October 2020 Update from GM Chris Roland

October 5, 2020
 
We just finished a summer of owner engagement at the Fredericksburg Food Co-op.  Most recently the owners of the Co-op (1571 and growing) elected our newest board members.  Before that, over 730 of our owners and future customers participated in our pre-opening store survey and had direct input into what they’d like the store to be.  We’ve noted all those recommendations and promise you that we’re paying attention.  Probably the most valuable information we got was about the local farmers and makers you want us to work with and items you’d like us to carry.  That really helps us stock the store with the products you want from the folks and farms you know. 
 
If you weren’t able to participate in the survey this year, don’t worry, we’ll be listening for owner and customer feedback every day in the store.  We’ll also conduct a customer survey each year to make sure that we’re meeting all your needs.  This is a great way that our cooperative grocery store is different from our chain competitors.  You will have a big say in what’s in the store when you shop at the Fredericksburg Food Co-op.
 
In our recent election, we were very fortunate to have six great candidates vying for three seats on our volunteer board of directors.  The fact that we had so many folks running shows what an engaged community we have here in Fredericksburg.  Congratulations to Angie Noll, Jonathan Stevens and Lonnie Williams who were elected and will be serving a fresh, three-year term. 
 
Along with these three, Els Van Wingerden, Gerald Anderson, Kathy Carmine, Mike Spagins, Rich Larochelle and Valerie Setzer will continue to spend many hours making sure our Food Co-op is set up for success.  These volunteers donate their time, energy and experience to make sure the owners’ (your) assets are taken care of and that the store has strong, prudent plans in place for the future.  Working with the Co-op’s board of directors is one of the highlights of this job for me and another way that our cooperative model differentiates us from conventional grocers.
 
Thank you to all who exercised your ownership right and voted in our board elections this year and an even bigger thank you to all the candidates who put themselves out there, signing up to serve your local Co-op.  I look forward to working with our nine board members to make the Fredericksburg Food Co-op a thriving grocery store and engine for good in our community, that serves our almost 1600 owners, the Fredericksburg area and beyond … with wonderful owner engagement, of course.

Cooperatively Yours,
 
Chris Roland
General Manager
Fredericksburg Food Co-op