Meeting Minutes

December 20, 2018

Proposed Minutes

Present at the meeting: Holly Jo Sparks, Kathy Baylis Monteith, Jim Dagwell, Rebecca Teahen, Kaitlyn Burns, Chuck Mueller, Sean Burns, Colleen Valko, Chris Miller, Rebecca Teahen

Absent: n/a

Oryana: General Manager: Steve Nance; Marketing & Communications Manager: Stephanie Mathewson; Human Development Manager: Wendy Walter

Guests: Tom Slater, Jules Shellby, Kimberly Conaghan, Katherine Palms, Jimmy Coyer

Welcome: Jim convened the meeting at 5:45 pm.  

Additions or Changes to Agenda:

The agenda was reviewed. There were no changes or additions.  

Minutes from the November meeting were approved by email.

Board Calendar:  

The Board reviewed the upcoming Board Calendar.

There was a question about whether there would be a Board meeting in January with a retreat already planned. The Board decided to address this question later in the agenda when discussing the retreat.

Public Input:

Jim Dagwell (and the Board) wished Sean Burns a Happy Birthday.

Tom Slater thought the decision to forego patronage payments and invest in the solar project to reduce energy usage at  the co-op was sound and thanked the Board and Leadership.  

Kimberly thanked Oryana for the support for their programming at the TC Community Garden and looked forward further collaborations in the coming year.

GM report: Steve Nance

Oryana for Good: Stephanie Mathewson

  • Cranksgiving: Oryana was one of the chosen local groceries for Norte’s Cranksgiving event. Cyclists were encouraged to bike to a grocery, purchase needed items for food pantries and bike them to donation.
  • Turkey Donations: Oryana was proud to donate 66 Duerksen Turkeys to local organizations providing meals for neighbors in need.   
  • Record-Eagle CBD Article: Oryana pitched an article that was picked up by the Record-Eagle recently on the research and uses of CBD oil – it was a great feature and quoted our Wellness Manager, Crystal Turner, many times. We’ve seen a boost in sales since publication.
  • Career Tech Center Tours: Oryana hosted two tours of Career Tech Center students working on a multi-class project to design and cost out a ‘Grocery Mailer.’ Matt and Stephanie from the EMOE team were able to take students through the store and talk about the many facets of grocery marketing.
  • Giving Tree Donations: Oryana staff and customers were so generous this year, we were able to support 2 full families in Giving Tree Donations for the Child and Family Services organization. The first donations ran out so quickly, we had to request a second family.
  • Record-Eagle Best of Traverse City Award: Oryana was awarded the ‘Best Health Food Restaurant’ award for the R-E’s annual ‘Best of TC’ contest.
  • Oryana + Higher Ground Collab Coffee: A brand new collaborative coffee blend from Oryana + Higher Grounds will be hitting our shelves soon. Choice blends were developed by Higher Grounds, voted upon by Oryana staff, and the label was designed fully in-house by Matt.
  • Dinner, Debate & Discourse: Steve has been asked to participate in a panel discussion on the local Food Service scene for the first in a new community discussion series. The event will take place on January 9 at the TC Circuit, with dinner at 5:30 pm, program at 6:00 p m. The event is free and open to the public.

Fantastic Finance, Steve Nance

  • Steve began by re-stating for the Board why Good Financial Practices are important for the co-op – to be goodstewards for our Owners.
  • December growth is positive by 2.14%(by sales month).
  • The growth in November andDecember has moved YTD growth in a positive direction.
  • Current YTD Labor is slightlyunder Target and Sales Per Labor Hour is up.
  • The week leading up to Christmas is our second busiest of the year.
  • Oryana’s Balance Sheet is verystrong resulting in strong Financial Health.

Our Co-op:

  • Steve talked a bit about the Amazing Oryana Experience (AOE) – which includes every touchpoint people havewith the co-op and making sure that they are successful. He feels the focus ofthese should be:
    • Attentive, engaging andknowledgeable staff
    • High-quality product selections
    • Focus on truly local, and aclean, fresh and efficient store
  • To help maintain the AOE, Oryanahas been participating in a Mystery Shop program for one year now and scoresare high and continue to improve.

Industry Trends

  • UNFI has acquired SuperValu and is trying to work out operational issues. Oryana has seen these in out of stocks and inventory not received. Oryana continues to communicate about these problems to rectify them.
  • Whole Foods is continuing to invest in the 365 Format store.
  • Instacart is running into labor issues.
  • Costco is setting tighter standards for antibiotics in meat.
  • Cauliflower has been named the trendiest vegetable of 2018.
  • Walmart is testing robots for prepared foods tasks like working a fryer.
  • Consumers are looking to cook at home more in 2019.
  • The Farm Bill was passed and kept most of the support for Organic. The Trump administration is planning to roll back the healthy school lunch program.  
  • SB 1197 passed the Michigan legislature paving the way for a tunnel to be built for Line 5 under the Mackinac Straits. Oryana is remaining part of the Great Lakes Business Network which is working to remove Line 5.
  • A lawsuit about local Prop 3 is continuing. Oryana is watching because the outcome could affect developments in our area.
  • CBL 101, a primer for new co-op Board Members, will be held in Traverse City on May 4, 2019 in cooperation with Oryana.
  • Steve announced the winners of Oryana’s first ever Ugly Sweater Contest: Brooke won the full contest and Nate won the GM Best in Show Award.
  • Groundwork is working to bring both the Culinary Medicine Program and Farms, Food & Health next year. Oryana will be assisting with both events.
  • CCMA 2019 has been scheduled for June 6-8 in Durham, NC.
  • Local cooperative development Commongrounds finished their first round of funding and exceeded their goals. Oryana has been consulted on the project and looks forward to having another cooperative partner in our neighborhood.
  • Eighth Street will be reconstructed in 2019 and is expected to greatly impact traffic. The North Boardman Lake District Group, of which Oryana is a member, was shown early plans. There are discussions about naming the NBLD a Health Corridor for the area.

Monitoring Report: Ends Policy on Model Workplace 2018

Wendy Walter

Wendy presented supplemental information to the Board on the Model Workplace Ends Policy 2018.

  • Oryana staff are encouraged, supported, motivated and rewarded
    • Staff are empowered to make things right for every customer.
    • Staff are provided a range of rewards to meet their needs and what they find rewarding.
  • Oryana provides our staff with professional development and advancement opportunities
    • Oryana offers a robust training program including a full-day orientation and many other continuing trainings.
    • 17 staff moved positions/departments or added responsibilities through internal postings.
  • Oryana provides a Work/Life Balance
    • Overtime hours are limited to the best of our ability.
    • Being a retail environment offers us the chance to be a bit more flexible on availability of hours and days, meeting many needs.
  • Oryana offers a culture of clear, consistent, and respectful communications, open dialogue, and idea sharing.
    • Oryana tries their hardest to hire for motivational fit – looking for the motivation to want to be here and want to work with us. This lends to hiring people who want to learn and share their ideas.
    • Huddles have been held for over a year now offering staff a great communications opportunity each week.
  • Oryana is consistent and positive when holding staff accountable.
    • Clear expectations are shared and posted for all staff.
    • Oryana has a formalized review and evaluation process for all employees.
  • Oryana practices Servant Leadership.
    • Oryana leaders are highly encouraged to support staff so that they may, in turn, support each other.
    • All administrative staff offer on-the-floor support for frontline staff.

