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Store and Department News | Wheatsville Co-op
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The Latest News from Wheatsville

Vendor of the Month: Funky Mello

Meet Delisa and Zach, the husband and wife creators of Funky Mello! When they realized their food sensitivities were taking their joy away from food, they were determined to make dessert fun again. Just six months into dating, they started their marshmallow treat business and in 2021, introduced the WORLD'S FIRST plant-based, refrigerated marshmallow creme!

Funky Mello marshmallow cremes are a cleaner, tastier, and more versatile marshmallow for s'mores, fruit, coffee, and more! Their cremes are plant-based, vegan, gluten-free, and soy-free so anyone can enjoy this light, sweet treat.

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Co-op Partner Spotlight: La Riojana

How did La Riojana get started?

Four generations ago, in the 1940s, our ancestors, many of whom were wine growers from Italy, first came to the area of La Rioja in north west Argentina and decided to come together to make wine.
What started out as a small bodega, buying grapes to turn to wine, slowly grew as different families made La Rioja province their home and started planting their own vines.
Hundreds of families have followed in their footsteps, all working together to share their grapes and build what has become the La Riojana co-operative.

How big is the co-op now?

We have over 500 producer partners, many from families that have been part of the co-op since its beginning. Our members help to produce over four million cases of wine a year from over 4,000 hectares of vineyards. Over 80% of them are small-scale producers, with the majority owning no more than three hectares each.

La Riojana is one of the largest co-ops in Argentina and is currently ranked the country’s third largest wine exporter by volume. But for our growers, their families and communities, La Riojana means so much more than just the company to whom they sell their grapes.

  • They are the foundation to the winery’s success. Everything La Riojana does is based on providing help, support and services that allow our members and families to grow and prosper.
  • Co-operative principles are the fundamental philosophy of the business. Every member gets one vote in helping decide what the overall co-operative does regardless of size.
  • We guarantee to provide a higher than average market price for each member’s grapes.
  • We ensure they benefit from lower prices through collective purchasing of services and products, like diesel, fertiliser and frost insurance. We offer financial and credit support to help members through difficult times. We also offer our members technical and agricultural advice.
  • By working closely with our members, we are able to ensure that all our products, from wines, sparkling wines, grape juice, to olive oil, meet the highest quality standards.

Why is Fair Trade so important?

The Fair Trade Minimum Price guarantees growers and producers a fair price for their grapes, which aims to cover their average cost of sustainable production, or the market price, whichever is higher. They also receive the Fair Trade Premium, where wine producers and their commercial partners will pay additional money to help invest in social and economic initiatives in their communities.


How does La Riojana contribute to it’s community?

Argentina is still a developing country and large parts of its wine production relies on growers and their workers living and working in small, remote, rural, poor communities, with often basic local services. They are often in need of a constant water supply and clean drinking water in what can be hot, hostile and difficult conditions.

By following Fair Trade principles, we have been able to raise funds to invest in vital services, for not just our immediate La Riojana growers and workers, but for their families, friends and the wider communities in which they live.

To date, La Riojana has invested in over 30 different projects to benefit our members, workers and their families as well as our local communities. These projects include:
Education

  • Local Community Improvements 
  • Production Improvements
  • Healthcare
  • Socio-economic improvements
  • Administration & training

“Fair Trade allows us to expand our role in terms of social responsibility, it allows our workers who live in rural areas access to good standards of health and education, and also allows them to improve their general standard of living.” Rodolfo Griguol, chief winemaker

There are three projects that particularly stand out:

  • The Tilimuqui water project which has brought a reliable supply of fresh drinking water for the first time to the local community where many of Riojana’s workers and their families live. This project involved the building of a deep well, a reservoir and a water storage tank to provide enough pressure to serve the wider community.

“Before the water project we only had water every so often. We now have a water tank installed in our house giving us a reliable running water supply. Our community now has drinking water 24 hours a day, every day of the year.” — Rene Alejandro Garcia, vineyard worker

  • The Tilimuqui school project which funded the construction of the area’s first secondary school, therefore enabling teenage children in the area to stay in the community and has a current intake of over 400 children.

