Still working on UNFI account

We are still negotiating with UNFI for a new account (see post below). We hope to have the account set in time for a delivery on March 31st. We’ll let you know as soon as we get the account active, and at that time all the back orders should be filled.

Our shelves are a bit bare, for a short period

Unfortunately, we did not receive the delivery from our biggest distributor (UNFI-United Natural Foods, Inc.) on March 10th and 17th. Since our start, we have been combining buying power with People’s Grocery in Oakland, buying products on their account. For a few reasons, this relationship has come to an end, and we are working with UNFI to establish our own account. Their have been a few snags in this process, leading to our missing two weeks’ of orders. (It should be noted that we have always paid our UNFI bills on time, and the snags have been bureaucratic, not financial.)

So, when will the orders next be delivered? We should have our new account established in order to complete the order for next week (March 25th). Keep your eyes out here, we’ll let you know when our next order is placed.

“Come back and shop” phone bank a success

At our last Super Second Sunday event, we set aside part of the time to phone members who have not shopped in a while. From those phone calls, we have 16 members who have “come back” and started shopping again. Special thanks to these 16! If you haven’t shopped in a while, please join them and start buying. At the current time, lapsed members are allowed to shop without signing up for a shift (although we’d love to get you back in a shift as well). The bottom line is we need to increase our sales, and you can help us do that.

Remember to place your order online by Monday evening to ensure your items will be available that Thursday. You can still walk in and “shop the shelves,” although we may be out of some items you want. Ordering online is the best way to ensure your items will be available to you. So, right now, look at your grocery list and figure out what you can order in advance (cans, jars, TP, etc.), then sign into the store and order them. You’re purchases will help keep us afloat.

Team Leader meeting now on 2nd Monday

The Team Leader meetings have been shifted to the 2nd Mondays of each month at 7:00 PM.

Team Leader meetings look at procedures to make the in-store operations run smoother. All Team Leaders (and potential Team Leaders) are invited.

Finance meeting

The Finance Committee is meeting at the store. Our agenda is to review our Quickbooks file for the 2009 year, develop preliminary financial reports for the year, and map out our next steps. Our goal is to have sound financial documents for Members and the upcoming Board elections.

Board Elections are coming in 2010–Preliminary membership meeting

Curious about the process?

Interested in running?

Join us for an information session: Sunday, January 10, 3:30-5 pm

Our by-laws call for the formation of a new board in the next few months. The Core Group, which has been functioning as the defacto board since our inception in 2006, has run its course and it is time to hand the reins to new blood. This more members who participate, the the more successful the process, so join us if you can.

You’ll learn about:

• The board seats and the responsibilities each entails.
• How the nomination and election process works.
• The liabilities and assets that the new board will be responsible for.
• The 6-week transition period between the CoG Core Group and the newly elected CoG Board.
• The possible creation of an advisory board of food and activist luminaries.

Bring your questions and your comments.

When we’re done, stay for our Super Second Sunday event, this month: “Soup and Soul.”

Holiday hours: Dec 23- Jan 2

Below are our hours for the last two weeks of the year. Remember to place your order online by 8:00 Monday evenings to ensure your items will be in stock (and in your box) that week. If you can work a shift these weeks, please sign up on our holiday schedule here (we have people on vacation, and a few non-routine shifts so we can use extra coverage).

December 23-26

Wednesday 12/23: 2:00-8:00 (special Wednesday opening!)
Thursday 12/24: 2:00-8:00
Friday 12/25: Closed
Saturday 12/26: Closed

December 30-January 2

Wednesday 12/30: 2:00-8:00 (special Wednesday opening!)
Thursday 12/31: 2:00-6:00 (early close)
Friday 1/1 Closed
Saturday 1/2: 10:00-4:00

Full Belly:

Full Belly CSA is on vacation for these two weeks, so no boxes of produce

Thanksgiving week schedule

Special schedule this week due to Thanksgiving

Okay, so we don’t have any turkeys at the CoG, but we do offer great prices on other Thanksgiving trimmings. Organic canned pumpkin and baking supplies always jump to mind, plus a wide variety of spices and broths, cooking oil, and an enthusiastic recommendation from member Moira Kenney to put a bottle of Reed’s Spiced Apple Ginger Brew on your holiday table.

Thanksgiving week schedule:

• Online orders in by Monday at 8pm
• Shop and pick up orders Wednesday 2-6:30 PM
• Friday and Saturday regular hours
• Full Belly delivery on Friday

Help publicize us on Yelp!

If you write reviews on Yelp!, help new members find us by writing a review of CoG. We have a couple members who’ve written reviews, but it’s been a year since our last review. Log in now and promote us: http://www.yelp.com/biz/the-cooperative-grocery-emeryville

General Meeting Sunday October 25, 6-7 PM

All CoG members, and anyone else interested in joining our co-op, are invited the last Sunday of every month to join us for a general meeting.

The format has been evolving, but basically the general meeting is an extension of the Core Group meetings. It is a chance for the larger membership to discuss the topics of the day. Core members always attend to provide updates and answer questions.

This Sunday’s topics will include:

• Permit update
• A new push to solve our technology challenges
• Setting up a Bulk Buying Bazaar
• Upcoming Super Second Sunday events