2.3 Treatment of Staff & 2.8 Compensation and Benefits

Wendy Walter

Proof of compliance is provided through the staff surveys conducted by CDS. In 2018 (and all even years) a percentage of eligible staff (those who have completed their introductory period) were randomly selected to participate. There was 100% participation amongst this group this year.

The data shows that Oryana employees are generally as satisfied as other co-op staff around the country and in some cases significantly more so. The Board was provided with in-depth results for their review.

Sean asked about the slight decrease in survey results related to workload. Wendy responded that this was probably due to staff who have been with Oryana for a long time – they have seen changes in expectations regarding efficiency and expectations to adjust to lower sales. Staff who have been hired more recently feel that all expectations are fair. The results probably reflect this difference. The leadership team does regularly monitor this issue to ensure that staff are being asked to work fairly for their fair wages while maintaining a Model Workplace.

Holly Jo asked how often staff members either choose to leave or are let go due to not being a motivational fit. Wendy responded that it does not happen often. The majority of staff leave due to life changes or other opportunities. There are some instances where staff wanted full-time work, but there was not full-time work available. Oryana does have a 60-day introductory period and managers are trained to use this period to review if the staff member is a good fit. Exit interviews are also conducted for all employees and results are noted.

Chuck asked what Wendy had found was most helpful from the survey results. She feels that the survey confirmed that the changes that have been made over the last year have been well-communicated.

Motion to accept:             Action: Sean moved. Colleen seconded.

The Board accepted

Ends Policy on Model Workplace 2018

2.3 Treatment of Staff 2018

2.8 Compensation and Benefits 2018

The Board reached consensus.

Board Development and Educational Activity: Retreat Discussion

The date is set for January 11th at the TC Chamber from 9:00 am – 4:00 pm. An agenda was presented to the Board for agreement.

Ben Sandel from CDS will lead the discussions with the exception of Oryana Imagined, 2028.

There was a suggestion of having an outside presenter for an hour to discuss Policy Governance. Rebecca volunteered to explore that option.

Kaitlyn requested reading materials be provided a week in advance. Jim said he would pass that request on to Ben.

Jim requested that if any Board Members had not completed the self-evaluation to please complete it.

Discussion: Signature Approval

The co-op maintains a Line of Credit in case of need. When there is a Board change in leadership, signatories need to be updated. Steve asked for Board approval to make Jim Dagwell the designated signatory. The Board unanimously (9-0) voted to approve. Results were certified by Kaitlyn.

There are no current plans to utilize the LOC.

Board Budget 2019

The Board has been below or at their budget for the past few years. The budget is determined as a percentage of store sales. This budget line item is in line with other co-ops’ spending. Chris did note that there was greater interest in CCMA this past year and wondered if the budget should be increased to cover that. Steve responded that he felt that that could be accommodated if interest was high in 2019.

Chris also noted that if the co-op foresees a move in our meeting location, to take that into account for cost.

The final board budget line item will be included in the Business Plan presented to the Board in 2019.

Next Meeting Review:

Due to the retreat, there will be no January Board Meeting.

Public Input & Announcements:

Jim invited everyone to the SEEDS public event immediately following the meeting.

Meeting Closed:

The meeting was adjourned at 7:22 pm.

November

Proposed Minutes

Present at the meeting: Holly Jo Sparks, Kathy Baylis Monteith, Jim Dagwell, Rebecca Teahen, Kaitlyn Burns (via phone), Chuck Mueller, Sean Burns, Colleen Valko

Absent: Chris Miller

Oryana: General Manager: Steve Nance; Marketing & Communications Manager: Stephanie Mathewson

Guests: Tom Slater, Jules Shellby

Welcome: Jim convened the meeting at 5:45 pm.  

Additions or Changes to Agenda:

The agenda was reviewed. There were no changes or additions.  

Minutes from the October meeting were approved by email.

Board Calendar:  

The Board reviewed the upcoming Board Calendar.

Public Input:

Tom Slater expressed his appreciation of Oryana for installing solar panels on the roof. Jules seconded his comments.

GM report: Steve Nance

Oryana for Good: Stephanie Mathewson

  • Girl Scout Cooking Class: Laura conducted an on-site Girl Scout Cooking Class for a local troop looking to earn their badges in cooking and nutrition.  
  • Interlochen Health Fair: Devin educated hundreds of students during the Interlochen Health Fair with samples, recipes and information about the co-op.  
  • Wellness Yoga Series: The Wellness Yoga Series, a collaboration between EMOE, Wellness and New Moon Yoga continues to gain popularity. So far, we’ve taught 84 students about the relationship between yoga and wellness products for health.
  • Leland Township Library: Devin will be teaching a nutrition, health and label reading class at the Leland Township Library tonight – the first in their community series: We’re All In This Together.
  • Holiday Events: Mary estimates she exhibited in front of nearly 400 people at two local holiday events this last Friday – The Festival of Trees Foodie Friday and Shift Chiropractic’s Ladies’ Night.
  • Save the Date: Oryana Staff Holiday Party: We will be hosting the annual staff holiday party on Saturday, December 8th from 6-10 pm at The Circuit. Food will be provided by S2S and there will be live music on hand. All Board Members are encouraged to attend.  

Fantastic Finance, Steve Nance

  • October finished down by .97% but continues the improving trend.
  • Labor was just slightly above target.
  • Assets and Equity are increasing while Debt is decreasing resulting in a strong financial position.

Industry Trends

  • Progressive Grocer reports that Produce will remain a major draw for shoppers into the next year.
  • Amazon is beginning to reach peak market growth for Prime memberships. After 12% year-over-year growth in July, estimates are for an annual growth of 8% for October.
  • The Grocery industry is closely watching trade wars and tariffs as these may increase costs of some ingredients or items that use packaging material.
  • The Chinese Amazon counterpart Alibaba saw $30.8 billion in sales in this year’s annual Singles Day (11/11).

Our Co-op:

  • Steve and other Great Lakes Co-ops attended the Good Food Summit in Lansing in the end of October – promoting co-ops’ work to provide food access to all.
  • John Langham attended one of the final Rising Stars 2 sessions.
  • Oryana is seeing lift from the targeted mail coupon that went out to 5,000 high-potential non-owners, offering 3 weeks of deals leading up to Thanksgiving.  
  • Steve will be going off of the Chamber Board in the coming year as his current tenure is up. He is going to focus on his work with North Boardman Lake District.
  • Steve attended a city round table discussing making TC 100% renewable by 2040.

2.4 Financial Condition & Activities – Quarter 3 2018

Steve Nance

Operational Metrics

  • Third Quarter ended off Target, though it did end with a Net Profit.
  • Labor has greatly improved during the last two quarters to bring costs more in line.
  • Owner Count is also on the rise.
  • EBITDA is at 5.56%.

Financial Health

  • Cash on Hand position is strong.
  • Ratios are moving in a positive direction.
  • There is an increase in assets and equity and a slight decrease in liabilities.

Motion to accept:             Action: Sean moved. Colleen seconded.

The Board accepted the 2.4 Financial Condition & Activities – Quarter 3 2018

The Board reached consensus.