“The school has given me the opportunity to learn many new skills and a good education. When I leave school I want to study agricultural engineering and eventually work as an agricultural engineer.” — Angel Leonel Morales, Tilimuqui School student

  • Construction of a new health clinic started in 2016 to bring healthcare to 10,000 people living in the villages of Tilimuqui, Malliagasta and Riojana’s wider communities.


A few words from Wine Buyer Shane Shelton:

By bringing these wines to the US and selling them exclusively to co-ops, La Riojana hopes to continue to make a positive impact. This includes creating sustainable villages with solar power and organic certification for its farms. This is great and I haven’t even got to my favorite part, the wines!

They’re fantastic! The Malbec is medium bodied and exceptionally smooth. The Chardonnay is vibrant and delicate. The Cabernet Sauvignon is smooth and fruity. The Bonarda/Malbec blend is a smooth and medium-bodied wine.

All of the wines from La Riojana are fairly priced wines of exceptional quality. When you buy La Riojana you are getting more than just a great value, you’re also helping to make positive change. From co-op to co-op!

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Changes Coming to Your Delis

By Bill Bickford - General Manager

Two months ago, I shared with owners that there would be changes coming soon to Wheatsville’s  delis. In that email, I noted that significant shifts in sales patterns, ingredient costs, and the overall labor market have forced us to take a hard look at our deli operations. We found that certain menu items and programs no longer made economic sense for your co-op. Yet we also know that some of these items have dedicated fans, which makes the decision to move in a different direction both difficult and important to get right.

In the wake of that email, I received a variety of feedback regarding items people wanted to ensure were retained. So let me begin by addressing some things that are not changing:

  • Popcorn Tofu isn’t going anywhere! It will continue to be offered in all the formats you currently know and love with some exciting new ones added as well (more on that in a minute!).
  • Vegan donuts were recently relaunched, and we hope to further expand those offerings moving forward. Check out our Pumpkin Spice flavor if you haven’t already!
  • Several folks cited specific grab & go favorites that were important to them—especially our Gingered Tempeh Pasta Salad, Thai Pasta Salad, and Raw Deal, among others. There is no immediate change to our Grab & Go programs, so rest assured these items will all still be there!
  • There is also no pending change planned to our hot or salad bars, though we will continually explore new recipes to add variety or better meet your needs.

So we will still have you covered on our most popular items. Our hot bar and grab & go items make up 75% of deli sales, which means that the coming changes will ultimately impact a minority of the department.

“Friendly, Fast, and Fresh”

Where change is necessary is at our service counters. As stated in the prior email, our goal is to make our deli counter faster for customers and easier for staff. To do this, we need our staff to have fewer tasks to juggle, simplifying training and making daily operations smoother overall. And we want you, our customer, to be able to get in and out as quickly possible, respecting your limited time. Our mantra throughout this work has been to build something Friendly, Fast and Fresh.

All change comes with loss

In order to get there, we’ll need to reduce the number of unrelated tasks counter staff are responsible for and ensure those that remain are as efficient as possible—a change we believe ultimately benefits both staff and customers. But this also means that we must first let go of some things:

Custom sandwiches will be discontinued (with one major exception noted below). This is perhaps the most significant change, and I sympathize with the owners it will inevitably disappoint. I will personally mourn the loss of our BLT, just as I’m sure each reader will lament their own personal favorite. Unfortunately, our sandwich program is labor-intensive for staff, slow for customers, and requires a number of unique ingredients that prevent us from simplifying our menu. We simply cannot create capacity for a new program of any significance without this one first giving way.

Espresso drinks will become self-serve. Coffee technology has reached a point where a latte or cappuccino can be made without direct staff involvement and with minimal customer wait time. Our friends at Texas Coffee Traders, who have serviced our delis for decades, are procuring equipment that will allow customers to get barista-quality beverages at the touch of a button, complete with both dairy and non-dairy milk options. While this may feel unfamiliar at first, I can attest from experience that the end product is quite excellent! When this program is ready for launch, we will ensure co-op staff are available to familiarize customers with the new process.

