Josh Richards and Anna Shipp, for your hard work over the years!
Introducing the South Philly Blend:
This smoky, savory blend of South and Central American coffee with chocolate undertones is now available through our new buying club partnership with Philly Fair Trade Roasters. Pick up your coffee monthly at Cinemug starting June 16th. Try it out for just a month, or commit to 3 or 6 months for additional savings. Sales benefit the South Philly Food Co-op and member-owners get $1 off per 1-pound bag, so place your order today!
Product Preferences Survey Results:
The results of our Product Preferences Survey are in with over 160 responses! As a cooperative store, our member-owners will decide what we carry and how we source it. At the meeting, we dug into how our members eat and shop, and what concerns them most when choosing their groceries (hint: local, fresh, high-quality products at reasonable prices). To see the full results of the survey, click here.
New Member (Or just want to get more involved)?:
Attend our upcoming New Member Orientation on June 8. Click here for details and to RSVP.
Product Preferences Survey Results
The results of our Product Preferences Survey are in with over 160 responses! As a cooperative store, our member-owners will decide what we carry and how we source it. In this survey, we dug into how our members eat and shop, and what concerns them most when choosing their groceries.
See the full results of the survey here.
May 2016 Newsletter: Let your voice be heard. Let your vote be counted.
May is here, the sun is out (finally), and it's time for our Spring General Membership Meeting! This gathering has been months in the making, and we've got a ton to share. We hope you'll be there in person on May 25 as we:
- Present the results of our Product Preferences Survey, through which 160+ folks (both members and not-yet-members) weighed in on how we envision our future store;
- Report on the state of the Co-op, from our current financials to the recent work we've done with local business consultants to position us to find a great, viable location for our store;
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Vote on the next slate of candidates for our Board of Directors (learn more about this smart and dedicated bunch here); and
- Get a (caffeine) buzz on! We've got a special treat for our coffee-loving co-operators, so be sure to join us on the 25th for the scoop.
Leigh Goldenberg, Member, South Philly Food Co-op Board of Directors
Board Elections: Know Before You Go
Did you know that seven of your fellow member-owners are running for positions on the Board of Directors this spring? We hope to see you at our General Membership Meeting, where all members are encouraged to cast their votes.
Please spend a few minutes reading our nominees' bios and voter FAQs, so you can make an informed decision on the 25th. See you there!
WHEN: Wednesday, May 25, 6:30-8 p.m. (check-in begins at 6 p.m.)
This spring's nominees:
Jessica Calter
Angel D'Ippolito
Alison Fritz
Anna Kiesel
Matt Stern
Katy Travaline
Emily Wyner
More information on this year's candidates can be found here. If you are unable to attend the meeting, you can still vote via absentee ballot until 5 p.m. on May 24.
Welcome our Newest Shop South Philly Member!
We're excited to welcome another Shop South Philly partner to the fold: CityCare Pharmacy!
This locally owned independent pharmacy on West Passyunk accepts most major insurances, and offers services including free delivery within a 1-mile radius.
Best of all, our newest partners is offering Co-op members a 10% discount on over-the-counter purchases over $10!
Be sure to pay them a visit, and don't forget to flash that membership card for all sorts of sweet discounts at CityCare and dozens of other local businesses.
Co-ops in the News
From the Sierra Vista Herald: The Sierra Vista Food Co-op in Arizona celebrates its five-year anniversary this spring! This Co-op began with a community meeting in 2006 with the grassroots efforts of a dedicated group of neighbors. Congratulations!
Upcoming Conferences: The 2016 Consumer Cooperative Management Association (CCMA) Conference, Disrupting the Future: Cooperative Food and the Next Generation, will be held June 9-11 in Amherst, MA. Locally, the Philadelphia Area Cooperative Association (PACA) will host Co-Up: A Teach-In for Cooperators on May 14 at Temple. The South Philly Food Co-op will be in attendance at both events, so stay tuned for updates and lessons learned!
March 2016 Newsletter: Five ways to make the best of a short weekend
- Save the date for our 2016 Spring General Membership Meeting: Wednesday, May 25, 6:30 p.m.! As is always the case during our spring meetings, we'll be voting in new members of the Board of Directors.
- Speaking of which, did you know that you could spend some of those precious life-hours attending board meetings as one of our newest Board members? It's decision time if you're considering joining the Board: Nominations are due March 15.
- Not sure the Board is right for you, but still want to give some of your time to the Co-op? Consider joining a committee. If you're not sure which committee is right for you, dive in and attend an upcoming meeting. Coming up this month:
- The Operations Committee is meeting on March 14
- The Outreach and Member Services Committee is meeting on March 21
- Visit our newest Shop South Philly partner, Chaat & Chai!