Board Development and Educational Activity: Finance 2.2

Steve Nance

Steve presented a Financial Literacy 202 program for the Board, diving deeper into our metrics and what they mean.

Committee Report Out: Engagement

Chuck Mueller

Chuck reported out on the two Board Engagement events held in October. These resulted in 26 interactions with Owners, 17 interactions with non-Owners, and 3 renewal/new Ownerships.

He felt the experiences were useful and positive and would like to host more in the new year. He’d like to be intentional about talking points and information gathering for each event.

Kathy suggested other food options besides cookies or could it be a way to demo a new product?

Board Retreat Discussion

The date is set for January 11th at Neahtawanta.

There was support for doing another Board Self-Evaluation prior to the retreat. Jim will follow up with Ben to implement. Results will be shared at the Retreat and discussed.

Agenda Content will include:

  • Review of Board Self-Evaluation results
  • Review of Equity options
  • Oryana Imagined, 2028/What does expansion and growth look like?
  • Refresher of Policy Governance/How do we effectively review Ends Policies

Next Meeting Review:

The next meeting will be held Thursday, December 20th at 5:45 pm at Oryana. The Board is then invited to attend the SEEDS’ 20th anniversary party as an engagement opportunity.

Colleen asked about confirmation on the 2019 General Ownership Meeting date. It is set for Thursday, April 18th 2019.

Public Input & Announcements:

There was no public input.

Meeting Closed:

The meeting was adjourned at 7:25 pm.

October 18

Present at the meeting: ChrisMiller, Holly Jo Sparks, Kathy Baylis Monteith, Jim Dagwell, Rebecca Teahen, KaitlynBurns, Chuck MuellerNo

Absent: Sean Burns, Colleen Valko

Oryana: General Manager: Steve Nance; Marketing & Communications Manager: Stephanie Mathewson

Guests: Sherwood Smith, Avenue ISR

Welcome: Jim convened the meeting at 12:05 pm.

Additions or Changes to Agenda:

The agenda was reviewed. Chuck requested that the Board take a minute to discuss upcoming Board Engagement Opportunities during the meeting. The Board agreed.

Minutes from the September meeting were approved by email.

Board Calendar:  

The Board reviewed the upcoming Board Calendar.

Public Input:

Steve shared that Oryana is flipping the switch to the Solar Panels today!

GM report: Steve Nance

Oryana for Good: Stephanie Mathewson

  • National Writer’s Series: Oryana was the Literary Sponsor for the NWS program of Dr. Hanna-Attisha who helped blow the whistle on the Flint Water Crisis.
  • Dedication Ceremony for Ken Quitugua: Oryana held the dedication ceremony for the tree on our property for Ken Quitugua. A few dozen close friends shared wonderful stories and remembrances.
  • Colantha Festival: Oryana touted the benefits of Shetler’s Milk at the Colantha Festival this year.
  • Northern Michigan Walk to School Day: Oryana hosted several ‘Walk Trains’ for NM Walk to School Day – we’re becoming a favorite stop for our snacks!
  • Groundwork Harvest Dinner: Oryana was a Lead Sponsor for Groundwork’s Annual Harvest Dinner. Oryana provided food for the Milliken Reception and donated ingredients that were used by Local chefs in the dinner.
  • SOAR Program: Oryana is working with NMC Extended Education for the SOAR Program targeted at Young Adults living with Disabilities.

Fantastic Finance, Steve Nance

  • September Sales were off by 2 points from last year.
  • Labor overall for the year is trending lower, which is getting us back on target. Labor actually dipped below target for September.
  • Sales Growth over the course of two years is an improving trend.
  • Operating Income is also an improving trend. Draft Quarterly Income looks favorable.

Our Co-op:

  • Steve attended the NCG Fall Meeting in Minneapolis. He also stayed over an extra day and met with the Great Lakes Co-ops to tour local co-ops.
  • Holly Jo represented co-opdom in DC during Co-op Fest last month. They won the Spirited Sprinters award for their 5K team, Co-op ‘til we Drop.
  • Steve will be helping to represent the Great Lakes Co-ops at the Good Food Summit in Lansing. The Summit is focused on Food Access and the Great Lakes Co-ops exhibit to promote co-ops and what they do to assist in Food Access.
  • Oryana will be the host of a 2019 CBL 101 – Foundations for Board Leadership for CDS.
  • Steve toured the Long Lake Culinary Campus during their Grand Opening. There could be some good opportunities for value-added producers who could work with Oryana in the future.

2.1 Monitoring Report: Treatment of Consumers & 2.2 Monitoring Report: Membership

Steve Nance

Steve asked if there were any questions on the reports the Board read. There were no questions.

Motion to accept:             Action: Kaitlyn moved. Rebecca seconded.

The Board accepted the 2.1 and 2.2 Monitoring Reports

The Board reached consensus.

Board Development and Educational Activity: Shopper Survey Results

Sherwood Smith, Ave ISR

Woody shared the findings of Oryana’s 2018 Shopper Survey and CAT Market Study. A few of the findings are below:

  • 80% say Oryana meets their needs ‘Very Well’ or ‘Well’ (up from 76% in 2016)
  • 92% are Extremely Satisfied or Satisfied and 94% would likely recommend Oryana (the Extremely Satisfied crowd increased from 35% to 43% over 2 years ago)
  • Product selection/variety increased in satisfaction by 6 points
  • All metrics associated with price image improved over the last 2 years

Board Engagement Opportunities Discussion

Chuck Mueller

As October is Co-op Month, Chuck and the Engagement Community is proposing two outreach opportunities for the Board this month. For the final two Tuesdays, from 5:30 – 7:00 pm, the committee is asking for 2-3 Board Members to be available in the Café to chat with Owners and shoppers. Chuck will send out an email for RSVPs.

The Committee will be meeting on Monday to further discuss how to capture information from shoppers and how to compile it.

Board Retreat – Set Date and Discuss Topics

The Board set the date for the Retreat as Friday, January 11th, 2019. Time and place TBD.

Possible topic ideas were discussed, but not finalized.

Next Meeting Review:

The next meeting will be held Thursday, November 15th from 5:45 pm to 7:30 pm at the Food Hub.

Public Input & Announcements:

There was no public input.

Meeting Closed:

The meeting was adjourned at 1:31 pm.

September 20, 2018

Present at the meeting: Chris Miller, Holly Jo Sparks, Colleen Valko, Kathy Baylis Monteith, Jim Dagwell, Rebecca Teahen, Sean Burns, Kaitlyn Burns, Chuck Mueller

Absent: n/a

Oryana: General Manager: Steve Nance; Marketing & Communications Manager: Stephanie Mathewson; Education & Outreach Coordinator: Devin Moore; Human Development Manager: Wendy Walter

Guests: Tom Slater, Jules Shellby

Welcome: Jim convened the meeting at 5:43pm.

Additions or Changes to Agenda:

The agenda was reviewed. There were no changes made.

Minutes from the August meeting were approved by email.

Board Calendar:

The Board reviewed the upcoming Board Calendar. Steve pointed out that the annual Tart Sponsorship event is scheduled for Thursday, October 18th which would overlap with the Board Meeting. He proposed a change so that Board Members and Oryana staff could attend the Tart event.

The Board proposed Tuesday, October 18th from Noon to 1:30pm. Pending the availability of Sherwood Smith of Ave ISR, who is slated to give a presentation for the Board on Oryana’s Shopper Survey, the Board confirmed the time change.