Smoothies have already been discontinued at Guadalupe and soon will be at South Lamar. Like sandwiches, these are labor-intensive to make, and their low sales volume unfortunately does not justify the investment in space, equipment, labor, and ingredients. We may explore a third-party smoothie or juice vendor in the future, similar to our current sushi programs. The current smoothie programs, however, must regrettably be discontinued for now.

What Comes Next?

Bowls, Wraps, Tacos, and…Po’Boys?

The heart of our new deli counter program will be a customizable menu of bowls, salads, wraps, and tacos. These will be made-to-order, with all ingredients visible to the customer and a staff member actively walking you through the options, assembling your order in real time. We are currently finalizing ingredient choices that will both honor our past and provide a wide array of options for customers to choose from.

Allow me to share some of the reasons I am so excited for this program:

  • Customers and staff will interact throughout the process to ensure your order is exactly the way you want it.
  • We don’t want to slow you down! Because your order is assembled as you give it, it can be delivered to you in the shortest possible time. No more awkwardly waiting while you scroll through your phone!
  • In addition to traditional protein options like chicken or beef, we plan to offer our world-famous Popcorn Tofu fresh from the fryer as an option for bowls and wraps!
  • Because Popcorn Tofu will already be on the line, and because the necessary veggies will be as well, there is actually one hot sandwich we can still make at the counter—our signature Popcorn Tofu Po’Boys, now served fresher than ever before!
  • We have the flexibility to continually experiment and offer new ingredient options, either permanently or on a limited-time or seasonal basis.
  • The same equipment needed for customer-facing bowls and wraps can also support a robust breakfast taco program before 11 am. While we will still offer tacos in grab & go form on our hot bars, we plan to revitalize the custom breakfast tacos we were once known for.

Hot Grab & Go Sandwiches

The loss of custom sandwiches need not imply that you can’t still get a hot sandwich on your next visit. Over the past few months, we have experimented with grab & go sandwiches served hot and ready-to-eat. Versions of two familiar favorites—the Italian and the Vegan Rueben—can be found at both delis along with our (all-new!) Nashville Hot Chicken Sandwich, which has already found fans among many of our staff. We’d love for you to try it!

Did You Say Fresh from The Fryer?

For many years, our most important signature item—a product almost synonymous with Wheatsville itself and featured in national “best of” lists and articles—has been our word-famous Popcorn Tofu. And yet we believe it has even greater potential! By frying smaller batches throughout the day and having it available fresh on our counter, we believe we can offer the best imaginable version of this all-time favorite. We have tested this at recent events, frying fresh sample batches on our patios, and the response has been tremendous! We want this to be an everyday experience at the co-op. In addition to putting Popcorn Tofu in a wrap or bowl, you’ll be able to order it à la carte with a dipping sauce or in a fresh Po’Boy—original or Buffalo.

Timeline

While I’m excited to implement these new programs as soon as possible, there are a number of important milestones that must still be achieved before we can launch—most notably equipment and millwork, both of which have been subject to long lead times. Quite frankly, this makes it difficult to give a firm timeline.

I’ve also made an important promise to our staff. No matter what else may happen, we will not launch a new program during the lead-up to Thanksgiving—a time when our deli transitions to a completely different menu and ramps up production significantly. This means that if we cannot launch by the first week of November—just a few short weeks away—we will not do so before December at the earliest.

With that said, as of press time, here is the best time estimate I can provide:

  • At South Lamar, where the current counter configuration is closer to what’s needed, we hope to launch the new program at the end of October. As Halloween approaches, we will be sure to update owners and shoppers via our weekly email, social media, and in-store signage.
  • At Guadalupe, where more extensive millwork and equipment changes are necessary to support the program, we will simply not be able to launch before December. Look for an update after the Thanksgiving holiday.

