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Wild NotesMEMBER OWNED SINCE 1982SPRING 2016

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New Fairtrade Wines at Wild Oats

n La Riojana Fair Trade Wine Tasting Fri., May 13, 4-6pmn Tour of TAM commercial composting facility, Bennington Sat., May 14, 10amn Member Appreciation Day Fri., May 27

IMPORTANT DATES

Wild Oats Market320 Main Street

Williamstown, MA413-458-8060

wildoats.coopMon-Sat: 7:00-8:00Sunday: 9:00-8:00

FEATURE ARTICLES

TABLE OF CONTENTS

n New Fair Trade Winen The Cooking Connectionn That’s a Wrapn Suggestion Box (A Way to be Heard)n Pride of Place n UFCW Unionn From the GMn From the Board: Grocery Competitionn New Super Cuber n Member-Owner Coupon

Wines from the La Riojana Cooperative in Argentina are Fairtrade certified, reasonably priced, and now for sale in the U.S exclusively at co-ops. Since Wild Oats added a small wine department a few years ago, our focus has been on sourcing good quality, rea-sonably priced bottles. The selection has also included a few organic wines, which typically command a higher price. Now, thanks to a col-laborative effort between National Co-op Grocers and La Riojana, we are able for the first time to introduce a line of quality, sustainably produced Fairtrade wines at affordable prices.Started by a group of Italian winemakers who immigrated to La Rioja Province in the 1940s, La Riojana was Argentina’s first Fairtrade certified winery. Today it is one of the largest and most successful farmer-owned co-ops in the coun-try, and is also the world’s largest producer of Fairtrade, organic wine. Fairtrade Premium Benefits the Farmers Directly La Riojana uses methods that are ethical, sustainable, and environmentally friendly to produce wines that are full-bodied, flavorful and – starting at only $6.99 a bottle – quite affordable. The co-op counts more than 500 growers as members, primarily small-scale farmers with just a few acres of land. Most of them are using sustainable, organic methods but cannot afford organic cer-tification on their own. As members of the co-op, they will receive help for certification from the Fairtrade premium that is added to the cost of the wine. The premium is invested back into the member farms and their communities in many other ways, as well: having recently completed the first secondary school in the region, currently La Riojana is constructing a hospital for the farmers and has plans to install solar pumps and solar panels to create a solar village, which will improve living conditions for the farmers while supporting sustainability. As a cooperative, La Riojana guarantees a fair price for the grapes it purchas-es, provides access to low-interest loans and crop insurance, and regularly reinvests some of its profits into new machinery and programs to improve

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SPRING 2016member owned since 1982

Wild Notes

The Cooking ConnectionThe desire to connect with others is innate to human nature; and one frequent way we humans connect is by sharing food. Whether it is with a partner, friends or family, preparing and eating a meal together helps create a bond between us. We nourish both our bodies and souls when we give ourselves the time to communicate and catch up with each other over a re-laxing dinner. We become better communicators and better at staying present (especially if everyone puts away their phone). Whether we are aware of it or not, our quality of life improves. Research shows that children who participate in fami-ly meal times on a regular basis have fewer behavioral issues; do better in school; are more likely to gravitate toward healthy food choices; and are less likely to be overweight. And children who eat dinner with their parents five or more days a week report being closer to their parents. Including Children in Meal PrepWhen you involve children in meal preparation, you pass on crucial life skills, while helping them become more confident and self-reliant. Children of all ages can participate in meal preparation by helping to set the table and helping to clean up. Even preschoolers can help stir or shake ingredients into a bowl; and old-er children can assist with a variety of tasks. Framing meal preparation as a fun, positive experience (rather than as a chore) can help kids establish a healthy and positive relationship with food for life. In the Company of Good FoodAs adults, cooking with friends, aside from having the pleasure of good company, has tangible benefits like making food preparation go faster, and having a range of different skills in the kitchen. If you have traveled abroad, you know that in many cultures meal time is treated as special. Perhaps you can remember a meal that was special not only be-cause of the food, but also because you were given all the time you wanted to enjoy the experience. In our fast-paced, goal-oriented culture, we may not often have the time to enjoy a leisurely meal followed by a siesta. But perhaps we can enjoy our meals more when we consider the many advantages a leisurely meal with friends or family offers – and thinking of cooking (like life) as a journey and not a destination.

