In 2018, after conducting several years of market & industry research, community engagement, and financial analysis, the Collective Management decided to adopt a slate of 1-5 year projects intended to ensure the ongoing health and viability of the Co-op. These projects include, among other things: updating & improving our current space, establishing a prepared food program, and eventually opening a second retail establishment.
Since then, the Long-term Planning Committee has been diligently working to write a business plan that could guide the Collective toward those goals, while also giving the Co-op flexibility to explore and engage with challenges and opportunities as they arise. In October, the Collective consented to the plan and will begin working to implement it in January 2020.
The plan outlines 3 phases of development for the Co-op over the next 5 years:
Stabilizing: improving & streamlining our operations, increasing our sales, and updating our retail & backstock spaces
Increasing Capacity: collaborating with other co-ops, partnering with food businesses & organizations who share similar values, acquiring additional food storage space
Growth: establishing a prepared foods venture, adding additional retail space
While the plan is designed to be flexible to accommodate emergent needs and opportunities, each project does include a rough timeline, financial and operational benchmarks, staffing and community engagement considerations, and resources for further research to help the CM stay on track. Individual teams and departments have already begun strategizing around the goals in the plan, and our Root Building Revival working group already has a couple projects in the works that will make our store more functional and attractive.
Want more background on the Co-op’s long-term planning process so far? Check out some of our previous updates:
Grassroots, Fall 2018
Grassroots, Summer 2018
Want to talk more about the Co-op’s Long-term Plan? Email planning@peoples.coop.