In the meantime…

Whew! That was a lot to cover, and I have no doubt it was also a lot to take in. While I’m thrilled to finally share where we’re headed, I also recognize that there may be a sense of loss for customers—myself included—when a familiar favorite finally disappears. Should you find yourself feeling that loss, I would offer a few suggestions:

  • Come and see us! Custom sandwiches aren’t gone yet, and smoothies are still available at South Lamar. Come enjoy one before they’re retired!
  • Prepare yourself to try something new! Change can be scary, but it can also be exciting. Whatever you may think about the changes outlined above, I hope you’ll give the new menu a genuine try when it launches.
  • Your feedback is still welcome. While I believe a change to our deli counter programs is necessary for a number of reasons, there are decisions still yet to be made and areas where adjustments may be possible. And even where I may not be able to satisfy a request, it is always worthwhile to hear from our owners on any topic. Please email us at info@wheatsville.com with any suggestions or feedback you’d like to share.

In closing, I’d like to thank the loyal co-op owners and customers who have consistently supported our delis over the years. Your patronage has been critical to our past successes, and we sincerely hope you’ll join us for the next chapter in our ongoing evolution.

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All Aboard For The Coming Light Rail Project

By Bill Bickford - General Manager

I’ve received a handful of questions from staff and customers in recent months regarding Project Connect and the light rail line that will eventually run along Guadalupe. In responding to the topic, I should first disclose that, for the past year, I have represented Wheatsville as a neighborhood and business representative on the board of Transit Forward, an organization that exists “to inform the Austin metro community about the benefits of an accessible regional public transit system.” This is a volunteer position for which I receive no compensation.

With that said, I want to assure co-op owners that your board and management are aware of the coming light rail project and that it run will directly in front of our Guadalupe location. I’ve closely followed the plans as they’ve developed and have discussed with your board the potential impacts to store operations. These are likely to include significant disruption during the acute period of construction as well as changes to traffic patterns and store ingress when it is complete.

The most important thing to note here is that we have time. It is likely that construction will not begin in our area for three or more years, giving us ample time to develop a mitigation strategy. While we do not yet have fully developed a plan for how your co-op will navigate these challenges, I can assure you that your board and management are actively working on solutions. As soon as we have further news to share on this topic, our owners will of course be the first to know.

Speaking more broadly, I would note that Wheatsville’s board and management are generally supportive of increased public transit options in Austin, even while recognizing the significant challenges this particular option may pose to us as an organization. A robust public transit system compliments Wheatsville’s own mission and ends by promoting environmental sustainability and equitable access to goods and services within our community. Our task is to find a path by which our co-op and light rail can thrive together in a future, more connected Austin.

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Staff Highlight: Meet Ricketta the new Bakehouse Manager

Tell us about you and your history with Wheatsville.

Hey everyone!  I was born and raised just southeast of Austin in Beaumont, Texas. I had never really traveled much outside of Beaumont, which in my opinion is a small town where everyone is either related or knows one other. I always wanted to move and live in more of a city environment so at the first opportunity I relocated to Austin with my girlfriend at the time. Since moving to Austin, I find myself the happiest I have ever been! The people here are very friendly and the attractions are never-ending. I have lived in Austin for about 8 years and think it will be my forever home. 

I interviewed with Wheatsville before I moved here and received the job in 2014. I started at the deli counter making sandwiches, smoothies and coffee drinks for the awesome customers here at the co-op. After a year or so, I decided to branch out and learn how to cook in the Wheatsville kitchen. In March of 2019 I decided to see what I could learn in the Bakehouse department. I began making our delicious vegan donuts and moved from the donut team to the pastry chef team. I then went from making pastry to making our amazing from scratch baked daily bread. I have truly enjoyed working in every role that I have had at Wheatsville and feel they have all given me a greater perspective and insight I would need to be successful in my newest position.

What is your favorite product at Wheatsville?

