Envisioning our future Great Basin Food-Coop self.
By Armando Ornelas, board president
“Please share with us your best hopes and dreams for our co-op and local community. What do you want to see happening within the store and in the Reno area now, in five years, ten years, twenty years, fifty years, and beyond.”
In 2014, the Co-op’s board of directors posed this question to our members and staff. Our intent was to refresh our collective vision for the organization with a view towards serving our membership’s interests and growing the Co-op’s impact on our local food system and our community as a whole.
The visioning process kicked off on June 16th at the 2014 Love Your Farmer Dinner, where former board member Laura Fillmore announced the visioning process and asked for widespread engagement. Several meetings followed to solicit ideas and input from Co-op members, including our Hands-On Owners (HOOs) and the Co-op’s 20+ staff members. During each of these meetings attendees formed groups and were asked to brainstorm about their goals and vision for the Co-op. The subgroups then presented their ideas to the group as a whole. Out of these visioning meetings hundreds of comments and ideas were collected.
Over the last several months the Co-op’s current and former board members (Greta de Jong and Dagny Stapleton, in addition to Laura), in conjunction with our managers (Amber Sallaberry and former GM Jolene Cook), have sorted through, organized and synthesized the input. From this work a half dozen major themes clearly stood out:
The Co-op and the cooperative business model will GROW. Members envision the Co-op’s business model growing with satellite stores and additional locations throughout the Truckee Meadows and beyond. Members see “corner stores”, especially in low-income neighborhoods. Members also see the Co-op growing in its connection to the community; they want greater awareness of the Co-op and more shoppers. They see an increase in community partnerships with businesses, local governments and federal institutions, schools, and other co-ops. They also see the Co-op as a vehicle for education and information about eating seasonally, the sources of our food, its content and preparation. Members want to promote and expand the cooperative business model within our community. They also see the Co-op as an advocate for farmers and local food.
Competitive pricing with other grocery stores and accessibility for all. We heard over and over that members envision a co-op with more accessible prices. They desire prices low enough so that all can shop at GBCFC, but also so that GBCFC can become competitive with other natural foods stores AND conventional grocery stores. Members see themselves helping with this vision by sponsoring and subsidizing other members, raising awareness about the social and environmental costs of “cheap” processed food, and putting pressure on political leaders to change government policies that subsidize industrial food production and leave small farmers out in the cold. Members also envision cultural accessibility: outreach to diverse neighborhoods and a varied selection of foods that will cater to different traditions and ways of cooking, eating, and shopping.
The Co-op will carry more sustainably produced foods, local food and healthy food. The original vision of the Co-op as a marketplace for local farmers and producers and a place where the community has access to healthy food is a reality but Co-op members envision expanding this in the future. They see deeper connections with producers and even more local, organic and sustainably produced products. Some members would like to see a butcher shop or an expanded fresh meats section while others envision an all vegan co-op. Members see increased support for local farmers, growers, and producers. They see a farmer/producer co-op, a delivery truck and distribution system, and DROPP growing.
The Co-op leads the way in encouraging sustainable practices both in stewardship of the environment and community development. Though many already see the GBCFC as the leader in our community for sustainability, members envision this commitment deepening and a continued increase in practices that will nurture our food shed and our planet. Members see shelves with little to no packaging and more opportunities for recycling, including of all food waste in our community. Members also envision the Co-op leading the community to glean more locally grown food that may be going to waste (e.g., from fruit trees) and more urban farming (e.g., on vacant lots) and community gardens.
The Co-op has a café and encourages more restaurants in the region to carry local and organic food. The Co-op community café is dream that GBCFC members have been discussing for years. Members envision a café upstairs but also envision the Co-op opening other cafes and supporting more restaurants in the community to prepare local and organic food. Members see a big prepared foods section, a deli, juice bar, and even a Co-op food truck! Members see a future where many more restaurants in our region feature local food.
The Co-op itself is a sustainable business and cooperative and sustainable place to work. Co-op members see that GBCFC must sustain itself as an economically viable business that grows responsibly and is adaptable to change. Co-op members and staff envision GBCFC staff as a cohesive group who is a steward of the mission and the products. They see GBCFC as an employer that provides a living wage and benefits and is an overall fantastic place to work. They also envision the Co-op as an organization that has strong, consistent leadership.
Now Hiring for a Prepared Foods Department Leader. Please submit applications and resumes to humanresources@greatbasinfood.coop by Friday June 12th.
Help us change the way the world eats: fresh food entrepreneur desired for one of the nation's fastest growing food co-ops! Results-based individual sought to oversee all phases of prepared foods department with a strong focus on local, organic, and fresh foods. Ability to provide great tasting choices for all types of dietary diversity a must.
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Our mailing address is:
240 Court St. Reno, NV 89501 (775) 324-6133 - www.greatbasinfood.coop
