PCC 2006 fall membership meeting
The Center for Urban Horticulture was an ideal setting as more than 150 members met on October 24. The evening began with a fabulous seasonal menu designed by one of our staff nutrition educators, Rita Condon, and prepared by the Fremont deli.
Condon spoke briefly about the importance of buying seasonally and regionally for both nutrition and price. She talked about how easy it would be to recreate the nutritious meal at home.
Condon noted how lucky we are at PCC to have developed long-standing relationships with some local vendors of our dinner menu items, such as Dungeness Organic Produce, which produced Nash’s Best carrots; Full Circle Farm, for the hearty organic greens in our fall salad; Island Spring Tofu; and George and Apple Otte’s Orchards, for the pears in our dessert.
During the dinner discussion, in addition to member questions that came up, members provided feedback on several questions posed by the board. “We were really eager to hear member perspectives about what makes PCC different,” notes Linkage Task Force Chair Linnea Noreen. “So, we thought it would be helpful to put a few questions on the table to stimulate discussion.”
Board members and members of the management team served as table captains who facilitated the discussions and took notes on the many interesting exchanges. The questions, along with examples of member feedback, follow. Check the Member Meeting page on our Web site for more member feedback.
Why would you shop at PCC over a conventional grocery store, and why over another natural foods store?
Want to support a local business operating with conscience.
Better selection of natural and organic foods
Great balance of the basics and some of the fun stuff. Wine tastings are great!
Better customer service than competitors.
Great bulk foods.
What prompted you to become a member?
10 percent and 5 percent monthly discounts are great
Commitment to the co-op philosophy
Sense of community, belonging
What is the value of PCC as a co-op?
Co-op ownership structure makes it impossible for investors interested only in profit to take over ownership
PCC is a leader in food for the hungry
Social responsibility (Fair Trade™ products)
Impact on organic farmland preservation via support for PCC Farmland Trust
Wealth of education/information
What added value does membership offer?
The community work PCC does
Sound Consumer and Web site
Cooking classes
Staff benefits
What does that mean to you in terms of how we do business (i.e., what we should be doing)?
It is absolutely imperative that PCC shows the world how it looks when food [production] and delivery is done right
Should have more written information in stores about products
Open more locations
More labeling (the “dirty dozen” of produce, local products)
Each of our member meetings includes an educational segment and for this meeting the topic was PCC! The board asked management to give the members an operational overview that would highlight the ways we’re different from our competition and how being a co-op affects the way we’re able to do business.
Moderated by CEO Tracy Wolpert, the panel of management personnel talked about PCC’s efforts in sustainability, membership, community outreach, public affairs and merchandising. Member comments following the presentations included “I’m proud to be a part of this organization.”