GM Report
by Kenna S. Eaton
Each month, I report to the board on what is happening in the store as well as our progress on our long-term goals, which we call our Ends. These Ends reflect our aspirations—what we want to accomplish—and they are part of what makes us different from a regular grocery store. We publish these reports as a blog to keep our member-owners up to date on what we are doing.
Our Ends
The general manager strives to provide these benefits to our member-owners and community while operating a strong grocery store:
• Strengthen and advocate for our local food system, with a vibrant culture of appreciation and support for local farms and producers.
• Treat people well, increasing equity and access by providing a safe, welcoming, and educational environment.
• Treat the planet well, by modeling environmental stewardship and regularly sharing our accomplishments and challenges with member-owners.
February Update on Store and Progress on Ends
Working Together to Nourish our Community
Store Update
Our members continued to donate generously at the register during November and December, raising over $20,000, which we in turn passed on to the Jefferson County Area Food Banks for their new “Food Fund.” Check out https://jcfba.org/food-fund to learn more. Many thanks to our shoppers, who truly help us nourish our community.
Ends Update
Local
Congratulations to this year’s Farmer Fund recipients, a diverse representation of our vibrant agricultural community. Our Community Engagement Committee, comprised of staff, board, and community members, deliberated and reviewed 43 grant applications, and they are pleased to announce this year’s grant winners: Grey Fox Farm, One Straw Ranch, Food Bank Growers, Quimper Grange, Woodbridge Farm, Salish Coast Production Garden, Midori Farm, Kodama Farm, Red Dog, Mystery Bay, Friends of the Trees, Spring Rain Farms, and Chimacum Valley Dairy. And deep appreciation to all our farmers and producers for your dedication to growing fresh, nutritious food and for embodying the spirit of regenerative and sustainable farming. Together, you are strengthening the resilience of our local food system and nourishing our community!
Local 5: In January, we look back at our local numbers for the previous year. Over 2024, our Local 5 purchases from farmers and producers increased from 11% to 12% of our total purchases, and 35% of our farmers and producers were Local 5.
With the hard work of our egg producers, we have been able to offer more eggs and reduce the gap in local egg availability. In 2024 we had local eggs to offer for sale every day, except for eight days. We purchased and sold over 11,000 dozen Local 5 chicken, duck, and quail eggs! This is 19% of our total egg sales. Most of the other eggs we sell are Local WA. 2024 sales of Local 5 eggs were up 35-40% over both 2022 and 2023. Currently, One Straw Ranch and Solstice Family Farm deliver eggs every week. Sid's Cackleberries, Chicken & Egg, SpringRain Farm, and Twin Cedars Farm deliver less frequently, depending on their availability.
Our 2024 purchases through Puget Sound Food Hub increased by 30% over 2023. The biggest increases came from expanding our selection of western WA cheeses, Shen Zen kombuchas, and Samish Bay yogurts.
New local products this year include Chimacum Valley Grainery whole spelt kernels in bulk, plus their yummy bread; Miracle Morsels seasonal nutty maple crunch granola; and Lummi Island wild pink salmon in olive oil. Lummi Island Wild is a co-op and we are purchasing their products through the Puget Sound Food Hub, another co-op! We expect to increase our Chimacum Valley Grainery bread purchases by 25% later this month.
People
In mid-January, all managers attended a “Workplace Harassment Awareness: DEI Focused” training session. This training intertwined diversity, equity, and inclusion principles with an anti-harassment awareness, allowing us to foster psychological safety. Scheduled for the upcoming months are other workplace focused management DEI(B)trainings, as well as a visit from Kevin Henry, our DEI consultant.
Yours in community,
Kenna
