FBFC’s Plan for 2016 By Bobby Sullivan, General Manager
In many ways, our strategy for 2016 remains the same as it has been for the last few years. We are acutely focused on maximizing our sales per square foot in the current space, while planning for a major expansion. Although, now that we’ve had a few years of success to build on and as we attempt to position ourselves for a successful expansion, some priorities are changing, as far as which elements will help us get to the next level. Primary among the initiatives becoming more important, is our community’s perception of our affordability and accessibility. Data from all the market research I’ve done for the 2016 plan, shows that more and more stores will be adapting to the newly competitive retail grocery marketplace by doing things more like co-ops, or at least appearing to. We will have to hone our skills and do a better job broadcasting the value of this model, but because trends are going our way, we will be able to leverage our strengths as key reasons more and more consumers should come our way. And you can help us do this! Spread the word about the Co-op and how when you shop here, your dollars stay in the local economy.
Our competitors will be driven by data, as it’s never been more available before, but we can be driven by experience and data. Meanwhile, our relationships with our community must continue to be authentically driven by the grass roots – that’s you. “Overall, retailers will have the opportunity to store and manage massive data sets derived from point of sale, supply chain, and consumer input via loyalty cards or social media interactions. The ability to provide this level of analytical insight and to use it to manage all other parts of the business, including the shopper, will, we anticipate, determine which retailers will thrive and succeed through 2020.”1 Retailing 2020: Winning in a Polarized World (quoted above) is the continuation of the main source for last year’s plan Retailing 2015: New Frontiers. These market forecasts not only give us a window into what we might want to adopt as strategies for the future, they also tell us what directions the big players in the industry are taking, or at least considering. Again, what is striking is how much these bigger companies continued on page 3
continued from page 1
Bobby Sullivan General Manager
Sage Turner
Finance & Project Manager
Clare Schwartz
Outreach Co+ordinator
Ryan Prenger
Grocery Manager
Darren Stroupe Produce Manager
Greg Mosser Deli Manager
Melissa Fryar
Health & Body Care Manager
FBFC Board of Directors Justina Prenatt President
Danielle Goldstein Vice President
Jennifer Gustafson Secretary
Bob LeRoy Treasurer
Alanna Hibbard Kelly Fain Pauline Heyne Josh Littlejohn Daav Wheeler Josh O’Conner Jean Karpen Board Assistant
French Broad Food Co-op 90 Biltmore Ave. Asheville, NC 28801 Tel:828.255.7650 info@frenchbroadfood.coop www.frenchbroadfood.coop
Monday-Saturday 8am to 9pm Sunday 11am to 7pm
are being pressured by public demand to appear more and more like co-ops, which we can see as both threatening and vindicating. In this new world of technology, consumers have the power to know more about the products they are looking for and the companies that provide them. Businesses are going to need to respond to consumer reaction in ways that reach the shopper on a personal level. The quote below not only illustrates this fact, it also points to how our strengths as a co-op already fulfill what consumers are looking for these days: “Internet-enabled shoppers, in particular, will be able to more clearly define and find specific products to meet their needs. We believe that shoppers will pay a premium for products or services that reflect their values, or for products that accomplish very specific things. In particular, this ‘new premium’ will be defined by three core attributes: Transparency – Access to information will allow shoppers to know what brands stand for, and this visibility will be essential to brands positioning themselves as ‘authentic’ in the broad marketplace. Preservation – Although shoppers will increasingly become concerned about preserving the world, they will also spend significant and increased amounts on preserving themselves. Health and wellness will continue to be a priority for shoppers and an increasingly lucrative business platform for retailers. Purpose – We expect to see shoppers continuing to make decisions based on a broader sense of social responsibility. Consumers will be even more engaged and energized by a range of larger social responsibility issues by 2020.”2 What is abundantly clear from this year’s study, is that a single strategy won’t work. We have to offer the best price in at least a few categories, the highest quality in
