NORQUAY CO-OPERATIVE ASSOCIATION LTD.

orquay Co-op, a Federated Co-op member, was founded in 1948 by 10 local men to sell coal. Today, it’s still owned by its members, including some descendants of the original 10 and has expanded far beyond its initial aim. The store’s reputation for customer service is so strong that it has spread far beyond its own community of 500 residents, where agriculture is the main industry.

Manager Justin Petelski says, “We have customers coming in from communities all around us to check out the Co-op in Norquay, and then they come back and tell their friends about us.”

The company vision at Norquay Co-op is to be the best retailer in the region. Justin says everything they do is done with the best interests of the people and the communities they serve in mind.

One of the largest parts of the store’s success has been the growth of its farm shop business—the store builds and then sells pole shed cold storage and insulated storage buildings to farmers. Several years ago, they noticed there was a gap in the market— while they had been providing quotes for materials for these buildings, farmers often struggled to find contractors to construct them. So the store teamed up with a contractor who is an expert in farm building construction. By dealing with the contractor through the store, customers have one less thing to worry about.

Farmers will often refer other farmers because of how easy the process is for them—they’ve even sold these buildings two provinces away. Over the last seven years, the store has built more than 45 shops a year.

Until four years ago, Norquay Co-op’s retail business functioned as a single department. Today, it has five retail departments—lumber, hardware, petroleum, agriculture and a convenience store—each with its own specialized team. That’s meant higher sales, which allowed the Co-op to add 3,500 feet of retail space and separate service counters for each of its departments.

The company’s biggest asset is its team— and Justin says they invest heavily in them. Norquay makes the most of FCL’s programs and services, as well as all other kinds of training available to them. Earlier this year, Justin completed a gruelling month-long manager training course in Saskatoon. And staff are encouraged to participate in vendor, NRHA and FCL training as often as possible. In fact, last fall, the petroleum manager was recognized by FCL for her commitment to professional development.

Norquay Co-op’s focus on the local community goes beyond just providing quality products and great service. Since 2016, it has donated more than $3,000 worth of paint and stain to community groups through its Communities in Full Colour program. Whether it’s supplying food for school fundraising barbecues, mentoring students with special needs, or supporting a relay race for the local children’s hospital— the Co-op is at the heart of the community in Norquay.