What We Like to Cook for Family and FriendsAs you might imagine, we have many dedicated cooks on the staff at Wild Oats. Here are two favorite “go to” recipes that Wild Oats staffers like to prepare for others.Shiitake Beef Stewfavorite of Mike (Woody) WoodIngredients:2 lbs + stew beef (from our awesome Fresh Meats Department)4 large potatoes, diced2 large carrots, diced1 cup red wine1 shallot1 package frozen shiitake mushrooms OR 16 oz fresh shitake1 32 oz container beef broth1 tablespoon tomato pasteSalt and pepper to taste

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Wild NotesSPRING 2016member owned since 1982

In February the stu-dents at Pine Cob-ble traveled on a series of Food Adventures, led by The Nutrition Center of Berk-shire County. TNC teaches cooking and nutrition classes at schools throughout the county, encouraging both children and adults to develop a healthy relationship with food.Each class at Pine Cobble went on its own exciting “food adventure,” with approximately 165 students participating in all. On the menu for the younger children were Rainbow Wraps, featuring a kaleidoscope of colorful organic veggies from the Wild Oats Produce Depart-ment and non-GMO verified whole wheat tortillas from our refrigerated case. Grades 4-9 prepared Vegetable Fried Rice, using organic brown rice from our Bulk Department and fresh local eggs from our egg case. All ingredients for both recipes were donated by the co-op; and as many ingredients as possible were organic and/or locally sourced. Wild Oats Market currently provides Pine Cobble students with healthy school lunches five days a week. One of the first programs of this kind in Berk-shire County, the Pine Cobble Healthy School Lunch Program

features a different menu each day, with

an entrée, salad bar, variety of fruits, milk and cheese. All lunches are nut-free and offer plenty of options for vege-tarians and children on glu-ten-free diets. The Nutrition Center’s Food Adventures is a hands-on nutrition education program that teaches children how to prepare balanced meals using a friendly, peer-supportive ap-proach. It also teaches children about the relationship between diet and health, and about local food production and the value of “eating local”.“We want to inspire kids to be more adventurous with new tastes and foods,” says Maura Benton, a Food Adventures instructor. “Our goal at the Nu-trition Center is to set these kids up with food knowledge and preparation skills for life.”The “adventure” at Pine Cob-ble continues: The Nutrition Center and Wild Oats Market plan to collaborate on a six-week after-school program at Pine Cobble, to begin in early spring.

Directions: Use a soup pan to brown the beef. Remove the beef after browning, and sauté the shitake mushrooms and the shallot. Add broth and one cup wine and let ingredients sim-mer. Add beef, then potatoes and carrots, and simmer and taste. Be sure that the broth is high enough to cover the meat and vegetables (or the veggies will not cook). Woody likes this recipe because: “The flavor is out of control. It’s super-filling and it’s easy to make.”

From Ed Pratt, a recent addition to our Prepared Foods staff, we have Ed’s Amazing Omnivore StewIngredients:½ lb pork, diced into small pieces¼ cup soy sauce¼ cup sesame oil¼ cup olive oil1 bunch chopped scallions½ cup shredded cabbage½ cup shredded carrot2 quarts of organic chicken stock½ lb noodlespinch of red pepper flakes1 Tablespoon garlic1 Tablespoon gingerDirections: Marinade pork with ½ of the ses-ame oil, ½ of the soy sauce, and ½ of the garlic and ginger for at least one hour. In a stew pot, heat the olive oil and sauté the remaining garlic and ginger and the cabbage, carrots and pork. Add pepper flakes and the remainder of the soy sauce and the sesame oil. Add the chicken stock and finish with the scallions. Why Ed likes this recipe: “It’s easy to make, and it scales well to any size crowd. And my kids love it.”

Wild Oats Market Provides All the Ingredients for a Food-Tastic Adventure

That’s a Wrap!

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Wild Notes SPRING 2016member owned since 1982

The suggestion box helps bring specific customer concerns to the co-op’s at-tention, so we can address the issue and ultimately improve our customers’ shopping experience.

