Thanks again to everyone who came out last night for the first of our regular, bi-annual member-owner meetings. As member-owner myself and someone who has been helping out with these start-up activities since darn near the beginning (though I must admit, not as long as Alison or Cassie or Patty or Josh or John or MaryBeth or a number of other folks), it was GREAT to see so many people who believe in this enterprise. I had the great pleasure to give a little presentation on how to talk about the Co-op with friends and neighbors who might be open to joining. While I leaned pretty heavily on the psychological reward of being one of our 250 Founding Members, I forgot what is perhaps the most practical reason and best answer for the question "Why should I join now rather than just wait until the store opens?" Quite simply... if you join now, the Co-op will open sooner. Conversely, if you wait until it opens, it may be a loooooong wait. (Thanks to Josh Skaroff for reminding me of this message point!) So, if you're out there talking to a friend or neighbor and you get a sense that they are interested in being a part of this enterprise but give you the "Why now?" question... it's quite simple. Join now and the Co-op opens sooner. Thanks again to everyone who came. Let's review the numbers... We had about 70 people in attendance (and that's NOT including the Boy Scout troop whose meeting space we invaded for the evening... special thanks to them for being Quiet along with Trustworthy, Loyal, Helpful, Friendly, Courteous, Kind, Obedient, Cheerful, Thrifty, Brave, Clean, and Reverent.) Among these 70 people we had representation from 48 of our member-owner households who cast votes to ratify our by-laws (by a 48-0 vote). We signed up 5 (!) new member households to bring out total to 110. If I'm doing my math correctly that's 44 percent of the way to our first day of spring goal of 250. and... I ate 4 of the chocolate cupcakes and found them to be 110% delicious. Big thank you to everyone who earned a volunteer hour by bringing post-meeting snacks! And finally... if you really want a few more check out this blog post on Treehugger and the video below to find out directly from the Director-General of the International Co-operative Alliance why "the cooperative movement is gaining traction, and why it could be the fastest-growing enterprise model by the end of this decade." (Hint: it has a little to do with how strong the model is compared to some of the other *cough*corporate*cough* models which haven't performed so well recently.) [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=96EOrGPJfk8]

Thanks again to everyone who came out last night for the first of our regular, bi-annual member-owner meetings. As member-owner myself and someone who has been helping out with these start-up activities since darn near the beginning (though I must admit, not as long as Alison or Cassie or Patty or Josh or John or MaryBeth or a number of other folks), it was GREAT to see so many people who believe in this enterprise. I had the great pleasure to give a little presentation on how to talk about the Co-op with friends and neighbors who might be open to joining. While I leaned pretty heavily on the psychological reward of being one of our 250 Founding Members, I forgot what is perhaps the most practical reason and best answer for the question "Why should I join now rather than just wait until the store opens?" Quite simply... if you join now, the Co-op will open sooner. Conversely, if you wait until it opens, it may be a loooooong wait. (Thanks to Josh Skaroff for reminding me of this message point!) So, if you're out there talking to a friend or neighbor and you get a sense that they are interested in being a part of this enterprise but give you the "Why now?" question... it's quite simple. Join now and the Co-op opens sooner. Thanks again to everyone who came. Let's review the numbers... We had about 70 people in attendance (and that's NOT including the Boy Scout troop whose meeting space we invaded for the evening... special thanks to them for being Quiet along with Trustworthy, Loyal, Helpful, Friendly, Courteous, Kind, Obedient, Cheerful, Thrifty, Brave, Clean, and Reverent.) Among these 70 people we had representation from 48 of our member-owner households who cast votes to ratify our by-laws (by a 48-0 vote). We signed up 5 (!) new member households to bring out total to 110. If I'm doing my math correctly that's 44 percent of the way to our first day of spring goal of 250. and... I ate 4 of the chocolate cupcakes and found them to be 110% delicious. Big thank you to everyone who earned a volunteer hour by bringing post-meeting snacks! And finally... if you really want a few more check out this blog post on Treehugger and the video below to find out directly from the Director-General of the International Co-operative Alliance why "the cooperative movement is gaining traction, and why it could be the fastest-growing enterprise model by the end of this decade." (Hint: it has a little to do with how strong the model is compared to some of the other *cough*corporate*cough* models which haven't performed so well recently.) [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=96EOrGPJfk8]

Did you know that October is Co-op Month? It's a time to celebrate all kinds of cooperatively owned businesses, from producer-owned co-ops where the makers of the goods or providers of the services own the business to consumer-owned co-ops like the one we're trying to start in South Philly. By now you've heard plenty about why some of the folks who are working so hard to start the South Philly Food Co-op want to make this happen and in the coming months we hope to bring you some stories from people have become one of over a 100 members so far. For a great perspective on why co-ops are important, check out this link that one of our board members, Stephanie Rupertus, shared yesterday. It comes from Alison Grey, the marketing coordinator for the Community Food Co-op in Bozeman, Montana (which seems like it must be an AWESOME place to live). Here's my favorite part:

The more I shopped here, the more I realized how different the cooperative business model really was. I had always figured it operated the same way as any other business: with one all knowing and dictating owner, some dutiful employees and unquestioning customers. It could not have been any different. I learned our co-op is equally owned and operated by all of its members, an economic democracy of sorts. I was literally voting with my fork, or spoon for that matter. And eating was fun, so I could rejoice in this cause. Since my days of operating lemonade stands and posting huge profit margins on my products (hey, I didn’t care about ripping off my customers), I had never considered business ownership as part of my future plans. Now, as a part-owner, I had an equal say in the co-op’s operations and future, and that felt good. No one was forcing me to participate, but when I had a problem or suggestion, someone here might actually listen to me. I had a choice about what I was purchasing and as a consumer, this was empowering.

