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

South Lamar Store News

Letter from our General Manager - Mark Jacob

Dear Owners,

First off, I just want to say thank you to you all for supporting Wheatsville! It is a great time to be part of your coop and to support local businesses. Over the last year and half I have gotten to connect with many of you whether it be through email, our virtual Meet the GM series or even in person and so many of you have shared your stories of what Wheatsville means to you. Thank you.

This last June, myself and the members of the Senior Leadership Team presented our business plan to the whole organization. Every staff member, from the produce clerks to kitchen managers was given a clear vision of where we are headed for financial success and given the opportunity to share feedback. I would like to share some of those key areas with you and even celebrate some succsess.

People Matter – At the Co-op we stay focused on our staff, owners, and community. Below are some key updates.

-  Turnover – With turnover in the food industry averaging over 130% according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, we are very proud we have been able to keep turnover below 75% at Wheatsville. Being able to do this during a time many are seeing record turnover numbers is a key indicator to how our staff feel about working here.

-  Internal Staff Promotions – 70% senior leadership have been internally promoted, 78% of department managers have been internally promoted and overall, we are close to 80% all internal promotions. We are proud to work with our staff to develop their talents and grow their career. If you are looking for a career with growth opportunities, Wheatsville is a great place to be.

-  Pay and benefits – We are proud to offer an average hourly wage of over $15 per hour for front line staff and a competitive benefit package. In addition to two paid holidays, we were able to celebrate our added paid holiday of Juneteenth for the second year in a row. Stay tuned for some exciting pay and staff benefits enhancements we are working to have ready by April 2022.

-  Customer Scores – We average an  81% overall satisfaction for our customer scores ranking us as a leader amongst cooperatives at the national level. We want to remain your favorite place to shop so please keep the feedback coming. 

Financial Health – Part of our Ends statement is to ensure a robust cooperative economy. Below is how we are doing in some key financial metrics.

-  Sales growth – We are seeing weekly sales growth for the first time in years, other than during initial panic buying from Covid19. Thank you so much for being part of Wheatsville’s growth! We are just getting started!

-  Profit – We were able to do what unfortunately so many other small and local businesses were not able to do during this pandemic and that is stay open. Words can’t express how painful it is to see so many local businesses close. But even with the hardest challenge we have seen in years we were able to show a modest profit. We have even started off our new fiscal year in what appears will be a profitable one.

-  Though our profit may seem small we are grateful to the staff and customers that helped us earn it. As Wheatsville again begins to gain strong financial footing we look forward to all that we can accomplish such as supporting our staff, store renovations, growing our store count, and of course continuing to give back to our community.

Where does the money go we spend at Wheatsville?

•  Roughly 24 cents of every dollar you spend at Wheatsville goes back to our staff to ensure we can offer a competitive wage and strong benefits package.

•  Roughly 62 cents of every dollar goes to our cost of goods we purchase to sell to our shoppers. Wheatsville’s focus is on ensuring our producers, farmers, and suppliers are paid a fair price for their goods.

•  Roughly 14 cents of every dollar goes to the other items such as rent, electricity, and other basic expenses.

•  After it all, we have a goal to end up showing 1 to 2 percent of total sales as profit this year.


Here are some things to remember as to why co-ops are a great place to spend your money. We focus on staff benefits, fair pay for farmers and producers and supporting the local economy. We will do all we can to continue to be fair priced while also ensuring we stay true to fair pay for everyone in the supply chain from farm to shopper.

Thank you all for being part of our Co-op! It is because of you we are doing great and thriving for our local community.
 - Mark Jacob

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Juneteenth and a $5000+ commitment

As we come up on the first federally recognized Juneteenth Holiday, it is important to not only remember and honor the long and turbulent road it has taken to get such recognition, but to also open our eyes and recommit to the work that still needs to be done towards creating a truly transformed society based in equality and respect. Juneteenth is the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States. In one of the most inspiring grassroots efforts of the post-Civil War period, newly freed Black men and women transformed June 19 from a day of unheeded military orders into their own annual rite, “Juneteenth,” beginning one year later in 1866. In 1979, Texas became the first state to make Juneteenth an official holiday. 

