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Food For Thought
NEWSLETTER OF THE LOS ALAMOS COOPERATIVE MARKET
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Greetings!
Member Survey Data is in! You can find it and other articles, including our Beer Dinner Auction Fundraiser, in this newsletter. You will also find links to a variety of news in our Departments as well as what our Website has to offer. Thank you for your time. Enjoy!
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Welcome Teo, the Co-op's New Grocery Manager
 I'd like to introduce our newest management team member Teo Insogna. Teo joins our team as the new grocery manager. He is replacing Matt Dreier who's leaving to join his wife who took a job in Columbia, Missouri. Teo brings a wealth of experience to the co-op having worked in grocery operations for 14 years-7 of those with La Montanita Co-op. Teo's merchandising and purchasing experience will have a positive impact on the co-op's value image and product selection. Please stop and introduce yourself when you see Teo in the aisles.
-Steve Watts, General Manager
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Member Survey Results
The inaugural Member Survey results are in and have been reviewed by the management team. The survey will be made available to the Board this month. We will roll out results throughout the summer's issues of the newsletter and begin to address some of the issues raised by the survey.
Please Click Here to view a pdf version of this article including, which includes a graph and table.
We had 541 members give their input on issues from why they shop the co-op to opinions on selection, quality and pricing to perceptions of the shopping experience. Generally, the co-op scored very well in customer service, food quality, and store cleanliness/ambiance. The co-op scored lower in perceptions relating to price, location and selection. The chart of results from the survey question, "Please rate the Los Alamos Co-op in terms of how well it is meeting your needs with respect to the following store characteristics," can be found HERE. Prices are always the most contentious issue in a natural food co-op. Apparently the Los Alamos Co-op is no different from other co-ops throughout the country. We realize that, while we'll never be a low price leader in our community, we understand that we have to pay attention to the value we deliver. Our food is the highest quality that we can source, from ethical farmers, companies and manufacturers, whom are paid a fair price for their goods. Additionally, we try to source as much locally produced products (and services) as possible, while paying a living wage with benefits to ALL of our employees. Through our membership with the National Cooperative Grocer's Association (NCGA), we and 128 other food cooperatives throughout the United States combine our buying power to keep prices competitive. This summer, NCGA will roll out several new promotional programs designed to make us even more price competitive. Look for information in our next two newsletters detailing programs for New Item introductions, Door Buster Specials and more Co+op Deals! Thank you for your participation! -Steve Watts, General Manager
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Beer Dinner Fundraiser Auction
Support the Los Alamos Youth Food Project and the Los Alamos Beer Cooperative.
We saved a table (4 seats) for our Beer Dinner (Wednesday, May 30th at 6pm) to be auctioned off to support the Los Alamos Youth Food Project and the Los Alamos Beer Cooperative (in the beginning stages).
The starting bid is base ticket price ($140).
To bid, please write in at the Front Desk or email outreach@losalamos.coop.
Click Here or drop by the store for more information about our Beer Dinner.
Beer Dinner Location: Los Alamos Co-op
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The Co-op and LA Singletrack Assoc. to Host Bike Swap
Sunday, June 10th 11am to 3pm
 Sunday June 10th from 11AM to 3PM your co-op will host our inaugural Bike Swap. Held in conjunction with the Los Alamos Singletrack Association (LASA), an International Mountain Biking Association affiliated club, the bike swap will feature an opportunity for bicycle enthusiasts to sell and buy quality used (and some new) bicycles, parts and accessories. The Bike Swap, fashioned after the Santa Fe Ski Swap, will be partly a fundraiser for LASA, a 501(c)(3), and an opportunity for LASA to present their goals to the community. In addition to the swap, other activities will include a bicycle safety check, a bike oriented raffle, food to purchase from our outdoor grill, and a tike race for kids. Stay tuned for details to follow via our website, FB and posters inside the store or email gm@losalamos.coop please.
-Steve Watts, General Manager
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Refrigeration Update:
Problems Resolved
A s many of you are aware, late March and early April were fraught with refrigeration issues in our meat & cheese department. We hired a new refrigeration company to take on the challenge of solving the issues and continued maintenance of all our refrigeration. We are happy to report that we have solved the problems we had with the meat and cheese case, averted a potential breakdown of our produce case, and have resolved issues of energy efficiency in our freezers.
The losses suffered by the Co-op were fortunately covered by our insurance. We had a total of six claims with our insurance; two each for product loss, equipment breakdown and loss of business (profit). We were able to recoup just over $15,500 for these losses. These adjustment payments will assure that we sustain our growth in sales and profitability we have forecast in our 2012 budget. Thank you to all of our members and customers who were patient and more than understanding when our cases were out of order.
-Steve Watts, General Manager
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Co-op Values & Principles
Co-ops are based on values not unlike those we subscribe to individually, including self-responsibility, democracy, equality, honesty and social responsibility.
In addition to these common values, seven basic principles serve as guidelines to provide a democratic structure for co-ops around the world. While adoption of these principles is not required, most co-ops choose to adopt them for their business.
The seven principles are:
Ownership (who owns the co-op)
1. Voluntary and open membership
2. Democratic member control
Decision making (how decisions are made in a co-op)
3. Member economic participation
4. Autonomy and independence
Special Practices (the ways co-ops put their beliefs into action)
5. Education, training and information
6. Cooperation among cooperatives
7. Concern for community
Material provided by StrongerTogether
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Sincerely,
Sandra West
Los Alamos Co-op |
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+Annual Meeting Results
+2012 Goals+Co-op Solar!
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Co-opRocks!
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Saturday May 19th 7-Midnight
Join us for this rockin' event including 5 bands, 2 DJ's, art, and more! Location: Los Alamos, NM (UNM-LA Student Union Building)
Admission: FREE! Check out our website and Facebook page for details. Can You Help? We need volunteers for this event. Please email outreach@losalamos
.coop if you are able to volunteer for Co-opRocks! __________________
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What does our website offer?
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Meet our Raven. He gives you information and/or specials, but sometimes the raven is tricky.
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Know our Specials from Your Home? Produce specials (available for everyone) are listed on the home page, and the full list of produce specials including member specials can be found by (1) clicking the "Specials" link on the home page or (2) going to Departments drop-down tab and clicking on "Produce/Floral."Try a Recipe! You can find 5 recipes featuring produce and other items we have in the store. We change the recipes to reflect season, local products, and our current selection. Find the recipes by going to Departments drop-down tab and clicking on "Produce/Floral."Learn about upcoming classes and events. Check out our Events drop-down tab to find our searchable "Calendar," and a list of "Upcoming Events." Meet our Board. Learn about upcoming board meetings, see a list of our current board members, and more. Hover over our Member drop-down tab and click "Board Members."Learn about our other Programs. Learn about Bulk Purchasing, our Restaurant/Vendor Program, Outreach & Education Program, Volunteer Program, and how we work to be Sustainable (more coming soon to this page). Hover over our Programs drop-down tab and click on the program of interest. Coming Soon: Online Registration for classes and to become a member. __________________
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