Public Input:

Jules Shellby was able to attend a Twilight Tour at Maple Bay Farm. She greatly enjoyed it and wanted to share what a synergistic business she felt it was to Oryana.

Jules also thanked the Board for opening their meetings to the public.

Tom Slater brought a book called Nutrition and Your Mind (1972) to share with the Board. It promotes the strong connection between diet and mental health.

GM report: Steve Nance

Oryana for Good: Stephanie Mathewson

  • Light of Day Farm Tour: Oryana hosted their 5th successful Farm Tour at Light of Day Tea Farm in August. We hosted 150 attendees for this free, family event.
  • NMC Pine Palooza: Laura tabled again this year at NMC’s Pine-Palooza event welcoming back students with samples and coupons from the co-op.
  • Food Co-op Initiative Full Circle Fund Drive: Oryana donated $1,000 to the Full Circle Fund Drive being held by the Food Co-op Initiative to support the start and growth of new food co-ops.
  • Fall Cooking Classes: Fall Cooking Classes are underway and filling up quickly. We are also, again, hosting our free Basics Cooking classes every Thursday in September. These are back by popular demand and average around 20 attendees each time.
  • Brewery Terra Firma Taste & Tour: John Niedermaier of Brewery Terra Firma welcomed Oryana for a Beer Taste and Tour on his farm.  
  • Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha Event: Oryana is the Literary Sponsor for this impactful event discussing the Flint Water Crisis.
  • Dedication Ceremony for Ken Quitugua: Oryana will be hosting a dedication ceremony for Ken Quitugua on Saturday, September 29th at 10:00 am. All are welcome to attend.

Fantastic Finance, Steve Nance

  • August sales finished below budget and target.
  • Labor is coming much closer to target as the team is adjusting labor needs to our sales.
  • Steve alluded to the survey results that the Board will hear in October which seem to show that Oryana has probably exceeded their Top of Market for the area.
  • Memberships dipped when competition came into the area, but they have evened out and maintained levels for the last several months.
  • Jim asked about goal setting for future years if the store has reached Top of Market. Steve noted that Oryana is currently undergoing their annual Business Planning Process and goal-setting is part of that. Goals will be carefully crafted to reflect the current market and the continued need for growth to remain a viable business.
  • Sean wondered if there was a way to utilize Oryana’s Community Partners program to promote and sell Ownerships. Steve and Stephanie said it is on the list of possibilities for promotion. Selling Ownerships outside of the co-op would pose issues with bylaws.
  • Oryana’s Operating Income is also an improving trend.

Industry Trends:

  • Meijer opened a new Concept Store, more of a neighborhood market format, in Grand Rapids, targeting what they feel is an underserved neighborhood.
  • Whole Foods is in the news again. First, for studies that are showing that the pricing of Whole Foods is still a hurdle for some shoppers and hasn’t declined as much as was expected. Second, there is a large segment of Whole Foods employees who are working to unionize.
  • Retail Sales Growth throughout the country slowed overall in August – so our trend is on trend!
  • Kroger is partnering with a high-tech company to create autonomous grocery delivery vehicles. They plan to test their first market in Arizona.
  • Steve shared Aldi Markets’ quirky new ad campaign.

Local Trends:

  • The North Boardman Lake District is gaining energy and Oryana is at the table, helping to promote and design marketing materials. The NBLD hopes to become part of the DDA soon.

Our Co-op:

  • You can win a bike! Owners can enter to win a beautiful bike from Brick Wheels all through September.
  • Solar installation is complete, we are just awaiting final approval. These panels won’t completely offset our costs, but will help greatly. The panels will pay for themselves in 6 years. Colleen asked if grant funding was sought. Steve responded that with tax breaks it made sense for Oryana to undertake the full cost.
  • The co-op needed to purchase two new ovens for the bakery.

Ends Monitoring Report: Community

Stephanie Mathewson

Stephanie shared a few further details on the submitted Ends Community Report, sharing:

  1. Oryana’s work on marketing materials with the North Boardman Lake District
  2. 2018 Shopper Survey results that show positive movement in all categories related to Price Perception
  3. Plans for Oryana’s new Green Grocer Initiative program to help promote all of the sustainable projects Oryana undertakes

Motion to accept:             Action: Kaitlyn moved. Sean seconded.

The Board accepted the Ends Monitoring Report – Community 2018

The Board reached consensus.

Owner Engagement Committee Report Out

Chuck Muller

The Committee has determined 4 main goals for the committee and outreach:

  1. Ensuring that engagement is purposeful
  2. Maintaining a clear understanding of what the Board Member’s role is at each activity
  3. Sharing ideas and strategies of engagement
  4. Determining what does the Board do with the information collected

Board Outreach 101

Steve Nance, Stephanie Mathewson, Devin Moore, Wendy Walter

Oryana staff shared a newly developed toolkit for Board Members to use a reference guide for Outreach and Engagement events. It includes descriptions of Outreach activities, major talking points and answers to specific questions and requests. The toolkit will be available in the Board Secure Site and will be made part of New Board Member Orientation.

NCG Report

Steve Nance

Steve met with the Due Diligence Committee to review the NCG Participation Report from 2017. The report covers long-term trends and NCG’s services provided to co-ops. The Due Diligence Committee felt that the report largely reviewed what the Board has already gone over in their regular meetings and so a large report out to the full Board was not necessary. The Report is available for all Board Members to review individually.

Next Meeting Review:

The next meeting will be held Thursday, October 18 from Noon to 1:30pm at Oryana. Lunch will be provided by purchasing through the cash registers, letting them know it is for the Board Meeting.

Public Input & Announcements:

There was no public input.

Meeting Closed:

The meeting was adjourned at 7:51 pm.

August 23, 2018

Present at the meeting: Chris Miller, Holly Jo Sparks, Colleen Valko, Kathy Baylis Monteith (via phone), Jim Dagwell, Rebecca Teahen, Sean Burns

Absent: Kaitlyn Burns, Chuck Mueller

Oryana: General Manager: Steve Nance; Marketing & Communications Manager: Stephanie Mathewson

Guests: Robert Gammons, Anbareen Shefa

Welcome: Jim convened the meeting at 5:46pm.

Additions or Changes to Agenda:

The agenda was reviewed. Steve requested that the Board Development and Educational Activity be moved to September. Steve also requested that his monitoring report and GM Big Picture report be swapped on the agenda. The Board agreed to these changes.

Minutes from the July meeting were approved by email.

Board Calendar:

The Board reviewed the upcoming Board Calendar. The Board decided that they should begin discussing dates for the Retreat in October.

No changes were made.

Public Input:

There was no public report.