Here at Wheatsville we use this day to reflect on our mission that was created by our cooperative founders over 45 years ago. Their simple mission was this: The purpose of Wheatsville Co-op is to create a self-reliant, self-empowering community of people that will grow and promote a transformation of society toward cooperation, justice, and non-exploitation. With that in mind they named our store after Wheatville, the first post-civil war Black community in Austin. We feel that we have honored their legacy as best we can but we also believe that we can do better. 

Last year in the wake of the murder of George Floyd, we like countless others were compelled to evaluate our role in systemic racism and inequality. We committed to honoring our namesake and to make a positive impact in fighting racial injustice and advancing inclusion and diversity as a whole. We still have a lot of work to do but we are proud of what we have accomplished. Here is an update on what we have done and where we are headed.

In The Store:
One way we can have the most immediate impact is by amplifying the work of our BIPOC vendors. Following last months featured vendor Alaffia, we have chosen Nubian Heritage a Black-owned business as our Vendor of the Month for June. In their words they are "Guided by the legacy of ancient Nubia, the world's first melting pot, Nubian Heritage remixes global healing traditions into modern wellness solutions." Visit either of our stores to try their high-quality body care products.  

For Pride month, we have for the second year in a row chosen a local organization making a difference in the Austin LGBTQ+ community to be the recipient of our Pride Pin sale. This year we've selected allgo. They are an organization whose mission it is to nurture and celebrate queer people of color by building, educating, and mobilizing communities toward a just and equitable society. 100% of the proceeds go to allgo.

This year we kicked off Black History Month with a very special addition to our timeline at the South Lamar location. Possibly the most important and often overlooked part of our history is our name. In 1976 our coop founders decide to pay homage to Wheatville, the first post-civil war Black community in Austin. Founded by James Wheat, a formally enslaved man from Arkansas, Wheatville had over 300 residents at its peak. Now the story of Wheatville will have a permeant home on our walls. To find out more about this important community visit here.


What we are doing:
As part of our continued commitment to honor the importance of this day, this is Wheatsville’s 2nd year providing Juneteenth as a paid holiday to staff. 

Directors. Managers, Supervisors and our staff led D&I Network have undergone Diversity, Equity and Inclusion training with Dr. Kazique Prince and Jelani Consulting. This training combines individual development in addition to team development within every facet of the business.

We have been recognized by the National Cooperative Grocers as having the third highest percentage of staff diversity in the central corridor region of the United States. We are very proud of this achievement and continue to strive for the highest percentage in our region.

We are actively reaching out to BIPOC organizations that may not know of us. Even though we have successfully raised millions of dollars for local organizations over the years, we realize that not all nonprofits have the same resources to find help, especially those in marginalized communities. We are diligently working to bridge that gap.

Our Commitment:

We are also pleased to announce that we will again be giving direct support to the Black Community this year. Last year we donated $4,000 to organizations that were actively engaged in the work of racial justice and empowering Black communities. This year we are committing to $5,000. This money was raised in part from customer donations to our Co-op Community Fund.  25% of this year’s donations will be benchmarked for the specific use of the staff led D&I Network for direct donations in their name.  

Celebrate in the Community:

Today there is a Juneteenth celebration with a parade starting at 10 am on Chicon, with a festival at Rosewood Park and a Fireworks display to commemorate the night on Boggy Creek. The following links have more information and further lists of Juneteenth events around the Austin area. 

https://www.kvue.com/article/news/local/central-texas-juneteenth-parade-and-festival-returns-to-austin/269-804f6546-8994-4517-9042-3f52a423d289

https://www.juneteenthcentraltexas.com/parade

https://www.kvue.com/article/life/holidays/list-juneteenth-events-in-austin/269-2c1d4b3c-3563-4de3-9dbc-37f2a13542b4

Happy Juneteenth from Wheatsville Food Co-op!