2016 Member-Owner Appreciation DaysWe say “thank you” to our member-owners four times a year, with member-only store-wide discounts on Member Appreciation Days. This year, our Member Appreciation Days are:nFriday, May 27nSaturday, July 30nWednesday, December 14

Since it was introduced more than five years ago, the Wild Oats Sug-gestion Box has become an integral part of co-op communications. Located at the Customer Service desk, the suggestion box provides a place where member-owners and customers can go with any store-related comment, whether it is a product request, a compliment, or a complaint. Nancy Hammann, who as Customer Service Man-ager oversees the suggestion box and updates the suggestion board,

emphasizes that, “Every suggestion is read carefully and taken seriously. No comment is ever dismissed.” Nancy goes through the box regularly and prepares responses to the week’s suggestions to share with customers. The co-op re-ceives roughly a dozen suggestions a month. Many suggestions are requests for favorite products that our customers would like the co-op to carry. Nancy forwards these to the appropriate manager, who responds directly to the customer. If a comment or question requires an in-depth answer, it goes to the general manager for a response. In terms of follow-up, “We try to implement as many suggestions as are feasible,” says Nancy. “A

great example is the stop sign. We received several complaints from customers about the speed of some of the cars in the parking lot, and the potential for collisions. We responded by putting up a stop sign at the ‘intersection’ between the front and side portions of the lot, and it’s worked out well. Most people now remember to slow down and stop.”With thousands of products and “moving parts” to manage, the co-op may not always be aware of an issue that is of concern to a shopper. The suggestion box helps bring specific customer concerns to the co-op’s attention, so we can address the issue and ultimately improve our customers’ shopping experience. “It’s a great way for customers to let us know how they feel, whether it’s expressed through a compliment, a complaint, an opinion, or a request for a new product or process,” says Nancy. “I think it is a great customer service tool.”Suggestions that are of gen-eral interest to customers are posted along with a response on the suggestion board (next to the bread case). The suggestions that go on the board are typically the ones with the broadest interest to customers. Both positive and negative comments are posted. It is a customer suggestion box, after all! We want it to accurately reflect the range of comments and sugges-tions we receive. That being said, we do not post a suggestion if the person has told us that they do not

want their suggestion to be posted, if the suggestion is for a specific product (we will instead respond directly), or if the comment is un-equivocally impolite. Nancy does her best to keep the answers light and fun – and our staff enjoy reading her responses as much as our customers. Some staff can’t resist making their own “suggestions,” like the staffer who complained about a cashier who would not let him pay for his pur-chase with chocolate coins. Nancy’s simple answer – “Sorry, but we accept dark chocolate coins only (no milk chocolate, please)” – re-flected a typical co-oper’s tendency for choosing the healthier option without sacrificing delicious taste.

Customer Suggestion Box (a Way to Be Heard)

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Wild NotesSPRING 2016member owned since 1982

In February, Wild Oats employees voted to join Local 1459 of the United Food & Commercial Workers, a Springfield-based labor union. Local 1459 represents a few grocery stores in our region, including co-ops (such as River Valley in Northamp-ton, Franklin Community Co-op in Greenfield, and Brattleboro Food Co-op in Vermont) and conven-tional grocery stores (such as Stop & Shop). We are informing customers of this change just to keep you aware of what is happening at the co-op.

While unionization effects the relationship between the Co-op and its employees, the impact on mem-bers, and to the shopping experience generally, should be minimal or non-existent. As reflected in our governing policies, Wild Oats is committed to being a responsive employer and to treating staff fairly while striving to meet the needs of our mem-ber-owners. Contract negotiations are expected to begin in the near future.

Our region is teeming with farmers and local food producers who combine a love of healthy living with a talent for making good food. They offer discerning shoppers (like you!) a range of edible options that are not only locally produced, but made with organic ingredients, in small batches, using sustainable methods. We’re excited to introduce you to a few products that are new and local:

Locally Baked Breads from Cricket Creek Farm in Williamstown, Mass.The Bakery at Cricket Creek has recently reopened for business, and we have added their artisanal breads to the local packaged breads we carry. Cricket Creek bakes sourdough baguettes, olive and multigrain breads, and intriguing varieties you will want to try, like Polenta & Thyme. Cricket Creek delivers on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday.

STEEM Caffeinated Peanut Butter from Greenfield, Mass.Made with natural peanut butter, organic agave nectar, peanut oil, and natural caffeine, STEEM provides a consistent release of sustained en-ergy without the caffeine jitters. It can help you through a late night of studying, a road trip, the big game – anything that requires hours of energy and focus.