- Finally, if you haven't yet completed it, fill out our Member Product Preferences Survey. I promise that -- unlike daylight saving time -- it will take less than an hour!
Cooperatively yours,
Nathaniel Cauldwell, Member, South Philly Food Co-op Board of Directors
Due March 15: Board Nominations
- At least 18 years of age
- Member of a share-holding household for at least eight months prior to election (since September 2015 or earlier)
- Prior attendance at one General Membership Meeting
- Prior attendance at one committee meeting
- In good standing with equity payment(s)
- Not associated with interests contrary to the general interests of the Co-op
- Successful completion of Nomination Form
Calling All Volunteers!
- We're looking for a dedicated individual to be our Volunteer Coordinator! This person is responsible for making sure events are fully staffed, and for placing volunteers with committees and projects that need them most. Most volunteer coordination can be done via email, so if you only have a few hours a month to help but would like to get involved, this might be a great position for you! Please email [email protected] for more information.
- Join our Outreach and Member Services Committee! This joint committee coordinates all activities relating to our future and current membership, including member recruitment, event production, new member on-boarding and local business relationship building. Read more about this committee here, or click here to sign up!
Shop South Philly: Welcome Chaat & Chai!
To use your discount, just show your Co-op card at the restaurant and receive a free small chai with your order of $15 or more.
Last Chance: Member Product Preferences Survey
We're wrapping up our Member Product Preferences Survey on March 15! Please take a few moments to let us know where you shop, how often, what you like to purchase and -- most importantly -- why. We'll be sharing the results of the survey at the Spring General Membership Meeting this May, so be sure to click here and let your voice be heard loud and clear.
February Newsletter: Are you our next board member?
If you've ever wondered what you can do to help the Co-op reach our goals, the answer is simple: Volunteer! You get to meet great people and work on really rewarding projects. Committees currently looking for additional support include:
- Real Estate (to help us find our permanent location)
- Outreach and Member Services (to plan and execute events, and to engage our membership)
- Marketing and Communications (to support the team with public relations and social media)
- Leadership (to help us run our spring elections)
- ...and more! Click here for a full list of Co-op committees.
Read on for more information about elections, upcoming events and more. And thanks for being part of our community!
Cooperatively yours,
Jessica Calter, President, South Philly Food Co-op Board of Directors
Become a Local Leader: Board nominations have begun!
You could be one of these local leaders! Serving on the South Philly Food Co-op Board of Directors is an opportunity to give back to your neighborhood and help bring to life to the community-owned grocery store we’ve all been waiting for. Directors elected in the spring will serve a two-year term beginning at July’s Board meeting and ending in the June 2018.
The basic requirements for candidacy are as follows:
- At least 18 years of age
- Member of a share-holding household for at least eight months prior to election (since September 2015 or earlier)
- Prior attendance at one General Membership Meeting
- Prior attendance at one committee meeting
- In good standing with equity payment(s)
- Not associated with interests contrary to the general interests of the Co-op
- Successful completion of Nomination Form
Do you know someone else who would be a great addition to the Board of Directors? You can suggest them here, and a member of the Co-op will reach out to further gauge their interest.
Last Chance: In Defense of Food Screening
The South Philly Food Co-op is excited to present a free screening of the PBS Documentary In Defense of Food, Wednesday, February 24 at Cinemug!
About the film:
Join New York Times best-selling author Michael Pollan on a fascinating journey to answer the question: What should I eat to be healthy? Busting myths and misconceptions, In Defense of Food reveals how common sense and old-fashioned wisdom can help us rediscover the pleasures of eating and at the same time reduce our risks of falling victim to diet-related diseases.
Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and the screening will begin at 7. The film runs 78 minutes, and we'll hold a short discussion at the end if you'd like to stick around and talk about how we can use the film's lessons to improve our food choices in the community.
This event is free, but registration via TicketLeap is required, and only 30 seats are available (and they're selling out quick!). Cinemug will offer food and beverage for sale, and you can BYOB ($2 corkage fee).
ICYMI: Take Our Product Preferences Survey!
Don't forget: There's still time to take our Member Product Preferences Survey, to let us know the details of your grocery shopping habits. We want to know where you shop, how often, what you like to purchase and -- most importantly -- why. We'll be sharing the results of the survey at the Spring General Membership Meeting this May, so be sure to click here and let your voice be heard loud and clear.
January 2016 Newsletter: Congrats to the neighborhood of the year!