others at a reasonable price, and all while enhancing the customers’ shopping experiences. Other signs point to multiculturalism becoming “an integral part of doing business as more and more brands and conversations globalize.”3 Also on the horizon and which could hit close to home, bigger chains will be pursuing “small, urban, ‘alternative’ retail formats”4 to appear more grass roots. What’s particularly striking, as detailed in Retailing 2020, is the dramatic shift in shopper demographics as the previously dominant Baby Boomers leave the workforce and move to more of a fixed income. In their stead, millennials are gaining more and more consumer power. “This polarization will create, in effect, two mega-cohorts - the ‘over-50‘s’ and ‘under-30‘s’ - dividing the US into two very different ‘shopping nations’.”5 Not only is the demographic makeup changing, there is a widening gap in the ‘haves’ and the ‘have-nots’. “The US is the only major developed economy in the world where income classes define retail channel dynamics – its distribution of income looks more like a developing economy than a developed one. We expect the difference to continue through the decade,” says Retailing 2020, “and to have a disproportionately large impact on the development of the US retail marketplace.”6 In 2016, we expect our growth to stabilize at 5% - a somewhat better than modest level. Our new competition is solidly in place and 2016 promises more, albeit subtle, developments on that front. Our expansion plans will develop over the year, culminating in the hiring of our architect and designer. In the next 12 months we will refine the concept, develop the budget, build a team of expansion experts, increase our internal readiness, complete our preliminary design and develop a Retailing 2020: Winning in a Polarized World, by Sue McPartlin & Lisa Dugal from Pricewaterhouse Cooper, and Bryan Gildenberg & David Marcotte from Kantar Retail, pg. 15 2 Retailing 2020, pg. 19 3 Ibid, pg. 2 4 Ibid, pg. 6 5 Ibid, pg. 11 6 Ibid,pg. 11 7 Retailing 2020, pg. 3 1
financing plan. Needless to say, in such a competitive climate we will need to have an innovative approach. Here’s more from Retailing 2020: “Consumer-centric stores and relationships will require a like-minded consumer-centric supply chain and operating model. Active consumer interaction in the supply chain will cause a divergence of shoppers. Some shoppers will pay significantly more for specific ingredients, faster delivery, sustainable attributes, or higher product quality. On the other hand, some will trade down to lower cost products with none of those features. Retailers will need to understand where they sit on that continuum and how many consumer-centric opportunities they will need to leverage.” To stay in line with the Co-op’s overall objectives, the 2016 business plan is based on the FBFC’s Ends Policies. In section IV, each priority identified for the coming year is tied directly to the Ends Policy it supports. Areas we continue to identify as priorities for 2016 are as follows: 1. Maintain and continue to build a healthy, productive workplace and service oriented culture 2. Create additional resources for consumers highlighting cooking classes, nutrition and affordability initiatives with Organic and Non GMO Verified products 3. Build sales while increasing operational efficiency and maximizing sales per square foot leading up to the store’s expansion 4. Enhance local food systems, growing local businesses and growing our sales in the local food sector 5. Increase contacts and strengthen connections between the Co-op and our changing community
A Note From An Owner
HOW TO BEAT THE SEASONAL SNIFFLES NATURALLY by Natasha Kubis L.AC
Acupuncture can help boost a weakened immune system or re-balance an over-active immune system by stimulating or calming the production of red and white blood cells in the body. Typically, patients fighting allergies have compromised immune function. In this case, acupuncture works with the body to bolster the production of white blood cells and strengthen the immune system’s resistance to infection by increasing its lymphocyte count and activity. Preventative acupuncture is also important in that it can help strengthen and maintain the balance of an already strong immune system. In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), the body is composed of an intricate web of energy pathways known as “meridians” that maintain a balance of Yin (substances which nourish the body such as blood and body fluid) and Yang (related to activity and function). Each meridian is named after the specific internal organ that it encompasses and through which it passes. When Qi (vital energy) and Xue (blood) flow freely through the meridians, the body is in good health and can perform at its optimum. However, if a particular energy pathway is obstructed, its corresponding organ’s function will also be affected and the body’s yin and yang will become unbalanced. This imbalance will ultimately affect the functioning of the body as a whole. Under normal conditions, the lungs can control respiration and ensure that one breathes freely through the nose and with an acute sense of smell. The lungs are also responsible for dispersing energy throughout the body and for preventing pathogenic factors from invading the body. Allergy treatment varies from patient to patient depending on their particular issues but generally the blockage of energy is situated in the lung meridian, for which the nose is considered an extension. Other areas addressed are the Liver/Gallbladder which are activated in spring and responsible for detoxification, the Spleen, which if not in harmony, can cause excess dampness and mucus, and the Kidneys, which play a role in genetics factors of an illness. Nutrition plays an important role in maintaining a healthy immune system. I would suggest eliminating foods that cause excess inflammation in the body. These types of inflammatory items include alcohol, tobacco, sugar, wheat, dairy, caffeine, saturated fats and highly processed foods. Here of some foods/vitamins to incorporate into your diet to boost the immune system: Local, raw honey: This sweet nectar can help allergy symptoms by regularly exposing you to local pollen – not unlike the concept of