I love all our house-made products, whether it is our delicious freshly squeezed juices we offer in our produce, or any of the freshly made ready to go compound salads from the deli. I love to eat tasty, fresh homemade food and if for some reason I am unable to make it myself I know I can always hop over to the deli and find something good and flavorful  to eat. I also enjoy our in-house desserts. They’re always looking so yummy and smell delightful when I walk by the displays, I grab something
every time!

What is something most people don’t know about you?

Something most people do not know about me is that I come from a big family! I have one older brother, two older sisters and two younger brothers. We are all close with each other, my sister especially. My mom had us literally one year after the other, so we grew up very close and still are to this day. My oldest sister just turned 31 in September of this year, my other older sister will turn 30 in January of next year, and I will turn 29 in March of next year...yeah, really close.

Why Wheatsville?

I am so glad you asked me this question now and not when I first started eight years ago because I had no idea that I had found the best job in the world!  Wheatsville has been my workplace home for almost a decade and I can honestly say every single day working here has been a great, fulfilling experience. The culture and work environment were a shock to me, having worked with corporate companies my entire life, so coming into this place where I am not just another cog in the machine really made me feel a part of this Wheatsville family. Wheatsville cares about making their employees and the community happy any way that they can, and that dedication and warmth gives you the sense of being included in something bigger than yourself. Everyone is so helpful and nice and not just in certain departments, but store wide. They say when you do what you love with people you love and respect, it doesn’t even feel like work, and they could not have been more correct!  Thank you!

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SUSTAINING A ROBUST COOPERATIVE ECONOMY

BY BOARD DIRECTOR BRANDON HINES

Austin is a truly special place. We live in a city that is unique within this region of the country, supporting a long-lived cooperative community. Having lived elsewhere in Texas I have always wondered what sparked such a community to come together in Austin and why didn’t that same spark fuel similar communities in other Texas cities.

I recently read an article that was shared by the folks at Austin Cooperative Business Association about the world’s largest co-op, Mondragon. Before reading the article, I had only a passing familiarity with Mondragon through my interest in their Orbea bikes. Bikes are only one of a multitude of products and services offered by Mondragon. Mondragon is a co-op conglomerate in the Basque region of Spain. The article shares the history of the region and how the region became dominated by cooperative businesses providing many types of goods and services filling many needs of the community. My takeaway was not so much about the products and services but about the template for developing so many cooperative companies within the community to
fill just about every niche of their economic ecosystem. The history of Mondragon is unlike any other co-op but there are many interesting insights that could be valuable to any community looking to strengthen its cooperative economy.

Cooperatives contribute to the overall health of a community in many ways. Co-ops enable people to participate in prosperity. Co-ops provide a means of democratic control that aligns the values of cooperative companies with that of the community. Co-ops build social cohesion connecting diverse members of the community. Co-ops bolster the local economy by circulating more of the profits within the community.

There are many types of co-ops in Austin but Wheatsville stands alone as the only full-service retail cooperative grocery store in Texas. A search of food co-ops in the U.S. depicts Wheatsville as somewhat of an outpost—farther from our next nearest food co-op neighbor than any other co-op in the nation. It is amazing to see the number of co-ops in other cities such as Seattle or Minneapolis. What makes these cities different from Austin and are we are doing everything we could be doing to better serve the greater Austin community.

While Wheatsville is only one co-op among many. It is arguably the most visible in Austin. Having a successful co-op visible in the community introduces cooperative principles to new people who may decide to form their own co-ops. It provides an example of what is possible. Wheatsville is both a reflection of the community as well as a catalyst for propelling the community.

Austin is changing. It is not the same Austin as it was back in the days of the Armadillo World Headquarters or Liberty Lunch or Mother’s Garden Cafe or [fill in your own personal first experience of Austin]. That is to say that Austin is constantly changing but the change has not extinguished the core of what makes the community special.

