December 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.
December Update on Store and Progress on Ends
Working Together to Nourish our Community
Store Update
November was all about giving thanks, whether it was for the amazing food we grow here in Jeffco, our friends and family, or for the people we work with. I want to express my gratitude for the staff at the Co-op, who worked tirelessly preparing for the holidays and did it all with grace and a smile—well done, team!
In November, our marketing and outreach efforts focused on deepening community impact while driving meaningful engagement with shoppers. Our "Rake in the Savings" campaign ran from November 5 through December 2, highlighting Field Day’s Everyday Low-Price items and linking value with purpose. For every Field Day product purchased, the Co-op donated 5¢ to two Indigenous-led organizations—Longhouse for the People and North American Traditional Indigenous Food Systems (NATIFS)—bringing community support directly into everyday purchases. To complement this, we ran an in-store food drive, encouraging shoppers to take advantage of these deeper discounts while also donating food to support local food banks. (For more information about NATIFS, see https://natifs.org. For information on Longhouse for the People, see https://www.thetamanowasfoundation.org/.)
Our register roundup program, Change for Change, directed all November donations to the Jefferson County Food Bank Association, further strengthening our food security partnerships. In addition, the winter issue of Around the Table, themed Rising with Purpose, featured a $10 off $100 member coupon, helping members shop with intention during the holiday season while reinforcing the value of Co-op ownership.
During 2025, we added 41 new Co-op Basics products from the Field Day/Wild Harvest lines to our shelves. In 2024, these Co-op Basics items (over 270) generated 2.4% of our sales, with more than 176,000 single items sold. (See https://www.foodcoop.coop/ways-to-save for more on Co-op Basics.)
Ends Update
Local
We have two new Local 5 seasonal beers: Chimacum Valley Brewery Winter Storm Oat Stout and Propolis Lemon Balm Pale Ale.
Our recent store reset allowed us to showcase our locally sourced canned fish. Katfish Salmon recently brought us a boatload of canned salmon. Kat started Katfish Salmon Company in 2020, with the goal of providing the PNW with “high quality, traceable seafood directly from the fisherman to the consumer.” This goal includes addressing barriers to food justice within her own community, both through her Fish Club Captain program and by working with local SNAP coordinators to develop wholesale contracts geared at getting high-quality protein sources into local food banks. (See https://www.katfishsalmonco.com/ to learn more.)
We have 15 new Island Thyme personal care products—travel sizes of existing favorites and some gift bags for the holidays.
Finally, with Farmer Fund applications open, we conducted targeted outreach to our local producers, ensuring they were aware of the opportunity and had support in applying. This outreach reflects our ongoing commitment to strengthening the local food system and supporting those who grow our food.
People
We hosted a "Talk with the Nutritionist" event featuring Mary Purdy, which offered helpful insights on nutrition and health while connecting community members through shared learning. Another highlight was a store tour for 70 kindergarteners from Salish Coast Elementary. As part of our “Co-op Explorers” experience, we introduced students to what a cooperative is, explored organic food concepts, participated in the ABC program, and sent each child home with a Co-op Explorers Veggie Booklet to extend the learning at home.
In November, we were able to give our staff a payout of just over $92,000 through our profit-sharing program. This program tracks profitability over 12 months, and we share half of the profits with staff, based upon their hours worked during that period. We deeply appreciate everyone’s hard work, teamwork, and commitment to making the Co-op thrive. All staff also received an additional $50 for the holidays season regardless of how long they’ve worked here.
Safety: Earlier this fall, we requested WA Department of Labor and Industries assess the store’s safety conditions and make recommendations for improvements. The final report, posted in the break room as required, found no serious hazards, although we did get some ideas for additional Standing Operating Procedures for the Accident Prevention Program.
Yours in community,
Kenna