how allergy shots work. Allergy injections help desensitize pollen-allergic people by exposing them to a specific pollen. Turmeric: This root has very strong anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and anticancer properties. I suggest buying fresh turmeric root from the grocery store and using it in smoothies, soups and other dishes. Ginger: This plant is another natural antihistamine and decongestant. It may provide some relief from allergy symptoms by dilating constricted bronchial tubes. Quercetin: A flavonol that can reduce allergic reactions by having an antihistamine effect. It also decreases inflammation and is found in apples, cranberries, grapefruit, grapes, pears, spinach, kale and cabbage. Magnesium: This essential mineral may open constricted airways in asthma by relaxing the muscles around the bronchial tubes. Some think a deficiency in magnesium can even release histamine. Sources of magnesium include almonds, spinach, avocados, oysters, seeds and buckwheat. Beta-Carotene: This carotenoid helps boost immunity and keeps the respiratory system working optimally. It also is a powerful antioxidant and is found in sweet potatoes, kale, spinach, carrots, winter squash and collard greens. Vitamin C: This vitamin has been shown to decrease production of histamine, thus reducing an immediate allergic episode. Green and red peppers, strawberries, kiwi, oranges, potatoes and cabbage are all high in Vitamin-C.
Eat Organic: To reduce risk of additional toxin exposure. There are many natural remedies that can combat allergies by strengthening the immune system. To combat allergies more effectively, these practices should begin several months before allergy season. Treating the symptoms as they appear is a less effective than preparing the body ahead of time. Focusing on proper nutrition, supplementation, exercise, homeopathy and acupuncture treatments throughout the year will help prepare the body for allergy season. *Natasha Kubis is a licensed acupuncturist in North Carolina with a private practice in Asheville. She specializes in the treatment of allergies, women’s health, pain management and stress reduction. www.essential-well.com
FBFC - MORE WAYS TO SAVE! Co+op Deals
Look for the green Co+op Deal signs to find great saving on some of our most popular products. Look for the Co+op Deals Coupons in the store too and save even more, even on sale items!
Owner Deals
Membership has it’s perks! Look for the orange Owner Deal signs to find great prices exclusively for owners.
OWNER DEALS
5% on the 5th
Owners save 5% off their purchases on the 5th of every month.
Special Order and Save
Special order your items in a case or bulk quantity and get 20% off for owners, 10% off for non owners.
Community Appreciation Days
Four times per year we offer 10% OFF ONE ENTIRE SHOP for everyone, not just owners, during Community Appreciation Days.
Shop Bulk
Buy a pinch or a pound. Our bulk section is awesome, with over 1000 bulk foods, herbs, spices & liquids.
B U L K
Patronage Rebate
In profitable years, owners can receive a percentage of the profits back based on the total spent at the co+op during that fiscal year.
Co+op Basics
Co+op Basics offers you new low prices on over 100 of the same staples every week, so you can plan your weekly meals around affordability and quality.
Asheville Tool Library Grand Opening We know, we know, it’s been a long time. Don’t fret! The Asheville Tool Library still exists and we’re opening soon. While you’ve been calling all your contacts trying to find a weed-eater to borrow, we’ve been calling all our contacts trying to find a space to rent. And we succeeded! And, starting April 9, we will have weed-eaters for you, too. After three years of trying to find the right space for the project we are really excited to announce our location at 133 Church St. in the Open SpaceAVL building. We look forward to meeting you all and we hope you will join us for one or all of our upcoming events including tool and membership drives. This is a non-profit, volunteer run project so we need the support of our community to make this a success. You can see a list of all our events http://www.ashevilletoollibrary.org/news-events If you want to learn more you can follow us on Facebook https://www. facebook.com/ashevilletoollibrary or check out our website http://www.ashevilletoollibrary.org/ Nicholas Letts Co-Creator, Asheville Tool Library
S AT U R D AY & S U N D AY M A R C H 1 2 - 1 3 , 2 0 1 6
Pre - Co n fe re n c e Wo r k s h o p s Fr i d ay, M a rc h 1 1 U N C A
C A M P U S
|
A S H E V I L L E ,
N C
More than 70 Classes Each Day
Gardening • Permaculture • Homesteading • Herbs Cooking • Sustainable Living • Forestry • Farming Poultry • Livestock • Earth Skills • and More!