As the city grows in both population and geography, what will Wheatsville’s role be? How will Wheatsville continue to serve members of our community who are increasingly spread throughout the expanding Austin region? Will Wheatsville grow with the community or be enveloped by a growing metropolitan city? And what will this mean for Wheatsville’s ability to contribute to the cooperative economy? I like to think that there is a future where Wheatsville, along with many other co-ops, can serve everyone who wants to participate in the cooperative economy. Where there are more cooperative jobs allowing more people to participate economically with livable wages. A future where we all come together and spark the next phase of cooperative growth and development enabling Wheatsville, along with my other co-ops, to serve and support the growing community within our own cooperative economic ecosystem.

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Apple Butter Recipe

The Best Fall Condiment is Apple Butter

The falling leaves and golden grasses may be more from the dry heat of summer than a signifier of chilly autumn temperatures, but as the first cool mornings arrive, I am ready to celebrate fall. The first local crops of apples will be showing up in produce soon, and apples are one of the most versatile and delicious of fall fruits. Apples are satisfyingly crunchy eaten out of hand, or soft and gooey sweet baked into a pastry. There is so much potential in an apple and one of my favorite autumn recipes is apple butter!

Apple butter is a humble but delicious condiment. A richer spicier version of the more ubiquitous apple sauce; it relies on heat and time to develop its signature smooth velvety texture. I like to make mine from a variety of apples but I usually skew towards the tarter varieties like Granny Smith, Braeburn, or Cortland. One perk of apple butter is that it does not require perfect apples. If you have a few apples that returned in lunch bags or backpacks a bit jostled and bruised. They are perfect candidates for cooking down into apple butter.

Peel and core the apples, then slice them into rough chunks about ½ inch in size. You can compost the scraps. My chickens enjoy the peels as a treat. Combine the chopped apples and water in a large pot and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to a steady simmer and cover. Occasionally stir and mash until the apples are soft and broken down. They will reach an apple sauce consistency. You could stop here and have unsweetened apple sauce, but I strongly recommend adding sugar and continuing to cook the apples further.

Add about 1/2 cup of brown sugar. The exact amount will vary based on the sugar level in the apples and your personal preference. I usually end up with between ½ to one cup of brown sugar to three pounds of apples. Further seasoning is up to you. I like to add one tablespoon of molasses, ½ teaspoon of vanilla, and ½ teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice. Any warm spice will do in this recipe. Use what you like and have on hand. Continue cooking on low for several hours, stirring every 20-30 minutes to keep the bottom from browning too quickly. Your kitchen will be filled with the most delightful spicy sweet fall aroma. It will put you in the mood for a hot beverage and cozy scarf, even if it is still 90 degrees outside!

Eventually the apple butter will turn a uniform deep shade of brown and take on a glossy sheen. At this point it is ready. Turn off the heat and do a taste test for sweetness and seasoning. Resist the urge to eat it all straight from the pot! Once you have your preferred sweetness and spice allow the apple butter to cool slightly. The sauce will thicken up as it cools from the pectin in the apples.

I store my apple butter in a large ball jar in my fridge. Apple butter can be spread on toast, or dolloped on yogurt, or ice cream. It also adds a punchy, flavorful filling for homemade cinnamon rolls and coffee cake. It needn’t all be used on sweets; apple butter makes a fabulous partner as a glaze on pork or chicken. I usually find myself scraping the bottom of the jar within a month of making a batch. Happy Fall Cooking!

Apple Butter


INGREDIENTS

•   3lbs apples - peeled, cored,
     & roughly chopped
•   2 cups water
•   ½ - 1 cup brown sugar
•   1 Tbsp molasses
•   ½ tsp vanilla extract
•   ½ tsp pumpkin pie spice
     (any warm spice is fine)
•   ¼ tsp salt

DIRECTIONS

1.  Simmer the apple chunks and water in a covered pot, stirring occasionally until the apples turn into apple sauce.
2.  Add ½ cup sugar and the molasses, spices, vanilla, and salt. Mix well and continue to simmer until the sauce thickens and turns dark brown. It should take about an hour and a half.
3.  Adjust seasonings to taste and allow to cool.
4.  Store in a container in the fridge.

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