GM report: Steve Nance

Oryana for Good: Stephanie Mathewson

  • Children’s Garden: Laura has been invited back again and again to help attendees at the Children’s Garden harvest their growing goodies and then make them into a delicious dish.
  • Archipelago: Archipelago, an organization focused on connecting children (many living in low-income homes) with music through a summer camp. Oryana provides funding for the food and Archipelago visits in turn to present a free concert at the store each year.
  • Friday Night Live/Sidewalk Sales: Oryana participated for the second year in a row at the Downtown TC Sidewalk Sales and Friday Night Live. We grilled up hot dogs (vegetarian and gf options were available) and were a hit with attendees!
  • Evenings on Eighth: Oryana has been partnering with local vendors to put on a test evening Farmer’s Market on 8th Street. It will run every Wednesday evening throughout August.
  • Pedal, Paddle, Picnic: The River Outfitters asked us to team up and be a picnic stop on their Pedal, Paddle and Picnic tour. Tour-goers are encouraged to pick up their picnic at Oryana (Oryana donates a giftcard toward their purchase) as they explore the beautiful Boardman.
  • Two Local Tours Coming Up: Oryana will be hosting two local provider tours coming up. The first will be the 5th Annual Farm Tour at Light of Day Tea Farm on Sunday, August 26th – a free, family-friendly event. The second will be a beer tasting and brewery tour at Brewery Terra Firm on Sunday, September 16.
  • Canning & Preservation Series with MSU Extension: Oryana is again partnering with the MSU Extension Office to offer 3 Preservation Classes, just in time for the Harvest. These continue to be extremely popular and are almost all sold out!
  • National Writers Series Sponsorship: Oryana was asked to sponsor a talk by one of the leading doctors who shined the light on the Flint Water Crisis as part of the National Writers Series.

Monitoring Report 2.4 – Finance Condition and Activities Q2 2018

Steve Nance

Operational Performance:

  • The 2nd Quarter finished 1.1% up
  • Labor continues over budget but is an improving trend
  • Sales per Labor Hour has improved regularly year over year since 2015 and is nearly in line with Central Corridor (for Peer Comparison)
  • EBITDA is positive
  • Owner count is holding steady compared to last year

Financial Health:

  • Cash on Hand is healthy
  • Ratios are also healthy and improving in trend
  • Total Assets and Total Liabilities are increasing
  • Steve assured the Board that he and the full leadership team watch labor, hours and efficiencies very closely and are making adjustments to bring these in line

Holly Jo noted that investments in other co-operatives went down by a few thousand dollars and asked about that change. Steve will check and see if that was due to a payback.

Rebecca asked about longevity in the industry of Department Managers. Steve responded with many of the long tenures of Oryana Managers (30 years, 17 years, 9 years, etc.).

Rebecca noted that it feels like Oryana is at the mercy of national trends. She wondered how Oryana ‘breaks out of the pack’ to set themselves apart. Steve noted that at the next Board Meeting Survey Results will be presented which will include a discussion of whether Oryana has reached top of market in our area. Steve’s 10-year plan will address many of these questions as well.

Dags shared that NCG has produced a report that independently looks at Oryana’s financials. The Financial Due Diligence Committee will review that report with Steve next week and will report back to the Board.

Motion to accept:             Action: Rebecca moved. Sean seconded.

The Board accepted the 2.4 Financial Condition and Activities – Q2 2018

The Board reached consensus.

Fantastic Finance, Steve Nance

  • July/August growth are moving in a positive direction.
  • Labor is very close to being on Target for end of July. The team has really course-corrected in Labor.
  • Market Basket and Customer Counts are in line with budget
  • Total Ownerships is an improving trend month over month

Local Trends:

  • There is continued movement on the Eighth Street Project. Timelines have been released. Oryana monitors because it will greatly affect traffic in the neighborhood
  • The TC Chamber named a new Executive Director, Whitney Waara.
  • The City of TC committed to going 100% Renewable by the year 2040. Oryana will begin installing their Solar Panels just after Labor Day.

Our Co-op:

  • Oryana installed a filtered water-bottle filler on their drinking fountain in the Café. Installation of one on the drinking fountain in the East Entry is next.
  • Oryana has been one of the businesses at the helm of the North Boardman Lake District group. City Commissioners recently approved Jean Derenzy to explore adding the NBLD to the DDA. NBLD Steering Committee Members will be campaigning to neighboring businesses to gain their support for the initiative. NBLD also just filed to be a 501(c)4.
  • The Arts Commission will also be installing an art piece near our Boardman Lake Trailhead.
  • NCG and partners raised $150,000 to rebuild cooperatives in Puerto Rico.
  • TART Trails unveiled the Glenn Wolf artwork that will honor the opening of the Boardman Lake Trail Loop. Oryana was a proud donor of $10,000 towards the project that is expected to be complete in 2019.

Next Meeting Review:

The next meeting will be held Thursday, September 20th at the Food Hub.

Holly Jo expressed an interest in discussing the difference between an annual fee structure and sustained equity model for Oryana Ownership in the future. Rebecca suggested that background materials on a switch should be added to a future Board agenda for an educational opportunity. Then the Board could use a retreat to fully discuss.

Public Input & Announcements:

Robert shared that he was with a group of friends recently and they had questioned him about Lifetime membership for the Oryana. So, he feels there is interest.

Robert had friends recently join who wondered about Oryana’s meat selection. Steve referred him to Grocery staff and/or Customer Service for further information.

Anbarben asked about Oryana’s benefits for staff. Steve said he would discuss with her fully at their upcoming meeting.

Meeting Closed:

The meeting was adjourned at 6:50 pm.

July 26, 2018

Present at the meeting: Chuck Mueller, Chris Miller, Holly Jo Sparks, Colleen Valko, Kathy Baylis Monteith, Jim Dagwell, Sean Burns

Absent: Kaitlyn Burns, Rebecca Teahen

Oryana: General Manager: Steve Nance; Marketing & Communications Manager: Stephanie Mathewson

Guests: Tom Slater, Jules Shellby

Welcome: Jim convened the meeting at 5:45pm.

Additions or Changes to Agenda:

The agenda was reviewed. No changes or additions were made.

Minutes from the June meeting were approved by email.

Board Calendar:

The Board reviewed the upcoming Board Calendar. No changes were made.

Public Input:

Tom presented the board with a video recording of the Pow-Wow with Ken Quitugua who recently passed away. He shared it for Oryana’s archives.

The Grand Rapids co-op which is in development let Jules know they will honor Oryana owners as their own when they open.

GM report: Steve Nance

Oryana for Good: Stephanie Mathewson

  • Seeds for Change Smoothie: Oryana was approached by the Pour for More recipient for July (SEEDS) to develop a smoothie specifically in their honor. For the rest of this month you can enjoy the SEEDS for Change smoothie in the café, with $1 of each smoothie going directly to their organization.
  • Pedal to Petals: Oryana provided a healthful lunch for the Norte/Community Gardens crossover program Pedal to Petals.
  • TCFF Certified Local Food Sponsor: Oryana is proud to, for the second year in a row, be the Certified Local Food Sponsor for the Traverse City Film Festival. This sponsorship could help them break the 50% of all food served being local benchmark.
  • CCMA Donation: Co-ops who attended this year’s CCMA (including Oryana) raised $20,014 for Food Co-op Scholarships and Training.
  • Evenings on Eighth: Oryana will be participating in a brand-new neighborhood event called Evenings on Eighth. It will be a weekly Farmer’s Market on Eighth Street every Wednesday in August.

Fantastic Finance, Steve Nance

  • July is projected to finish flat in sales
  • Oryana is seeing great growth in Produce and Wellness
  • Cost of Goods is exactly at plan for this year
  • Labor is moving in a positive direction

Colleen asked how the labor market is affecting Oryana. Steve responded that Oryana is still receiving applicants (which is more than other businesses can say) but it is slower than preferred. Oryana is instituting a referral bonus for Café staff to help assist.

