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Local Investment

local investment One of the beauties of the cooperative business model is that local people invest in a local business, and that local business invests in the local community.

This was the standard model in our country for most businesses 100 years ago. But things changed dramatically after the 1st World War when foreign trade began to play an ever bigger role in our economy. Then the first Meijer Superstore opened in Grand Rapids, Michigan in 1962 Then Wal-Mart took it to a new level when they opened their first superstore in 1988.

But where it is leading us economically? Charles Hugh Smith, proprietor of the esteemed weblog OfTwoMinds.com, sees the path to future prosperity in removing capital from the Wall Siden det er umulig a sla sa er den beste Keno strategien a bare nyte tiden du spiller og finne gode casinoer a spille det hos (se listen ovenfor). Street machine and investing it into local enterprise within the community in which you live.

This comment was on Chris Martenson's most recent newsletter in an article entitled, “Why Local Enterprise is the Solution”. Here is what Smith thinks:

“We have to solve our own problems. The savior state and these institutions are not going to reform themselves and they are not reformable in any way that is meaningful. And so, I think what we’re talking about is taking your capital, which is your human capital, your skills and your experience; your social capital, the people you know and trust that you’ve created in life; and your financial capital and investing them in local solutions. Things that people need, like energy and food and shelter and a low energy lifestyle.”

This is why, in their planning for an expanded store, the Strategic Planning Committee and the Board are working hard to have local investment as the financial driver behind the expansion. They know that there are enough people in our community who see things the same way and are looking for the investment vehicle.

We're going to give it to them!

Read the rest of Charles Hugh Smith's article here – it's worth the read.
“Why Local Enterprise is the Solution”

GO CO-OP!

Growing Local – It’s Happening!

Focus on Food is a series of events that starts Saturday, Augusr 20th and concludes with a pot luck meal and meeting Oct. 14 at The Washington Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Olympia and a food summit Oct. 15 at the Thurston County Fairgrounds in Lacey.

What's it all about? One of the organizers, TJ Johnson, a Board member of the Olympia Food Co-op, puts mobile.ae.org it this way:

, more resilient to climate change and less vulnerable to rising fuel and food prices, noted Johnson, a former Olympia City Council member who now works full time trying to create a more sustainable, local food supply for a Thurston County population that is projected to grow by more than 120,000 people in the next 20 years.

We want to take control of our food future as a community.

This is what we have been dreaming off since the Yelm Food Co-op opened in 2007. and now it's happening and we will be a part of it!

Special Event – Friday 19th August

Come sample Healthforce Nutritional products at the store on F

riday 19th August from 4 pm – 7 pm. Doug will have smoothies and his expertise to share.

New at the Co-op

Against The Grain: Restaurant sized Three Cheese Gluten Free Pizza. These 12-inch pizzas are cheesy and brimming with taste. http://www.againstthegraingourmet.com/atgg/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/prod-pizza.png

Fentimans: Botanically brewed beverages have delighted people since 1905. Bold and interesting recipes include roots, bark & flowers. Try Rose Lemonade, Orange Jigger, Dandelion & Burdock. http://www.drinkfentimans.com

le=”text-decoration: underline;”>Ozery’s ONEBUN: Why eat all that extra bread, try these pre-sliced whole wheat multi-grain thin buns, great for sandwiches, burgers, pizzas, hot dogs and more. http://ca.ozerybakeryinc.com/products/onebun/multigrain

Nomato Ketchup: Will add variety to any menu and may be appropriate for people with acid reflux, tomato allergies, chemotherapy, arthritis, kidney dialysis, and many other conditions that require a tomato-free diet. www.nomato.com

We take your body seriously

You can be sure when you buy health and beauty products at the Yelm Food Co-op, they have been selected as the most toxin-free available. We mark each item from the Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep Database

, www.cosmeticdatabase.com #0-#2 Low Hazard, #3-#6 Moderate Hazard, #7-#10 High Hazard. Newly researched items arriving Monday. We take your body seriously.

Why Buy Organic?

Kids are sometimes the best teachers because they like to ask questions and then tell the right answer!

Here's a sweet young lady who decided to ask the question, “Why Buy Organic?”

Here's what she discovered:

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Makes you think, doesn't it? That's why your Co-op puts a lot of value on local and ogranic and will always do so.

Is the Co-op too Expensive?

Recently one of our staff met some friends shopping in another local grocery store and got into the conversation as to why they didn't shop at the Co-op instead.

The answer was, in short, that our prices are too high. That drove them to shop at a large supermarket that does sometimes have better prices because they buy in enormous volumes nationwide; but their profits flow out of Yelm back to their home state providing little long-term benefit to Yelm.

This conversation was passed on to our past Store Manager, and present Board of Directors Vice-President, Aaron Rodgriguez. His reply beautifully responds to the issue which has been one we have heard since we opened the store in 2007. Here is his reply to our staff member regarding her friend's comments:

“Do these people live in Yelm? If so, ask them if they know what it means to their community to support the YFC. Whole Foods is significantly more expensive than we are so I would ask that person to cost compare us.

For the person who says we are too small, tell him or her that the more members we have the more support exists to move to a larger space. If they shop at Oly Co-op let them know that it took Oly 10 years to add the second store and we are in year 4 and looking to move.

At the end of the day, we can't convert everybody, so let them know that you will still be their friend even after we move to our new location with all of the wonderful space and amenities but that you will never let them forget how short sighted they were ; )

Also let them know that shopping at the Co-op is investing in the growth and prosperity of Yelm and if

they can't see that then they can continue to shop at Safeway until the distribution channels are interrupted and food no longer appears on the shelves as readily as it once did and that priority will be given to those who have shared the vision of the Co-op from the beginning.

ventes aux encheres en ligne

Lastly, feel free to tell them that they could easily volunteer 5 hours a week and receive a 20% discount on groceries that would make us the best deal in town.”