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Prevent Food Waste by Meal Planning

Many Wheatsville shoppers like to shop with us because Wheatsville makes every effort to be environmentally sustainable. Wheatsville uses sustainable supply products like compostable straws and produce bags, and 100% recycled paper bags. Wheatsville sells local, organic, sustainable foods. And Wheatsville even composts and recycles so well it was a model of success  for Austin Resource Recovery’s waste program for food businesses!

One of the most common reasons we hear that our customers don’t shop with us more is because they feel they can’t afford it. What if I told you there was a way to be more sustainable and reduce your grocery list so that you can shop at Wheatsville more?

Don’t waste food! A study published in the American Journal of Agricultural Economics in 2019, found that the average U.S. household wasted 31.9% of its food. The total annual cost of the wasted food at home in the US was estimated to be $240 billion or $1,866 per household. That’s about $35 a week of your money! Equally important to many, that is water, fossil fuels, and fertilizer wasted!

If you don’t know how much food you are wasting, leave any food to throw out in your fridge or freezer until trash day - pile it all up on the counter before taking it out to compost or the trash and you’ll see just how much of your resources you are throwing away.

One of the easiest ways to reduce food waste is to make a meal plan before you shop.  Meal planning can sound intimidating, but it usually takes me about 10 minutes, and clearly avoiding food waste gets a good financial return!

Meal planning only takes a few simple steps, and no special supplies:

Step 1: EXPLORE: the fridge and the pantry and make sure you know what’s there. Tip: this can be combined with cleaning out your fridge and pantry and piling up all your food trash to see what’s wasted this week.

STEP 2: USE FIRST/USE SOON: make a “USE FIRST” list of everything you have that must be used up in the next few days or it will spoil, and a “USE SOON” list of everything that needs to be used up relatively soon, like the freezer and pantry items you’ve had for a suspiciously long time.

Step 3: DRAW OUT THE WEEK: Find a piece of paper. Make a grid of the next week, leaving a spot for breakfast, lunch, dinners, and snacks/deserts for each day. If you and a family member eat different meals, divide that meal’s square into sections for each person, or use a different colored pen for each person.

Step 4: USE FIRST MEALS: put in your first few days of recipes, meals & snacks with stuff from the use first list and items you need to use soon.

Step 4: GET UNSTUCK:  It’s pretty common to run out of ideas. First, make sure you put in any nights you normally eat takeout, leftovers or Wheatsville’s Thursday $5 Grab & Go. If you get stumped on some ingredients, do a google search for the ingredient and “recipe”. You can even leave a blank to scrounge whatever’s around (PB & J for dinner, anyone?).

Step 5: SHOPPING LIST. Make the list of things you need to buy to round out the meals you have planned. It will be shorter than normal!

Step 6: SHOP: Do not buy perishables that aren’t on the list! If your list didn’t say “fruit for snacking”, don’t buy fruit for snacking! Pro tip: if you’re a big impulse purchaser, send someone else from your household who will only get what’s on the list, or use Curbside service to avoid impulse buys. At least the curbside fees help pay local employees, and isn’t just money thrown into the compost.

Don’t think making a meal plan means you have to cook every night or for every meal.
● Always account for leftovers! Don’t be afraid to eat small portions of leftovers as a snack, and always include a “leftover night”  or “leftover lunch” so you’ll use them up.
● If other members of your household cook, include recipes they know how to make, or ask them to plan one based on your Use First/Use Soon lists.
● Including takeout, prepared meals, $5 Dinner Thursdays and frozen pizza in your meal plan is critical as it helps you reduce waste from buying ingredients you won’t use in time.

Using a simple meal planning process can help reduce your food waste, your ecological footprint, and the number of items on your grocery list - which if you didn’t need to lower your grocery budget, you can then spend at the place you really want to shop - Wheatsville!

Stay tuned for my next article on reducing food waste: how to make your fresh produce last longer!

