From the General Manager's Desk
By Emile Amarotico
Over the years, the General Manager and Management Team have considered the benefit of adding a store manager role to our organizational structure. Store managers are dedicated to the day to day coordination of retail operations. In this increasingly competitive market, where retail execution, achievement of financial goals, and the customer experience are so crucial to success, most of our food cooperative peers have found tremendous value in having a store manager. Of our 10 single store peers with greater than $18M in annual sales, ours is the only one to not employ a store manager.
In the decade from 2004 to 2013, Ashland Food Co-op nearly doubled sales from $15.1M in to $28.6M. Over the last four years, sales growth has been cooling as a result of new and improved competition exacerbated by our own capacity constraints. Thus arises a simultaneous need to enhance operational performance and to pursue strategies to meet the future needs of the Co-op. And, at our present scale our management structure with the General Manager directly supervising 11 department managers dilutes our capacity to drive retail excellence while advancing organizational and strategic initiatives with priority and urgency.
Consequently, at its January meeting, the Board approved adding a Store Manager this year. While we are conducting a national search, we are already blessed with several strong and tenured internal candidates. If you know of someone who can lead a team of experienced managers using a collaborative participatory process to advance the Co-op’s legacy as the region’s premier organically certified and cooperatively owned retailer, please make them aware of this rare opportunity! Click here to view the Store Manager job opening.
More Co-op News
July's Change for Good Partner - Maslow Project
Ashland Food Co-op is thrilled to partner with Maslow Project for our Change for Good program! Maslow Project is an incredible organization that works tirelessly to support homeless youth and families in Southern Oregon. Their mission is to empower individuals and families to achieve self-sufficiency, and they do this through a range of services including housing assistance, medical care, and educational support.
June 2023 Change for Good Partner: Southern Oregon Land Conservancy
The Ashland Food Co-op is teaming up with the Southern Oregon Land Conservancy (SOLC) as its Change for Good partner for this month. This collaboration aims to support SOLC's mission of conserving Southern Oregon's natural landscapes and habitats.
Bicycle Benefits
Here at the Co-op we are on a mission to promote healthy lifestyles and sustainable practices within our community.
May 2023 Change for Good Partner: Talent Maker City
Talent Maker City's mission is to build a more connected, prosperous, and resilient community through hands-on creativity and innovative STEAM-based learning. (STEAM = Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, & Math.) They have a bustling Makerspace facility, brimming with creative energy in downtown Talent offering hands-on STEAM-based workshops and programming for curious minds of all ages!
Celebrating Cinco de Mayo
We're always learning and growing here at the Co-op and with the approach of Cinco de Mayo we thought we would share a (very) brief history lesson and some thoughts on celebrating this holiday here in the United States.
April 2023 Change for Good Partner: Pollinator Project Rogue Valley
From Kristina Lefever, Pollinator Project Rogue Valley President
March 2023 Change for Good: Klamath Bird Observatory
From Klamath Bird Observatory, March 2023's Change for Good partner:
Frederick Douglass And Co-ops in 1846
When Douglass Came to Rochdale, England a Slave and Left a Free Man
By David J Thompson
February's Change for Good partner: OHRA
OHRA helps low-income people build better lives through access to social service resources. By helping
people move from crisis to stability, OHRA builds more capable individuals, stronger families, and a
better community. We have three core programs:
January Change for Good Partner: Ashland Food Angels
December Change for Good Partner: Rogue Action Center
December's Change for Good Partner is
Rogue Action Center
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The Rogue Action Center (RAC) builds organizing infrastructure, leaders, and community power for a just, inclusive, and sustainable Southern Oregon for everyone.
November Change for Good Partner: Vesper Meadow Education Program
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October Change for Good Partner: AFC Gives Community Fund
October's Change for Good Partner is
AFC Gives Community Fund
September Change for Good Partner: Truth to Power
September's Change for Good Partner is
Truth to Power
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Truth to Power cultivates teen activism and community participation through social justice podcasts and transformative projects.