Sustainable Ashland Food Co-op: You are the key!
By Steve Bowman, AFC Board Director
Sustaining our Co-op
Our Ashland Food Co-op has been around for a long time now: as a buying group since 1972, as as a legally sanctioned food co-op since 2003. During that time it has become the premier place in our community for obtaining organic and natural foods and environmentally safe products for our family’s needs. People come here to shop, to have coffee, tea and visit with their friends, and just hang out for a few minutes during a busy day. But it didn’t get that way just by being here. It happened because of careful planning and management, and a lot of hard work by a lot of caring and committed people. Working to implement Co-op Principals "5 - Education, Training and Information" and "7 - Concern and the Community," the ambiance of our Co-op came into being.
Sustaining our Community
Over the last year our Co-op provided over 100 events, classes and participated in community activities adding to the sustainability of our local community. Cooking classes, loaded with information about how to prepare and serve nutritious food, free lectures on health and wellness, and participating with organizations like Rogue Valley Farm to School. The Co-op also reinvests a portion of profits in the community through our Community Grants program. All these activities are aimed at sustaining and growing our local community.
Sustaining our World
Our Co-op is modeling excellence in business responsibility and providing leadership in sustaining our environment. In 2018, more than 82% of our waste was redirected from the landfill to more beneficial uses. Our solar power arrays provided over 12% of our energy requirements, and our remaining needs were purchased from 100% renewable sources. Produce that was not marketable was redirected for use in the deli, or to the Ashland Emergency Food Bank, and food scraps were passed on to a local farmer for animal fodder. Our durable container program in the deli resulted in over 90,000 fewer single-use containers going to the landfill. These actions and many more are improving our impact on our local environment, and our world’s environment.
Our Ashland Food Co-op is working hard to sustain itself as a business, as a community member, and as a leadership model for responsible sustainable business actions in our community's future. Your ownership and participation in our Co-op model is key to our continued success.
Thank you!
More Co-op News
Millions of Peaches, Peaches for Me
By Laura Pfister, Media Coordinator
Many of us wait all year for this moment. We spend the winter months dreaming of a certain fuzzy stone fruit, its sweet juices dripping from our face and the buttery golden pie crust those yellow-orange slices will inhabit.
Good news! The wait is over. That local, sweet orb of sunshine has finally arrived. That’s right. Rolling Hills peaches are here!
2017 Board Election Results
We're Sustainability Stars!
Deep in our hearts we've always known we were sustainability stars, but now we have an award to prove it.
We recently received a Co+efficient Sustainability Star award from National Co-op Grocers (NCG) recognizing our positive environmental and community impacts.
Co+efficient, NCG’s sustainability program, measures social, environmental and local economic impacts from participating food co-ops across the country.
Give Where You Live
It’s the most wonderful time of year! Yes, we know that phrase is generally reserved for the holiday season. But for us, this truly is the most wonderful time of the year. It’s OUR season of giving.
Dine In and Bike Your Way to Savings
Did you know that approximately half of our landfill waste stream is composed of Deli trash? A significant part of that is “to-go” containers, which are sometimes used for dining in and don’t end up “going” very far at all.
Sustainability matters in everyday actions and we want you, our customers, to help us reduce unnecessary waste and make the most ecologically sound choices possible.
Participate in YOUR Co-op!
Spring Picks
The sun is (mostly) out and the weather is finally getting warmer. That must mean summer is right around the corner, right? We sure hope so. We’re ready to grill, soak up some sun and enjoy the many fruits and vegetables that are in season. Our Floral Coordinator, Rachel Chastain, shares some of her favorites.
Be the Sustainable Change
By Laura Pfister, Media Coordinator
Sustainability is not a new concept at the Co-op. It has always been part of our DNA. We’ve been using sustainable business practices before it was the “cool”, “responsible” thing to do. In fact, the Co-op was founded 45 years ago largely on the principles of sustainable, local organic food production as an alternative to modern industrial agriculture.
A New Look
By Laura Pfister, Media Coordinator
For 45 years we’ve been loving local and fostering community. Throughout our almost half a century history, our identity and logo has gone through many iterations.
Some of you might remember the logo above from our newsletter in the early 1980s.
As we’ve done multiple times throughout our history, it’s time to refresh our brand and launch a beautiful, new logo to take us into the next decade.
Turkey and Sweet Potato Chili
Turkey and Sweet Potato Chili is one of my favorite Co+op Basics recipes. It is full of flavor, color and shatters the myth that a healthy meal has to cost a fortune and take all day to prepare. This recipe is also a clever way to use sweet potatoes, which are not only tasty but high in fiber and vitamin A.
Looking to Save Money at the Co-op?
By Laura Pfister, Media Coordinator
We hear from time to time that people feel the Co-op is higher priced than other stores. In the past, we may have earned this perception. But not anymore. We took a long, hard look at ourselves and we talked with other Co-ops across the country. Together, we are pooling our resources to bring you organic, household staples at everyday competitive, low prices. Welcome to Co+op Basics.
45 Years Strong
On Valentine’s Day, the Ashland Food Co-op turns 45 years old.
It’s hard to imagine we’ve been providing healthy, organic food to the Rogue Valley for almost half a century. From our humble beginnings as the Ashland Community Food Store to now a thriving Co-op with over 10,000 owners, it has been an honor to serve this community.
Let’s take a brief stroll down memory lane and see how far we’ve come in 45 years.
Saving Paper One Coupon at a Time
To further our sustainability efforts and to serve you better, we began offering Electronic Owner Coupons this month at the register.
No more forgetting to bring your owner coupons. No more waiting for your newsletter to arrive. Cashiers will simply ask if you want to use your owner coupons when you check out.
A few key points to remember:
Thank YOU For a Wonderful Year!
2016 had many notable moments. We hosted many successful family friendly events, added 150 more solar panels to our roof, and earned 25% of our sales for local products. We proudly donated over $24,000 to area nonprofits through our Community Grants program. We welcomed 482 new owners and averaged 3,500 daily transactions.
Whew! And that is just a small sample.
Give Local
The food holiday season has finally arrived. This time of year is by far our most favorite. We’ve been dreaming of gingerbread cookies, pumpkin pie, mashed potatoes, turkey (or tofurky if that’s your fancy) and eggnog for months.
But beyond the holiday feasts, we love this time of year for another reason. It’s the season of giving. Amidst the shopping frenzies, family gatherings, and parties, giving back often becomes an afterthought.