Oh... and lucky for them... they get to sell wine in their co-op. (Maybe some day, Pennsylvania!) Looking forward to seeing all of our member-owners tomorrow night TONIGHT, TONIGHT, TONIGHT at the Fall General Membership meeting. The meeting is open to member-owners and non-member-owners alike so if you're thinking about joining or just want to see what we're up to come on along. Member-owners will be exercising their rights to vote on by-laws and anyone can become a member-owner on the spot and participate. Time and Location Details: Monday, October 17th, 6:30 – 8:00pm The Church of the Trinity 2300 S. 18th Street (on 18th Street between Wolf and Ritner).

Did you know that October is Co-op Month? It's a time to celebrate all kinds of cooperatively owned businesses, from producer-owned co-ops where the makers of the goods or providers of the services own the business to consumer-owned co-ops like the one we're trying to start in South Philly. By now you've heard plenty about why some of the folks who are working so hard to start the South Philly Food Co-op want to make this happen and in the coming months we hope to bring you some stories from people have become one of over a 100 members so far. For a great perspective on why co-ops are important, check out this link that one of our board members, Stephanie Rupertus, shared yesterday. It comes from Alison Grey, the marketing coordinator for the Community Food Co-op in Bozeman, Montana (which seems like it must be an AWESOME place to live). Here's my favorite part:

The more I shopped here, the more I realized how different the cooperative business model really was. I had always figured it operated the same way as any other business: with one all knowing and dictating owner, some dutiful employees and unquestioning customers. It could not have been any different. I learned our co-op is equally owned and operated by all of its members, an economic democracy of sorts. I was literally voting with my fork, or spoon for that matter. And eating was fun, so I could rejoice in this cause. Since my days of operating lemonade stands and posting huge profit margins on my products (hey, I didn’t care about ripping off my customers), I had never considered business ownership as part of my future plans. Now, as a part-owner, I had an equal say in the co-op’s operations and future, and that felt good. No one was forcing me to participate, but when I had a problem or suggestion, someone here might actually listen to me. I had a choice about what I was purchasing and as a consumer, this was empowering.

Oh... and lucky for them... they get to sell wine in their co-op. (Maybe some day, Pennsylvania!) Looking forward to seeing all of our member-owners tomorrow night TONIGHT, TONIGHT, TONIGHT at the Fall General Membership meeting. The meeting is open to member-owners and non-member-owners alike so if you're thinking about joining or just want to see what we're up to come on along. Member-owners will be exercising their rights to vote on by-laws and anyone can become a member-owner on the spot and participate. Time and Location Details: Monday, October 17th, 6:30 – 8:00pm The Church of the Trinity 2300 S. 18th Street (on 18th Street between Wolf and Ritner).

Almost exactly one month ago, I wrote about how important it was for us to reach 250 member-owner households. Admittedly, I was a little nervous when the immediate response was six "unsubscribes" from the email list. But a day or two later, the new member-owner applications and payments came rolling in. Since then nearly 20 people answered that call and helped boost us from 86 to the 104 member-owner households we have today. If we have any shot at achieving our near-term goal of 250 in 6 months (by the first day of Spring 2012), then we need you to become one of our 250 Founding Members. The full member equity amount is $200 (that's it... for life) and can be paid in small installments over the next 15 months. Thank you to everyone who has already become a member and to our many wonderful committee members and volunteers. On behalf of the Board and our committees I also want to extend a special note of thanks to the The Energy Cooperative and everyone who mentioned the South Philly Food Co-op when they switched to locally produced, cooperatively owned, renewable energy. For the twenty-six referrals, The Energy Cooperative is donating $520 to us. That's as close to a win-win-win situation as you're going to get! We're looking forward to seeing everyone at the member-owner meeting on the 17th. Remember, the sooner you become a member-owner, the sooner we can start the process of looking for a location! And if you need some inspiration as autumn marches on and days get shorter, check out the video below and remind yourself why you want a cooperatively owned grocery store in your neighborhood. Sincerely, Alison L. Fritz President, Board of Directors, South Philly Food Co-op [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PoIO2ze8GS4]