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Have a happy, healthy new year,
Anna Shipp, South Philly Food Co-op Board of Directors
Membership News: New-Member Orientation, Broth Giveaway and More
In mid-December, we hosted a dozen Co-op members and prospective members for conversation and cocoa at one of our New Member Orientation sessions. It was great to get to know each other, walk through the member handbook, answer questions about the Co-op's history and development, and discuss the values behind cooperative enterprise. One prospective member talked about his experience with worker co-ops on the West Coast (where he moved from), while a current member explained his passion for a variety of consumer co-ops as a means to shift economic power. Thanks for sharing your stories!Also, on Sunday, January 3, East Passyunk's Occasionette hosted a Wild Is! veggie stock giveaway for our members (see photo above). Don't forget, you can use your membership card for discounts at the Occasionette, as well as 40+ other Shop South Philly partner businesses! And be sure to tag your Wild Is! soups and stews on Instagram using @spfoodcoop.
Lastly, we'd like to thank everyone who donated to the South Philly Food Co-op as part of our annual fundraising campaign! For those of you who missed it, we'll leave you with this great quote from Co-op guru David Woo, who was featured in a recent fundraising email: "This isn't just about local food, this is about the economic power we can push down to the consumer and worker to make big business less relevant and less powerful in our lives. More economic democracy can mean a stronger political democracy for all of us." Hear, hear!
Curbed Philly's Neighborhood of the Year: Pennsport!
The readers have spoken: Pennsport has won the 2015 Curbed Cup!
Curbed Philly's annual people's choice award is set up bracket-style, with Philadelphia neighborhoods pitted against each other until an ultimate victor is declared by popular vote. This year, our southeasterly friends -- home of Mummers headquarters galore, revitalized pier projects, Two Street and a burgeoning restaurant scene -- beat out Kensington for the win!
With this win, South Philly neighborhoods are three for four in the Curbed Cup: According to Curbed, "Passyunk Square took the inaugural title in 2012, followed by East Passyunk Crossing in 2013." (Fishtown won in 2014.) Newbold, Point Breeze and Lower Moyamensing, we've got our eye on you for 2016!
Let Your Voice Be Heard: Take our Product Preferences Survey!
Don't forget: There's still time to take our Member Product Preferences Survey, to let us know the details of your grocery shopping habits.
We want to know where you shop, how often, what you like to purchase and -- most importantly -- why.
We'll be sharing the results of the survey at the Spring General Membership Meeting this May, so be sure to click here and let your voice be heard loud and clear.
Co-ops in the News: Maine Farm & Sea Cooperative
Here's an inspiring story from Down East: The Maine Farm & Sea Cooperative, according to the Bangor Daily News, aims to take on big corporations like Sodexho and Aramark to transform nearby university dining services options, providing institutional sourcers with fresher, farm-to-institution options.
“We have the operations experience and skills and ability and production in the state. We are saying you don’t need outside companies,” board member Jonah Fertig said. “This is a Maine food campaign that is also about sustainability.”
Signing off,
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Big Circle, Little Circle
If you've made it out to a South Philly Food Co-op committee meeting or event in the past few months, you might have heard us refer to the Co-op's "big circle" and its "little circle." Relax, this isn't geometry class and we're not going to ask you to calculate the circumference of either circle. (This is a "no Pi zone.") But we are going to ask you to harken back to lit class, because we're going to talk about what those circles symbolize.
The little circle stands for our store, the place we're working together to build — a grocery store in South Philadelphia, run by South Philadelphians, where South Philadelphians can shop for the products we choose to put on the shelves. We're working hard every day to make that little-circle dream a reality by searching high and low for the perfect location to call home.
But what's the big circle all about?
We recently asked David Woo, one of the area's biggest cheerleaders of and advocates for cooperative ownership, to tell us why he thinks co-ops are so important. What he said has stuck with us:
"This isn't just about local food, this is about the economic power we can push down to the consumer and worker to make big business less relevant and less powerful in our lives. More economic democracy can mean a stronger political democracy for all of us."
Will you help us move toward economic democracy in South Philly by making a gift to the South Philly Food Co-op?
Click here to make your tax-deductible donation by the end of the year, and to help ensure that the big circle will be really big once the little circle falls into place.
Looking for another way to help grow our big circle? Gift the gift of membership to the South Philly Food Co-op, or email us to see how you can pitch in.