Holly Jo noticed that Market Basket has remained fairly steady over the last few years. Steve shared that due to lower prices, customers can be buying the same amount, but margins and thus profit can be lower.

Local Trends:

  • Oryana continues to meet with the North Boardman Lake District group. The objective is to have a voice in the intentional development in the 8th street corridor.
  • An abstract sculpture will be placed on the Boardman Trail near Oryana in the next few months as part of a community public art project
  • Oryana will honor Ken Quitugua with a tree dedication ceremony on September 27th
  • Doug Luciani, CEO of Traverse Connect will be stepping down in 2019

Our Co-op:

  • Oryana’s solar panel project will be going up in August. Steve is still working towards a buy-a-panel program for Owners to buy into.

Jim asked about the process to make the NBLD part of the DDA. Steve shared that Jean Derenzy has been granted 3-4 months for research on adding the NBLD as a part of the DDA. Oryana is helping the NBLD with talking points and communications to inform neighborhood residents and businesses. So far, the development of 8th street will be funded out of grants and general fund.

Ends Monitoring Report – Education

Stephanie Mathewson

Stephanie referenced the written report that was provided to the Board in their packet then noted the following in detail in regard to the last year.

Focus on good food for all: In the last year Oryana has made great strides in ensuring the message of good food reaches all, including underserved populations. For example, all of the following programs have been started in the last year.

  • NMCAA (Northern Michigan Community Action Agency) Budgeting and Buying Series – hosted on-site at Oryana
  • Basics Cooking Classes – free basics cooking classes open to the public
  • New Visions Academy – a program for those on Juvenile Probation, to assist them with learning life skills
  • Young Adults Living with Disabilities – a private cooking class specifically designed for those with cognitive and mobility issues

Personalized Education: The co-op has never been one size fits all and healthy eating can’t be either. Oryana makes every effort to provide people with personalized health information to meet their needs.

  • Personal Health Tours – for those with a sudden diagnosis to those just wanting to change eating habits, we provide personalized tours down to replacing their favorite snack foods.
  • Neuro-Restorative – we are fully equipped to research and give presentations and demos on food for specific disorders or conditions. We recently spoke with a group dealing with head trauma and brain injuries about how healthy eating could assist in their personal health goals.
  • Weight Watchers – there can sometimes be a disconnect between healthful food and food for weight loss so getting to address both of those goals in one presentation was wonderful. They’ve already invited us back!
  • Teachers & Busy professionals – teachers and professionals lead busy lives with varied schedules and long days. We tailor classes specifically to these groups with classes for teachers and our Lunchbreak Cooking Class Series for professionals.
  • Even Pet Food! – we even provided education for learning to cook for your pet!

Cooperative Education: We talk about cooperatives whenever we get the chance. We’ve discussed our alternative business style recently with the following: Norte Bike Mas Camp, Japanese Exchange Students Tour, and local school tours (where we always mention the co-op difference). We also made our cooperative difference a priority in our website design making sure we included all of the cooperative principles and our Mission and Ends (along with plenty of Join our Co-op buttons throughout!)

Ends Monitoring Report – Wellness

Stephanie Mathewson

Stephanie referenced the written report that was provided to the Board in their packet then noted the following in detail in regard to the last year.

Research: EMOE (Events, Marketing, Outreach and Education Team) is our research team for anything and everything. Just in the last few months we have researched all of the following.

  • Will Compostables in recycling negate the positive environmental effects?
  • What are the exact benefits of our water filtration and RO water systems?
  • What risk factors of additives in alternative milks should consumers beware of?
  • Do new products and ingredients like CBD oil meet our guidelines and are they what we consider safe and healthful?

OBM: OBM has offered us a new forum for staff and manager education alike. On a weekly basis we now have

  • Direct communication on why purchasing decisions are made, for example, what are the practices of the conventional produce that we are bringing in, and what are the latest products to our shelves
  • An open forum for questions from staff. For example, Garden of Life was bought out by a larger company and Crystal continues to keep us updated on any changes in the line

Steve added that while many of these educational and outreach programs are done as a free service by the co-op these decisions are made carefully to adhere to budgets and labor projections.

Kathy asked how the information for research is shared and with whom. Stephanie responded that it depends upon the situation – information that is important for consumers to know is shared through signage, articles, or social media posts; information that informs our buying guidelines and practices is shared with appropriate staff for decision-making.

Holly Jo requested that in the future, Ends Monitoring Reports focus more on the work that has been happening in the last year, rather than a collection of ongoing and longstanding proof of compliance. Steve and Stephanie agreed to make these changes in the future.

Motion to accept:             Action: Miller moved. Colleen seconded.

The Board accepted the Ends Monitoring Reports Education and Wellness

The Board reached consensus.

Owner Engagement:

Chuck Mueller

The Engagement Committee met prior to the Board Meeting and edited the Engagement Committee Charter.

The Board agreed in consensus to accept the proposed changes.

Chuck shared that Steve and Oryana staff have been working on developing Board Engagement 101 training that they will present at the August meeting. This will include in-person training for the Board on interactions with the public as representatives of Oryana and resources like Talking Points and SOPs that can be referenced in the future. Chuck will be the contact conduit for the Board for Engagement opportunities. These opportunities will be passed through Chuck to be shared with the Board.

Board Education Activity – Engagement
Chuck Mueller

Chuck asked the Board members to share a positive Oryana engagement moment from their past with the group as a demonstration of great, simple examples of outreach.

Next Meeting Review:

The next meeting will be held Thursday, August 23rd at a location TBD.

Public Input & Announcements:

There was no public input.

Holly Jo clarified her comments on monitoring reports, she would not necessarily like to see more data, but different data.

Meeting Closed:

The meeting was adjourned at 7:10pm.

June 28, 2018

Present at the meeting: Chuck Mueller, Rebecca Teahen, Chris Miller, Kaitlyn Burns, Holly Jo Sparks, Colleen Valko, Kathy Baylis MonteithAbsent: Jim Dagwell, Sean Burns

Oryana: General Manager: Steve Nance; Marketing & Communications Manager: Stephanie Mathewson

Guests: Tom Slater, Robert Gammons, Jules Shellby

Welcome: Rebecca convened the meeting at 5:44pm.

Additions or Changes to Agenda:

The agenda was reviewed. No changes or additions were made.

Minutes from the May meeting were approved by email.

Board Calendar:

The Board reviewed the upcoming Board Calendar. No changes were made.

Public Input:

Tom recognized Oryana for their pricing work to date to lower prices throughout the store. He has noticed the changes and feels they have been positive.

GM report: Steve Nance

Steve recognized and gave a short history of the Food Hub, the location of this month’s meeting.

Oryana for Good: Stephanie Mathewson

Oryana has received multiple heartfelt kudos from Tart Trails for their $10,000 donation to complete the Boardman Lake Loop.

In June, Oryana hosted a 2% + Round-up day to support the Virunga Alliance which preserves rainforest habitats in the Democratic Republic of Congo (a project supported by Higher Grounds Coffee). Nearly $800 was raised.

Oryana has been enjoying their partnership with the TC Community Gardens. Oryana helped to provide ingredients for the first Garden to Table Dinner held literally in the middle of the Community Gardens and hosted a ‘The Importance of Bees’ booth at their children’s Pollinator Event.