Almost exactly one month ago, I wrote about how important it was for us to reach 250 member-owner households. Admittedly, I was a little nervous when the immediate response was six "unsubscribes" from the email list. But a day or two later, the new member-owner applications and payments came rolling in. Since then nearly 20 people answered that call and helped boost us from 86 to the 104 member-owner households we have today. If we have any shot at achieving our near-term goal of 250 in 6 months (by the first day of Spring 2012), then we need you to become one of our 250 Founding Members. The full member equity amount is $200 (that's it... for life) and can be paid in small installments over the next 15 months. Thank you to everyone who has already become a member and to our many wonderful committee members and volunteers. On behalf of the Board and our committees I also want to extend a special note of thanks to the The Energy Cooperative and everyone who mentioned the South Philly Food Co-op when they switched to locally produced, cooperatively owned, renewable energy. For the twenty-six referrals, The Energy Cooperative is donating $520 to us. That's as close to a win-win-win situation as you're going to get! We're looking forward to seeing everyone at the member-owner meeting on the 17th. Remember, the sooner you become a member-owner, the sooner we can start the process of looking for a location! And if you need some inspiration as autumn marches on and days get shorter, check out the video below and remind yourself why you want a cooperatively owned grocery store in your neighborhood. Sincerely, Alison L. Fritz President, Board of Directors, South Philly Food Co-op [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PoIO2ze8GS4]

Hi folks! Sarah is taking the week off from writing about her awesome garden this week. She assures us that it is still thriving and that she is getting ready for the fall harvest. We'll have another installment of Sarah's Garden next week for your enjoyment. In the meantime, we should mention that Sarah herself is a a member-owner of the South Philly Food Co-op. Join Sarah and our other fantastic blogging member-owners (like Rose) and become a member-owner today. You can be counted as one of our 250 Founding Members and get us to our next goal which will allow us to start the process of - get this - looking for a location! Click here to find out how to join. And don't think that other people are going to get this done for you. If you don't join, there's a reasonably good chance that this co-op just won't happen.

Hi folks! Sarah is taking the week off from writing about her awesome garden this week. She assures us that it is still thriving and that she is getting ready for the fall harvest. We'll have another installment of Sarah's Garden next week for your enjoyment. In the meantime, we should mention that Sarah herself is a a member-owner of the South Philly Food Co-op. Join Sarah and our other fantastic blogging member-owners (like Rose) and become a member-owner today. You can be counted as one of our 250 Founding Members and get us to our next goal which will allow us to start the process of - get this - looking for a location! Click here to find out how to join. And don't think that other people are going to get this done for you. If you don't join, there's a reasonably good chance that this co-op just won't happen.

Treehugger.com is a great website to get news about all different aspects of environmental policy, clean energy innovations and climate change implications. Recently I came across a post about the growing trend of organic and local food showing up on the shelves and in the bins of major grocery chains. While this is a welcome change, it still leaves a lot of questions like how local is local? Are the organic foods raised in a sustainable and environmentally sensitive way? It's important to remember that the bottom line for the grocery chains is exactly that... the bottom line. Profit. Organic and local are "in" right now. The general public is picking up on it and increasing their demand for these products. Large food retailers are only too happy to jump in and provide these goods at a premium price (for what may actually be cheaper for them to purchase given savings on transportation costs). A food co-op that carries local, organic and sustainably produced foods has a different motivation. For a food co-op devoted to carrying these products as part of its mission there really is no choice but to carry local, organic and sustainably produced foods. On top of that, the food co-op seeks to educated consumers about why these "buzz words" are actually important to the overall environment and to their own public health. Finally, the co-op seeks to make the connection between consumers and the source of their food. Offering "local" is great. But offering tomatoes from "XYZ Farm in Bucks County, owned by John Doe who has been raising his tomatoes in such and such fashion" tells the story behind the food. And if we can't raise our own tomatoes (and have our own stories), then knowing the story behind the tomatoes we do eat is almost as good.  

Treehugger.com is a great website to get news about all different aspects of environmental policy, clean energy innovations and climate change implications. Recently I came across a post about the growing trend of organic and local food showing up on the shelves and in the bins of major grocery chains. While this is a welcome change, it still leaves a lot of questions like how local is local? Are the organic foods raised in a sustainable and environmentally sensitive way? It's important to remember that the bottom line for the grocery chains is exactly that... the bottom line. Profit. Organic and local are "in" right now. The general public is picking up on it and increasing their demand for these products. Large food retailers are only too happy to jump in and provide these goods at a premium price (for what may actually be cheaper for them to purchase given savings on transportation costs). A food co-op that carries local, organic and sustainably produced foods has a different motivation. For a food co-op devoted to carrying these products as part of its mission there really is no choice but to carry local, organic and sustainably produced foods. On top of that, the food co-op seeks to educated consumers about why these "buzz words" are actually important to the overall environment and to their own public health. Finally, the co-op seeks to make the connection between consumers and the source of their food. Offering "local" is great. But offering tomatoes from "XYZ Farm in Bucks County, owned by John Doe who has been raising his tomatoes in such and such fashion" tells the story behind the food. And if we can't raise our own tomatoes (and have our own stories), then knowing the story behind the tomatoes we do eat is almost as good.