Organic Farmer Ground Flours from Trumansburg, New YorkFarmer Ground Flour was formed in 2009 by a team of conscientious farmers, millers and bakers who are committed to growing sustain-able grains. You will find their sifted all-purpose; whole wheat, spelt and pastry flours bagged in our Bulk Department for just $1.79/lb.

production. La Riojana was one of the first wineries in Argentina to implement a carbon neutral program. The carbon program includes everything from water management to the materials used by the winery for production and transport. La Riojana Co-op now accounts for 60 percent of the wine produc-tion in their region, and averages 40 million liters of wine each year. Many of the co-op’s members are second and third generation farmers. Uncompromised QualityLa Riojana is as focused on the quality of its wines as it is on fair business practices. The wines are produced from grapes grown in the rich soil and sunny climate of northwest Argentina, and are fruity and complex, with a smooth, round finish. They are an impeccable choice for any occasion, from an informal dinner on the patio to the celebration of a milestone event. Wild Oats Market currently offers four varieties of La Riojana wines: Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon, Char-donnay, and Malbec Reserve. We invite you to try these delicious wines at a special introductory tasting event on Friday May 13th from 4 to 6 p.m. at Wild Oats.

FAIRTRADE WINES Continued from page 1 Pride of Place

Staff elects to join UFCW

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Wild Notes SPRING 2016member owned since 1982

from the GMWe received lots of thoughtful feed-back in our last Customer Survey. Here are a few of the wide-ranging comments that were submitted, along with our answers.I would like to know how employees are compensated.Hourly employee wages are based on job level and experience. Wages have historically increased annual-ly based on individual performance and the profitabili-ty of the co-op. Full-time staff (over 35 hours a week) are currently eligible for a Livable Wage after 12 months, which is adjusted annually to reflect changes in the cost of living. Full-time employees also qualify for health insurance, paid vacation and sick leave, and short- and long-term disability coverage and term life insurance. Staff who work for 20 hours or more a week are eligible for dental insurance, and all staff qualify for a staff discount, profit-sharing, paid sick leave and an IRA retirement fund match.Years ago fresh whole wheat bread was offered from the bakery. I haven’t seen whole wheat offered in years. Why not? Please have a whole wheat bread from the bakery offered each day.While some of our weekly specialty breads feature whole-wheat flour, in the more recent past we ha-ven’t had a basic whole wheat loaf that consistently sells well. And we’ll see if our bakers can work on a whole-wheat recipe with broad appeal.I’m displeased with the heavy use of cane sugar and canola oil in prepared items, such as cook-ies and desserts. These ingredients are typi-cally GMO and if Wild Oats is using GMO free ingredients, they should be labeled.Our cookies and desserts are made with non-GMO verified ingredients, including GMO-free canola oil. Cane sugar does not yet have a genetically modified variant. We avoid beet sugar and high-fructose corn syrup, which are nearly always made from genetically engineered plants. In our deli, we use Sir Kensington’s non-GMO mayonnaise in our sandwiches and salads. Generally speaking, with the exception of meat and poultry, which is hormone and antibiotic-free, but not verified GMO-free, our deli observes a non-GMO policy. And you’re right, we should be calling more attention to that.

The dairy and meat sections sometimes have food out that is at or past expiration. There needs to be a closer eye on this.Thank you for pointing this out. We do our best to anticipate how much product to stock on the shelves in the dairy and meat departments, and to remove items that are past their expiration date. Please let someone know if you see a package that should be taken off the shelf.Please vary the day of the week for member appreciation.During the course of the year, we do try to hold our quarterly Member Appreciation days on different days of the week to better accommodate all of our mem-ber-owners’ busy schedules. In 2016, we’ve scheduled those days for Thursday, March 17; Friday, May 27; Saturday, July 30, and Wednesday Dec. 14.