Crystal from Wellness has been a hit at the Grand Traverse Women’s luncheons hosting a popular booth with free samples and great Wellness info.

Oryana partnered with a local vet to hold a ‘Vegetarian Cooking for your Dog’ event. It made the front page of the Record Eagle and was overflowing with attendees.

Oryana was proud to be a sponsor, yet again, of Groundwork’s Clean Energy Conference

The Smart Commute Awards Breakfast was another whopping success with over 400 attendees (the most we’ve ever seen)

Fantastic Finance, Steve Nance

Sales continue to increase year over year.

Prepared Foods is growing at a faster rate than grocery, which is shifting our profit and cost centers.

Grocery continues to intentionally reduce margin where they can.

Labor is coming back into line as we head into our busy summer season. HD and Store Manager are looking into labor numbers to see if there are more efficiencies to be found.

Ownerships are staying steady and many people are signing up for multiple years.

Local Trends:

Oryana will again be the Certified Local Food Sponsor for the 2018 TCFF.

Steve and other members of the North Boardman Lake District attended a DDA Board meeting. The DDA Board agreed to allow research into making the NBLD a partner with the DDA officially. More info to come.

The Arts Commission and the Tart Trail are interested in placing public art along the Boardman Trail and have looped us in as partners. We are happy to support!

Oryana is still moving forward on building a solar array on the roof that Owners would be able to contribute to.

Oryana installed a bike repair station at the head of the Tart Trail

Oryana will have shortened hours on July 4th, closing at 6 pm.

Oryana was saddened to hear of the passing of Ken Quitugua, former staff member and board member. Oryana is looking into ways to remember Ken on our property.

Our Co-op:

NCG will be sending out financial reports as another means of keeping Board Members informed of co-op performance.

Steve visited the Co-op in Duluth to perform an audit and give feedback on their operations.

Economic Trends:

HD is trying new Open Interviews which have been a great success. The labor market in Traverse City is tight right now. If you know of someone who would be a great fit in the co-op, let us know!

Kroger introduced a 90-day payment policy for their suppliers. That is a long term for many suppliers and responses have been negative.

Household Weekly Spending for Groceries is at an all-time high.

While Oryana continues to monitor ecommerce trends, during the summer season, the co-op does not have capacity to implement a new system. Steve will revisit it in the Fall.

Competition Report:

Aldi’s had a grand reopening today introducing their store redesign.

Lucky’s has been sending out coupons and postcards far and wide.

Monitoring Report 2.9 Communication & Support to the Board

Steve Nance, General Manager

Steve referenced the written report that was provided to the Board in their packet and asked if there were any comments questions.

Kaitlyn asked where the SOP for Board and Staff Communication could be accessed. Stephanie noted that it will be part of the new secure Board Site with the relaunch of the website.

Steve is also working on making reports leaner this year.

Monitoring Report: 2.6 Asset Protection

Steve Nance, General Manager

Steve referenced the written report that was provided to the Board in their packet and asked if there were any comments or questions.

Steve noted that Oryana’s Safety Committee has been doing a great job and just recently finished two trainings in Fire Extinguisher Usage and CPR.

Oryana continues to seek out risk analysis firms or even MIOSHA to ensure that we are up to the highest standards.

Rebecca asked about Insurance coverage. Oryana carries a $5 million liability umbrella coverage.

Motion to accept:         Action: Kaitlyn moved. Holly Jo seconded.

The Board accepted the Monitoring Report 2.9 Communication & Support to the Board & Monitoring Report: 2.6 Asset Protection

The Board reached consensus.

Owner Engagement:

Chuck Mueller

Committee Charter Review

There was discussion on the proposed changes to the Charter.

It was decided that the charter should go back to the Committee for further review to include the comments from Steve and CDS. That review process will include Steve and any other staff that Steve deems important.

Board Review of Owners on Committees

The Board felt that the discussion that would be had at the Committee Charter Review would cover engagement from Owners and so inviting their participation on committees would not be necessary at this time.

Ends Review Process

The Board decided that the Ends would remain as they are now, with the focus being on re-examining Owner Engagement.

The Board Development Committee will explore a process for reviewing Ends in the future.

CCMA Report Out

Board Members shared with the Board their CCMA experiences. Overall experiences were positive and the attendees felt it was a worthwhile trip.

Next Meeting Review:

The next meeting will be held Thursday, July 26th at The Box, unless otherwise noted.

Public Input & Announcements:

Colleen asked about the launching of the new Oryana website. Stephanie said that the site had been released internally to the staff for their review. If all goes well, it will go live for the public late next week.

Robert commented that he feels well-represented by the Board as an Owner, but would also be happy to contribute as part of a committee if asked to. He enjoys attending the monthly Board meetings and learning about the co-op.

Meeting Closed:

The meeting was adjourned at 7:35pm.

5-24-18

Present at the meeting: Chuck Mueller, Rebecca Teahen, Chris Miller, Kaitlyn Burns, Jim Dagwell, Colleen Valko, Kathy Baylis Monteith, Sean Burns

Oryana: General Manager: Steve Nance; Marketing & Communications Manager: Stephanie Mathewson, Guests: Tom Slater, Jules Shelby, Robert Gammons Absent: Holly Jo Sparks

Welcome: Rebecca convened the meeting at 5:50pm.

Additions or Changes to Agenda:
The agenda was reviewed. Finance 101 will be included as part of the Monitoring Report 2.4 and will be covered more in-depth at a later date.

Minutes from the March meeting were approved by email. April GOM minutes will be approved at next year’s annual meeting.

Board Calendar:
The Board reviewed the upcoming Board Calendar. At the next meeting, the Board will revisit if the ‘Review Ends Policies’ that is slated for July’s meeting needs to be moved to a later date.

2018 Board Officers were elected:

President – Jim Dagwell

Vice President – Rebecca Teahen

Treasurer – Colleen Valko

Secretary – Holly Jo and Kaitlyn Burns tied via secret ballot; due to Holly Jo’s absence the vote was tabled until both Kaitlyn and Holly Jo can be present.

Addendum: as agreed at the Board Meeting, the above met the GM at Oryana on 5.25.18 and as witnessed by Wendy Walter HD Mgr. and Blyther Webster HD Assistant, Kaitlyn Burns prevailed in a best two of three Rock, Paper, Scissors contest to become Secretary.

2018 Committee Assignments Confirmed:

Board Education Committee

Chair – Rebecca Teahen

Members – Kaitlyn Burns, Chris Miller, Chuck Mueller

Recruitment & Nomination

Chair – Collen Valko

Members – Sean Burns, Chris Miller

Owner Engagement

Chair – Chuck Mueller

Members – Kathy Baylis Monteith, Chris Miller, Jim Dagwell

Financial Due Diligence

Chair – Chris Miller

Members –Sean Burns, Jim Dagwell, Colleen Valko

Due to absence, Holly Jo will be asked at a later date what committees she would like to be a part of for 2018.

Dates, Times, and Locations of 2018 Meetings:

For June, July and August the meetings will remain on the fourth Thursday of the month. Beginning in September meetings will be held the third Thursday of the month.