December 2015 Newsletter: Bragging on two stellar member-owners
Last week, the Co-op's Board of Directors hunkered down with cups of warm apple cider (thanks, Anna S.!) and got down to business: We discussed the status of our committees' work as we do during every meeting, watched a crazy-impressive 25-slide PowerPoint presentation on our potential financial models (thanks, Anna K.!) and shared data we've learned so far from our Member Product Preferences Survey. These 12 folks I meet up with every month are ridiculously smart and dedicated, so I'm really humbled that they put so much of their time into the work of building our Co-op.
Of course, the commitment and expertise brought to the Co-op doesn't stop with the Board. Two of the Co-op's long-long-time member-owners are moving on from their current volunteer roles, and because they aren’t the kind of people to brag about themselves, I’m taking this space to do it for them. Take that!
Molly Peterman has been our incredible bookkeeper basically since the beginning. She set us up in Quickbooks, reconciled every member equity check, and made a weekly trip to our P.O. box. She's done all this, plus hosting potlucks and buying beer for member events, while holding down a job that’s now taking her out of state for a little while. We'll miss Molly, and I hope we’ll have a site to show her when she gets back!
Martin Brown has been sitting on our Outreach Committee since I joined the table. While building his own inspiring local food business, Martin has donated treats to our events, called upon his business connections to take our annual Garden Tour to the next level, and always offered to pick something up in his car. (Side note: I really hope we get to sell pints of his crazy ice cream at our store.)
Because you’re reading this, I bet you have an interest in seeing our Co-op dreams become a reality. And I also bet you have expertise, time or willingness to join us in making it happen. Just reply to this email and I’ll help find the right place for you to help, by volunteering or joining one of our committees.
Till then, read on, visit our blog and follow us on Facebook to find out lots of ways you can get involved with our community right now.
Have a wonderful holiday season,
Leigh Goldenberg, South Philly Food Co-op Board of Directors
Survey: What's on the shelves? You decide.
Here’s another thing you can do to help and have your voice heard! Please take 20 minutes to complete our Member Product Preferences Survey, which is helping shape the vision of our store. Here's a sample question from the survey:
- Store brand olive oil, $6.99/750 ml
- Organic store brand olive oil, $12.99/750 ml
- Single origin artisan olive oil, $14.99/750 ml
On Deck: New Member Orientation
"Do I have to do volunteer hours?"
"How do I answer my friends' questions about the Co-op?"
"What do the committees do?"
"When do I vote for stuff?"
If you've recently joined the Co-op and want to know more about what it's all about, our New Member Orientations are for you. Come meet fellow members and hear from people on our Membership and Marketing/Communications Committee about what the Co-op can do for you -- and what you can do for the Co-op.
And because it'll probably be cold ... hot chocolate for all!
Join us Monday, December 14 at 7 p.m. Click here to RSVP!
Reminder: Shop South Philly this holiday season
Something to keep in mind as you're tackling that gift-shopping list: Shop South Philly offers exclusive discounts and specials to South Philly Food Co-op member-owners when they shop at dozens of participating boutiques (like Occasionette, pictured), restaurants and other shops. Just show your member card or member ID number at these local businesses to receive your discount.
So go ahead — get your discount on, and don’t forget to thank them for supporting your Co-op!
Signing off,
South Philly Food Co-op
http://www.southphillyfoodcoop.org/
November 2015 Newsletter
Thanks for being a member or supporter of the South Philly Food Co-op! Here's what's happening this month:
Coffee with the Co-op's Board of Directors
Did you miss the Fall General Membership Meeting on October 25? No worries. The Board of Directors wants to catch you up personally on all the Co-op and Committee updates -- including how our real estate search is going -- and give you a chance to provide whatever feedback you might have. On Saturday, November 7, members of our Board of Directors will be having "office hours" just outside of Black N Brew (one of our Shop South Philly partners; located at 1523 E. Passyunk Ave) from 9am until noon. Get all of your questions answered with a one-on-one, face-to-face chat with one of your fellow member-owners who was elected to guide the Co-op through this phase of its development. Even if you don't have any questions, you can use this opportunity to let the board know what's on your mind and provide frank, honest feedback on how you think the process is going. Have some coffee. Let's talk!
Tell Us What Products You Want the Co-op to Carry
Your opinion matters. In fact, according to our by-laws, when it comes to making decisions about the Co-op, the opinions of our member-owners matter more than anything! One of the most important decisions we have to make long before opening is about the philosophy guiding the product mix the store carries. South Philly Food Co-op Member Stephanie Kane, who has some experience with finding answers to these questions as local purchasing coordinator for Weavers Way Co-op, put together a comprehensive Product Preferences Survey. Read more about it on our blog or CLICK HERE to go directly to the survey.