It’s unfortunate that #1 plastics aren’t recycla-ble here in Williamstown. PET containers (identified by the #1 recycling sym-bol) actually can be recycled in all local communities, including Williamstown. PET is one of the more energy-efficient and cost-effective packaging materi-als to recycle; some of our bulk packaging has 50% post-consumer recycled PET content.We do not like that the to-go containers are not recyclable unless they are clean. We are unsure of what would fix that beyond someone cleaning containers or using compostable to-go containers.Our hauler tells us that it’s not critical that your to-go container be sparkling clean before you drop it in the recycling basket—a quick rinse or wipe with a napkin should do it. If you’re eating at Wild Oats, we recom-mend our ceramic dinnerware and reusable utensils—and we’ll take care of doing the dishes.The store is starting to feel a little tight and small- which is a good thing- means more and more people are shopping!It’s true that more people are shopping at the co-op—customer counts have been running about 10% over last year. In the coming months we’ll be revisit-ing the idea of expanding the store to better accom-modate the growing number of shoppers and will continue to seek input from our member-owners.

General Manager, David Durfee

Our cookies and desserts are made with non-GMO verified ingredients, including GMO-free canola oil.

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FROM THE

BOARD

Bill Gentry is Vice-President of the Wild Oats Board of Directors

Bottom line profits are important for keeping the store open, but Wild Oats is about more than just the bottom line.

Price Chopper’s corporate decision to close its store in North Adams gave me a renewed appreciation for the benefits of our model of cooperative ownership.

Wild NotesSPRING 2016member owned since 1982

Grocery Market Competition and Our Community

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As a member of the Board of Directors of Wild Oats, I read with some concern the news that Price Chopper decided to close its North Adams store in February. The article in the Berkshire Eagle quoted a Price Chopper executive as saying that the North Adams location did not fit their plans to rebrand Price Chopper as a more upscale supermarket, as they are doing in other locations by converting existing stores to the Market 32 brand.

While the Price Chopper in North Adams was not Wild Oats’ clos-est competitor in terms of either geography or product mix, the store closure still drove home some important points about the grocery store market. First, the grocery business is very com-petitive with quite modest profit margins. Walmart introducing a superstore with a grocery depart-ment was bound to squeeze the area competition in some way. This lesson is not specific to Walmart since the same story could happen if Hannaford had come to town. Wild Oats is not immune from the industry norm of modest profit margins: over the last year, pre-tax income has been roughly 1.5% of sales. This profit margin, while slightly lower than the margins at large grocery store chains, reminds us of the importance of having an efficient operation and looking

in terms of number of employees. Another of our Ends Policies is that Wild Oats will be a “stable, friendly, responsive business and employer.” In addition to serving

our customers, we are committed to being a good employer. In Wild Oats news, in February our em-ployees voted to certify a union to represent them in negotiating. We look forward to a strong, working relationship with the union as we move forward.Price Chopper’s corporate deci-sion to close its store in North Adams gave me a renewed appreci-ation for the benefits of our model of cooperative ownership. The cooperative business model pro-vides our community with a store that it dedicated to the needs of the stakeholders in the business – our customers, employees, and member-owners. I hope that this model will continue to thrive in our community.

for ways to reduce costs. One way the co-op reduces costs is as a member of the National Co-op Grocers, an association which strengthens our purchasing power by working with other food co-ops.Second, as emphasized in the local press, the closure of a local store puts a particularly heavy burden on customers who live near the Price Chopper and have limit-ed transportation options. Our ownership model of being coop-eratively owned and community based makes us sensitive to our local community. Bottom line prof-its are important for keeping the store open, but Wild Oats is about more than just the bottom line. Our “Ends Policies” (the co-op’s governing principles) call for the store to provide “environmentally responsible, healthful, local and fair-trade products, food and meals at reasonable prices.” We are com-mitted to serving the needs of our customers and member-owners. Third, the Berkshire Eagle report-ed that the closure resulted in 57 workers losing their jobs. Wild Oats employs roughly 50 workers so we are similar to Price Chopper

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Wild Oats Market320 Main Street

Williamstown MA 01267

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Cheese

Our New Cuber Is SuperHow many pic-pacs can a professional pic-packer prepare with the power of our new cheese cuber?Plenty!Our new cuber may not be the latest in high-tech gadgetry. But when it comes to making the task of cheese cutting go faster, it’s the answer to a cheese geek’s prayer. It makes our cheese buyer’s work easier, and it allows him to produce more pic-pacs and more cubed cheese packs than ever before. More samples too.And for anyone who’s looking for a snack that’s deli-cious and nutri-tious, that’s pretty perfect!