Part of the reason we are driving hard towards expansion is to be able to buy in larger quantities and to be able to take advantage of supplier specials which will allow us to pass on the savings to our members and customers and at the same time allow us to maintain the margins we need to pay for more staff, buy equipment, maintain what we have, modernize systems, etc, etc in order to provide ever better levels of service and improve the shopping experience for everyone.

The larger stores also have the ability to spread their margin requirements across a wider range of products many of which do not meet the rigorous quality standards that we have set for our products. Your store's motto follows our mission statement of providing the highest quality merchandise that we can. It has never been “Always Low Prices!”, it has always been
“Always Best Products!”.

Please hang in there with us as so many of you have from our very modest beginnings in April 2007. Your continued patronage and support through member fees and donations and volunteering will help us grow our store to the level we all want to see it at.

Go Co-op!

You Do NOT Want to Miss This!

September 18th, 2011, a day that will live in the history of your Co-op, is the day of our next Annual Meeting.

It will be at 2 p.m. at the Yelm Senior Center on 103rd, just past the intersection with Creek Street.

You want to be here because you will be voting for the new Board of Directors who will be leading your Co-op into the exciting future of 2012 and beyond.

You'll get to hear a re-cap of the year's activities and the details of your store's amazing growth! There will also be updates on the initial exploration of a new site for the store so that we can serve you even better.

Don't miss this! Put the date Sept 18, 2pm in your calendar today.

This is YOUR Co-op – Your store – You are an Owner – Let Your Voice Be Heard!

Go Co-op!

This Sunday July 10th at the Co-op:

Gary Di Donato has spent years researching many types of healing modalities. He spends the second Sunday of each month at the store, ONLINE SKRABELODDER spilleautomater -BONUSSER PROV GRATIS ? DE BEDSTE KASINOER ? O BETSAFE O BETWAY O spilleautomater EURO O UNIBET O BETFAIR O PARTY spilleautomater O BET365 O EU spilleautomater Du behover ikke l?ngere at lede efter skrabelodder pa gaden. answering nutritional questions. We are open from 12 pm to 5 pm on Sundays.

Check out samples of our many new products. See you at the store.

The Grapevine – Number 2

Here is the 2nd issue of our new newsletter called The Grapevine. We are very proud of this – it is informative, beautiful and fun to create!

This issue covers some great stuff:

=> Changes in management – Our new Co-Store Managers
=> Expansion plans and where we are headed
=> Fundraising activities
=> Buyer’s Bite – what’s new in the sore
=> The Vegan Corner
=> …and lots more

Get your copy of the latest The Grapevine here:
YFC Grapevine Volume1 Issue2

You will need Adobe Reader to view the newsletter. You can get a free version here: Adobe Reader 10.1

Or copy and paste this link into your browser:
http://www.adobe.com/support/downloads/thankyou.jsp?ftpID=5138&fileID=4767

Yelm Food Co-op celebrates Ice Cream!

Even if the sun isn’t out just yet, come see our amazing selection of ice creams.

Tallenti’s Pistachio, Caramel Sea Salt, Double Chocolate and Raspberry Sorbet; Reeds Ginger Ice Cream; Three Twins Organic Cardamom; Laloo’s Goat Vanilla and Chocolate Ice Creams; Larry & Luna’s Dairy Free Coconut Vanilla and Chocolate Ice Creams; Living Harvest Dairy Free Tempt Hemp Vanilla and Coffee Biscotti Ice Creams; Dairy Free Rice Dream Vanilla Bites; So Delicious Coconut Sandwiches; Jolly Llama Sorbet Squeeze Ups; Gluten Free; along with a whole display of Julie’s and Alden’s Organic Ice Creams, Bars and Sandwiches.

Whatever your taste….we’ve got you covered.

Help Your Co-op! Fundraiser for Marketing Study

fundraiser

As you know, the Co-op Strategic Planning Committee is in the initial phases of planning for store expansion. The replies we got from you in our survey earlier this year were overwhelming in favor of a bigger store (68%). To accomplish this there are certain steps that we and the Board of Directors must take in order to assure all of the member/owners that the expansion can be accomplished with minimum levels of risk.

One of the things we have been doing is consulting with Co-op experts, both at the Northwest Cooperative Development Center (NWCDC) in Olympia and the Cooperative Development Services (CDS) in Minneapolis, Minn. Both have long histories working with cooperatives in all aspects of the business: start-up, expansion, marketing, management, capitalization, membership, financial feasibility, store design and so on.

We are working with the NWCDC on a preliminary cost analysis which will be done by the end of June. This study is financed by USDA Rural Development funds so we have NO out-of-pocket expense for this valuable work. Next, we need to have a detailed Market Analysis and Site Evaluation done by CDS and beyond that an Internal Readiness Study also by CDS. The Internal Readiness Study will evaluate and make recommendations on staffing the store and Board management. In addition, we will have them do a more in-depth Financial Feasibility Study. The detailed Market Analysis, Site Evaluation and Financial Feasibility Study will be required by all of the investors and lenders of major funding that we anticipate approaching for the expansion funds.

The total estimated cost of all of these studies combined is approximately $27,000.

To raise this money we are asking you, the member/owners of the Co-op to help by making any contribution you can.

We are looking at grants and loans that might be available to help us as well. But, this is YOUR store and it’s about the store’s FUTURE!

Your management is dedicated to growing the Co-op safely and wisely and results of these studies will help them in making the decisions necessary to fulfill all our goals.

Donations will be being accepted at the store starting June 1^st.

Thanks for your support.

Bill Wyman

Board President

Go Co-op!