GM report: Steve Nance

Oryana for Good: Stephanie Mathewson

  • Oryana conducted two 2% of sales and round-up days in April to support both Food Rescue and the Women’s Resource Center. Nearly $1,000 was raised for each.
  • Oryana contributed to the BARC relief efforts after fire destroyed a major warehouse. Recovery continues.
  • Steve hosted a TART Trails clean-up day along the Boardman loop with many community volunteers.
  • Oryana has had great success hosting collaboration classes with community partners such as Crosshatch, local dietitian Carol Bell, and New Moon Yoga. These have helped us reach new people in multiple areas.
  • We continue to receive great shoutouts on social media from shoppers and partners – a great sign of a feeling of community.
  • Owner drives continue for the store, highlighting the benefits for shoppers.
  • Some fun spring promos included a ‘We’re Actually Open for Spring Break!’ campaign complete with discounts for State Theater ticket holders and an Earth Day Bulk line drive.
  • May and June’s advertising campaign features photos from Providence Farm and touts our local produce offerings.
  • This year’s GOM was a great success with an attendance around 300 and a wonderful meal.
  • The Community Block Party hosted nearly 1,500 people and brought many new faces to the Co-op. Stephanie thanked the Board for volunteering their time at the event.

Fantastic Finance, Steve Nance

  • Steve shared financial information with the Board. Sales and profit are improving over trends last year. May is current up 5% YOY.
  • Keeping labor costs in line has been difficult, but labor as percent of sales is improving.

Economic Trends:

  • The Farm Bill is up for debate currently, which includes discussions around the SNAP Benefits program. The current administration supports pulling SNAP Benefits out, which would put them at risk.

Industry Trends:

  • The idea of Convenience has changed for consumers – with more of a focus on ‘inspirational shopping experiences’ (great for the co-op!).
  • Certified Organic sales increased 6.4% in 2017.

Local Trends:

  • The Acme Township development is still in limbo. The co-op continues to watch this area as a place for future development.
  • Grain Train bought the old Grand Traverse Pie Company and will open their own café in downtown Petoskey.

Our Co-op:

  • Oryana sent out 1,800 coupons to lapsed owners and have seen great redemption.
  • The Oryana family was so sad to hear of the passing of Sally Shetler – Steve and staff attended the funeral and viewings to show support.
  • Lois from our grocery department retired after 22 years – congratulations!
  • Oryana has made a decision to share Finance Manager duties with another co-op for better efficiency and cost savings. Jason Lovell from The Merc in Lawrence, KS will be handling those duties off-site. Jason will be available for any necessary Finance Due Diligence meetings for the Board. Oryana will retain their CPA services in town and still has a Finance Assistant position.
  • Double Up Food Bucks was on hold for 2 months but will resume on June 1st.
  • Oryana has been utilizing 2 youth corps in town for maintenance and gardening projects. It has been a great collaboration.
  • Oryana is currently 100% powered through renewable energy through both wind and solar. A 20-kilowatt roof array for Oryana is currently out for RFP.
  • Oryana is also looking into having electric car charging stations added to the parking lot.
  • Oryana was able to publicly announce their $10,000 grant towards the completion of the Boardman Loop Trail at the Block Party.
  • Oryana continues their work with the North Boardman Lake District to coordinate a vision for the 8th Street area.
  • Oryana is still in talks with the TC Community Garden about setting up a satellite garden at the end of 10th The Arts Commission is also exploring a rotating sculpture park at our TART Trailhead.

Competition Report:

  • Lucky’s hired one person to handle ‘local sales’ in all stores.
  • One location of Lucky’s closed in Lexington recently after 2 years of operation.

Monitoring Report 2.4 Financial Condition and Activities – 1st Quarter 2018

Steve Nance, General Manager

  • Quarter 1 was lower than expected, but the trend is improving.
  • Labor was the main culprit of profit, which is currently an improving trend.
  • Oryana’s Profitability and Debt to Equity ratios are still strong.

Motion to accept:             Action: Miller moved. Colleen seconded.

The Board accepted the Monitoring Report 2.4 Financial Condition and Activities – 1st Quarter 2018

The Board reached consensus.

Ends Report: Localism

Stephanie Mathewson, Marketing & Communications Manager

Localism: Because of Oryana, our community has an accessible and healthy marketplace for goods produced locally that have a positive environmental and social impact.

Stephanie referenced the Localism Ends Report 2018 that was submitted in the Board Packet and will be available on the website for review. For the meeting, she focused on Oryana’s efforts in Accessibility.

  • Oryana has continued to make great strides in keeping prices fair for both producers and consumers, ensuring sustainable access for all to good food and products.
  • Department Managers work to price shop competitors, making reductions where they can to stay in line with other businesses and work with vendors and producers (especially local ones) to feature promotions and sales for customers. In the last year we’ve had great success with Line Drives for product lines such as Redheads and Higher Grounds.
  • Oryana remains one of the highest quantity purveyors of the Co-op Basics line, offering high-quality items at everyday reduced prices.
  • Oryana was proud to join the Double Up Food Bucks program in 2017 and, to date, has printed 1,168 DUFB coupons valued at $9,688 and helped MI Bridge customers redeem 724 of those coupons for savings of $7,255!
  • Oryana also recently received the results of their shopper survey which shows growing recognition and appreciation for fair pricing in all categories over 2016.

Ends Report: Economy

Stephanie Mathewson, Marketing & Communications Manager

Economy: Because of Oryana, our community has a vibrant cooperative business that stimulates cooperative activity.

Stephanie referenced the Economy Ends Report 2018 that was submitted in the Board Packet and will be available on the website for review. For the meeting she focused on Oryana’s focus on Ownership.

  • Oryana is closely monitoring their Ownerships which began to dip directly after competition opening in 2017. While these numbers have stabilized since, it is still a goal of Oryana to grow Ownerships and promote the cooperative business model with shoppers.
  • To help combat the decline, Oryana has included Ownership metrics in Open Book Management which brings attention for all staff members of dipping numbers and empowers them to help grow ownership.
  • Owner referral drives have been conducted encouraging current owners to bring new owners into the co-op
  • New communications materials have been developed touting the benefits of ownership throughout the store and at outreach events.
  • The new website put a high priority on explaining the benefits of ownership, the co-op difference and placing ample call-to-action buttons throughout the site to encourage sign-ups.
  • Marketing is also exploring the possibility of offering online ownerships in accordance with our bylaws.

Motion to accept:             Action: Chuck moved. Kaitlyn seconded.

The Board accepted the Ends Report: Localism 2018 & Economy 2018

The Board reached consensus.

New Website Review

Stephanie Mathewson

Stephanie walked the Board through a preview of the new Oryana.coop redesign which is being completed by local firm One Up Web. The site is expected to be live in mid-June.

Next Meeting Review:

Chuck suggested that the four Board Members attending CCMA could present something that they learned at the June meeting. The Board agreed.

The next meeting will be held Thursday, June 28. Location TBD.

Public Input & Announcements:

Jules offered her services for the Owner Engagement Committee for input. Chuck will follow up.

Robert brought up that he was interested in supporting future programming at the co-op. Steve will follow up with Robert.

Kaitlyn asked if there were guidelines for Owner input on Board Committees. Steve suggested that the Board think about and consider any guidelines in an upcoming meeting.

Meeting Closed:  The meeting was adjourned at 7:34pm.