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We are proud to serve our community in a time of need

Last week, in the face of unprecedented events we began to understand the true definition of the word community. Many of you turned to us in a time of need for fresh food, kindness and a warm place to go. We know that many in our community are still struggling to get back to normal and we would like to continue helping. This Thursday, February 25th beginning 7:30 am we are offering one free $5 Grab & Go meal to anyone that needs one. No questions asked. Customers may still purchase the $5 Grab & Go if assistance is not needed.
These meals were paid for from our Let’s Feed Austin Fund. If you would like to donate let your cashier know that you would like to make a $10 or $20 contribution.

1 meal per person. This offer is only available while supplies last. Let your cahier know that you are receiving a complimentary meal.

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Important Store Information


Updated 10:40 PM 2/22/21

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 22
Guadalupe Hours: 7:30 AM to 10 PM
South Lamar Hours: 7:30 AM to 10 PM

PLEASE BRING YOUR OWN BAGS - CURRENTLY NO CURBSIDE SERVICE 

Our stores are open for our community today. Please be aware that we are operating with smaller crews, limited power and still following Covid safety protocols. Currently our Curbside service is down. If you have an order pending we will reach out.  We appreciate your support.

Thanks y’all.

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The Night the Lights Were Lit

Join us all day December 21 to celebrate a very special cooperative holiday, The Night the Lights Were Lit.


On the winter solstice, December 21st, 1844 the Rochdale Society of Equitable Pioneers opened a grocery store on Toad Lane in England and ushered in the modern co-op movement. On the almost bare counter were arranged the co-op's first items for sale: flour, oatmeal, sugar, butter and candles.

Enjoy a complimentary Pioneer Cookie to honor the enduring spirit and vision of the first cooperators! Grab yours at the Hospitality Desk (South Lamar) or the Deli Counter (Guadalupe). *while supplies last

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An Update From Our General Manager on Coronavirus Cases - South Lamar

To our owners and shoppers,

I wanted to take time today to share with you we have had a case of COVID-19 impact our South Lamar store in the last week.
- This appears to be interactions outside of work that likely caused the infection.
- We are taken extreme caution and implemented a deep clean of the department that the staff member worked in.
- There are no known active cases inside our stores at this time.
- We have done contact tracing, interviews, sanitation of the store. Customer and staff safety is our highest priority.
- We know many have decided not to share this type of info with the public in fear it would cause a decline of sales and we are too concerned about that. However, we have been and continue to be committed to full transparency above all else.
- Like all of you COVID-19 is having a profound impact on our lives and on how we operate at our Coo-op. I want you all to know we are confident we are doing the most we can to keep people safe in this challenging time for us all. We are confident you will not find a grocery store doing all we are doing and being as transparent as we are with you.
- We do need your help during this time to trust us and to shop with us during a time so many small business are struggling.
Thank you all for your patronage, support, and all you are doing to help each other and our Co-op.

Respectfully,
Mark Jacob
Wheatsville general manager

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Juneteenth

Today we celebrate Juneteenth, the day the abolition of slavery was announced in the state of Texas. Though a day of celebration, we are far too often reminded that though slavery has ended, systemic racism and inequality, especially in our judicial system has not. There is still work to be done.

Over four decades ago our founders created our co-op with this simple mission statement in mind: The purpose of Wheatsville Co-op is to create a self-reliant, self-empowering community of people that will grow and promote a transformation of society toward cooperation, justice, and non-exploitation. With that mission in mind they named our store Wheatsville in honor of the first post-Civil War Black community in Austin.

We have certainly have made some missteps in the last 44 years and we recognize that we have work to do. We are dedicated to honoring our namesake and make a positive impact in fighting racial injustice and advancing inclusion and diversity as a whole. We acknowledge our previous missteps and failures and with those in mind we have a deep desire to grow and are committed to doing better each day. We are proud of the current work that we have begun as an organization and are willing to do more.

This year we have made the decision to recognize Juneteenth as a paid holiday for all our staff.

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