PRE-CONFERENCE WORKSHOPS Friday , March 11th, 2016
Full-day, intensive workshops with the experts! Get more details on our website.
JEFF POPPEN The Principles of Biodynamics
PATRICIA KYRITSI HOWELL 10 Medicinal Herbs to Know & Grow
JIM ADKINS Backyard Chickens & Beyond
WWW•ORGANICGROWERSSCHOOL•ORG
Oh Spring! Melissa, HBC Manager
Oh Spring! Finally, after a long winter ... I hope you are all hanging on through this season. I always feel heartened when the green comes back. Feeling the sun on my face thaws me to the core! As much as I love cozy days by the woodstove with some hot tea, by February I am weary and needing to be outside with the wild things. The world seems to be spinning faster and faster these days. As Asheville grows, there’s more everything ... traffic, noise, crime, activities, business. So let’s talk about an important issue in all this busy-ness: Mood. Winter is often hard on us, it’s a time to go inward, sleep more, rest and replenish. Sadly, few of us get this time. I know in my world, I am constantly pulled to the next month, next season, next conference or class. The Be Here Now philosophy goes out the window. Luckily there are some terrific plants and herbs to help soothe our frayed nerves and anxiety. I have been using blue vervain lately to curb anger and frustration. I blend a tea of: 1 part blue vervain 1 part borage 1 part hawthorn leaf and flower 1/2 part rose petals This is a calming and gentle tea to soothe anger and bring courage to the heart. Some of my other soothers include holy basil, milky oat tincture, lemon balm and chrysanthemum flowers. All of these are available in the bulk herb section and we also carry tinctures of many of them. A daily favorite tincture blend is: 1 oz. holy basil tincture 1/2 oz. milky oat tincture or glycerite 1/2 oz. lemon balm glycerite Take a dropper full as needed to enhance mood and destress. I have covered this before, but I cannot help but say again: LOVE YOUR ADAPTOGENS!
Adaptogens help nourish our endocrine system and specifically our adrenals. I originally thought that the adaptogen craze was a fad, then I learned more and more about the endocrine system and all of the endocrine disruptors in our environment: pollution, fluoride, plastics, chlorine, and some studies have found that GMOs are also endocrine disruptors. Then add poor nutrition and the stress most of us endure daily ... uh, yeah, we need support. So, get to know some of the great adaptogens: ashwaganda, eleuthro (siberian ginseng), maca, schizandra berries, american ginseng, and rhodiola. These can be added to your daily regime via tinctures, teas, or even food! I use a blend that I include in smoothies, kefir, or Woohsa Balls: 1 cup dried fruit (raisins, dates, apricots, figs) 1 cup nut butter or soaked and dried nuts (walnuts, almond, cashew, sunflower seeds) 3 Tbsp. adaptogen powder (I use 1 part gelatinized maca, 1 part eleuthro, 1 part ashwaganda, and 1/4 part cinnamon) 2 Tbsp honey pinch of good salt *optional 2-4 dropper full of adaptogen tincture such as rhodiola, fo ti, ashwaganda, ginseng, etc. Blend fruits in a food processor then add remaining ingredients and blend well. Mixture should hold together when rolled into balls. Add a touch of coconut milk if needed. Roll into balls and coat with coconut or cocoa powder. I hope these recipes nourish you and help you to take care of yourself this season! Spring is also a great time for enjoying wild foods such as chickweed, nettles, and dandelion leaf. It was traditional to eat these young bitter spring greens to support the liver and digestive system after a winter of eating heavier foods. Including bitters into your daily diet can help with overall digestion and these days, bitters are an art. Both herbalists and cocktail enthusiasts are blending up some magical concoctions, from cocoa bitter blends to super spicy cardamom bitter blends. Make your own or try one of
the many blends that we carry, such as Urban Moonshine’s tasty bitters.
Blend all powders together and add essential oils. Store in a sealed glass jar and use daily.
Another topic I wanted to touch on is oral health. Not only is our oral health a sign of overall health, but our sugar intake usually increases over the holidays which is not so good for our teeth. Oral care is also fairly expensive and few of us can afford the cost. So, what can we do at home?