On Deck: Co-op Movie Night
The South Philly Food Co-op will be hosting a screening of "Food for Change" on Wednesday, November 11th at Cinemug. Curious about the cooperative model, or why we believe in it so much? This is the event for you. "Food for Change" is a documentary about food co-ops as a force for social and economic change throughout American history, up to and including today. Doors will open at 7pm for the screening at 7:30pm. Home-made gourmet popcorn to share with all your Co-op friends is highly encouraged. Event is FREE but space is limited so get your FREE ticket now. Did we mention it's FREE?
ICYMI: Update from the Board on Location Search
Last Friday, the Board of Directors sent out a detailed email updating everyone on the latest with our search for the Co-op's home. If you didn't receive the email or lost it among the various newsletters and special offers in your inbox, you can read it on our blog by clicking here.
Signing off,
South Philly Food Co-op
Update from the Board on Location Search
It's your Board of Directors here, writing with an important update for all our members and not-yet-members. 
First of all, thank you so much to everyone who attended Sunday's General Membership Meeting! We had a great time catching up, bowling, sharing Co-op updates and even seeing some new faces. (If you'd like to view the minutes from the meeting, please click here.)
During the meeting, we got some great questions about our real estate search, and we know the store location is on everyone's mind. We'd like to try to answer some of those questions here, in more depth.
In securing a home for the Co-op, sharing information on specifics is a delicate balance. Every time we find a promising location, we want nothing more than to shout it from the rooftops! But we can't -- it would jeopardize our negotiating power to reveal too much, too soon. Even when a location is pursued and then taken off the table, we continue to build relationships with those realtors, landlords and developers, and the last thing we want to do is alienate them by exposing information they consider confidential. Sometimes, even when it seems like a space isn't going to work out, it may come back as a possibility -- and being the first to know could be a huge advantage. As an all-volunteer board of directors elected by you, our membership, we are entrusted to make wise decisions on your behalf, and we take that job extremely seriously.
The fact is, inventory in South Philly is limited and we are not turning down offers left and right. When we find a possible space, we go through a significant, time-intensive vetting process to make sure that it works with our needs and financial projections. (In other words, we don't just want to find an empty space in South Philly -- we want to find one that has the potential to thrive in the long term. That's five, 10 and 20 years down the line.) We've found spaces that are the right size but far too expensive; we've found reasonable prices in buildings that are in too much disrepair to be a wise investment; and everything in between.
That said, we want to be open and honest about how the search is going. We know our membership wants more information, so we're here to provide it. Let's start with some numbers: The Co-op maintains a list of over 95 spaces that have been considered to date. Over the past three years, we have vetted 32 spaces, including visiting sites, meeting with landlords and, in some cases, engaging in lease negotiation. For various reasons, these have not worked out. A few examples:
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1535 E. Passyunk Ave. (Former St Jude's): Structural layout restricted efficacy of utilization; delivery access and loading posed too great a challenge
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1715 McKean St.: Market study of sales projections for this residential area proved to be insufficient
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1172 S. Broad St.: Landlord chose another lessee
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Ninth and Wharton streets (former Annunciation School): Space layout restricted efficiency of utilization which restricted sales; landlord chose another lessee
- Shop Rite at Snyder Plaza: Space is too large and the fixed costs to operate it are too high
Till then, we know our members continue to have a lot of questions. Here are some ways you can take action and get involved in the search right now:
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Read our ongoing blog series "Dating Spaces," which answers members' questions about our location search. The series includes a Q&A with our realtor; an explanation of why we're looking for a 5,000-square-foot store instead of something smaller or larger; and much more. We continue to try to address your concerns in this format as frequently as we can, so if you have questions you'd like answered, please email them to [email protected].
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Follow us on Twitter and Facebook. We update our supporters regularly on these channels about upcoming events, member news and progress reports. And keep reading these emails, too.
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Join us for coffee. Members of the Board are holding open "office hours" next Saturday, November 7 (location TBA). We invite you to join us for coffee and bring your questions -- watch our Facebook page for more details.
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Join a committee. Our board and committees are made up entirely of dedicated Co-op members who receive no compensation for their time and efforts -- we just want to see the Co-op succeed! If you have opinions about how you think the Co-op could be run more effectively or efficiently, and want to see them enacted, we strongly encourage you to get involved. Click here to learn more.
- Suggest a location. If you know of a space we should pursue, please let us know! Email [email protected] with your ideas, and we'll be sure to respond to let you know whether the location you've suggested is on our list (and, if not, why).
Thanks for reading and have a great weekend,
Your South Philly Food Co-op Board of Directors