Rosemary Gladstar’s Healing Mouthwash 3/4 cup water 1/4 cup vodka 40 drops calendula tincture 40 drops goldenseal tincture 20 drops myrrh tincture 1-2 drops peppermint essential oil *optional- Add 40 drops neem tincture as well
First, look at diet. Minimizing sugar and including calcium-rich broths and nettles tea can help keep our bones and teeth healthy. Of course, regular brushing and flossing is key, and I am a fan of the tongue scraper to minimize bacteria. Some folks I know actually rub probiotics on their gums and teeth before bed to decrease bad bacteria and to prevent morning dragon breath. Here are a few recipes that I have used and love to get you started in herbal dentistry:
Mix together and dilute in water for a daily rinse to decrease inflammation. continued on next page
Michael Moore’s Tooth Powder 6 oz. arrowroot powder 2 oz. orrisroot powder 1/2 oz. baking soda 1/2 oz. licorice root powder 1/2 oz. myrrh powder 1/2 oz. clove powder 1/2 oz. cinnamon powder 1/2 oz. yerba mansa powder 10 drops peppermint essential oil 5 drops wintergreen essential oil Calendula
continued from previous page
And finally, a blend from Leslie Tierra that I love! 1 part neem tincture 1 part prickly ash bark tincture 1/4 part clove tincture 1/4 part licorice tincture Squirt onto gums or add to toothpaste and brush into gums daily. For those of you not interested in making your own, we do have great products on the shelf. Uncle Harry’s carries a wonderful toothpaste made from clay, as well as tooth powders and gum elixirs. For gum infections, Herbs Etc. has a wonderful mouth tonic that works wonders in a water pic. No article is complete for Spring until we touch on ALLERGIES. The bane of many who live in these lush mountains, allergies can make the season miserable. Some of the Co-op’s favored remedies include freeze dried nettles, quercetin, and goldenrod. We also have several effective homeopathic remedies for pollen and hayfever. Come talk to us, we are happy to help! We are working on stocking all the seasons necessities: allergy support, poison ivy remedies, sunscreens, bug repellants, rash & skin care, and don’t forget to check out our great selection of gardening, herbal, and permaculture books! We are looking to source more local herbs in our herb section this year, so be on the look out! Right now we have some beautiful local calendula flowers in stock ... just in time to make a batch of healing salve for the outdoor season. Don’t forget about the Organic Growers School and the Mother Earth News Fair coming up and above all ... Happy Spring! May you grow much beauty this season.
Neem
LOCAL is the Most Beautiful Color Alanna Hibbard, Board of Directors
When I was in college, I took a class called “Gastronomy 101.” I took this class, not because of any academic ambition, but because my friend Michelle begged me to join her, and it fit perfectly into my schedule. I was like, cool, learn about food. I like eating! I got this, whatever it is. My diet at the time of taking this class was not, as we might say today, nutrient dense. It was 90% grilled cheese and apples. I was busy, I was spending as little as possible, and I was thinking even less. To be honest I probably signed up for this class because I heard there were snacks. Gastronomy is a French word, and an alternate title for this class might as well have been Francophilia 101. We discussed Brillat-Savarin, terroir, the origin of the restaurant amidst the French Revolution. Everyone did a research project. Three bites into a classmate’s 17th century feast, I thought perhaps if I was privileged enough to be in Gastronomy 101, maybe I could expand my diet beyond grilled cheese. Maybe. When my turn to present came, I chose a modern subject: McDonalds in France. It was different. We had spent the whole semester fawning over the French way of doing everything, and I volunteered to become the wet blanket killjoy of global industrialized processed food. My research led to a depressing story of profits over people, quantity over quality, and the destruction of small local businesses. This was the defining moment when I started to *really* care about the origins of my own food supply. I thought about the world I wanted to live in. I wanted access to quality food, I wanted to support small local farms, and most of all I wanted not to feel like a cog in the wheel of industrialism. I switched to organic apples, and I started shopping at my local COOP. I realized there were alternatives, and that I had a voice. From choosing where I spent my money, to voting, to volunteering, I realized that my own participation had a direct positive impact on my community. And that is ultimately how I became involved on the board level. Sound good? We are always taking board applications on our website ;) The concept of terroir – the taste of a place- stuck with me as something special, long after finishing that class. Here in Asheville, we have the taste of a temperate rainforest, nestled in an ancient mountain range. We can taste it in our local greens, our sweet potatoes, our entire rainbow of seasonal produce and wildcrafted herbs. We can taste it in our locally milled flours, our locally brewed beverages, and our locally raised meats. It fills me with great pride knowing that the FBFC carries over 1000 local products. Every time I visit I find a new farmer or producer to support, and the feeling is mutual.
FRENCH BROAD FOOD CO-OP CALENDAR OF EVENTS
www.frenchbroadfood.coop • 90 Biltmore Ave. • Downtown Asheville • 828.255.7650