Look at us now! (9 months later)

June 2011

It has been just under 9 months since we've opened and a lot has changed! If you have not been in the store for a while – you will be delighted to see not only a larger selection of locally grown and locally produced groceries, but our take-out counter is much more efficient and looking beautiful!


With the help of the Carrot Commons' Carrot Cache fund (they purchased $5000 worth of YLMC non-voting shares) we have been able to purchase additional equiptment to make our take-out counter more efficient, profitable and able to support one full-time employee.

The ability to support additional employment is very important to YLMC. As a workers' co-operative it is our primary purpose to provide empowering employment to our members. As our business expands we hope to be a sustainable source of employment to many individuals. This is why we are expanding into various areas of value-added items.

We feel that there is a limit to how much we can ethically mark up produce and groceries, and support members employment with the value-added items such as bread, take-out lunches, baked goods... and more to come! For our groceries we have a standard 35-40% mark up (depending on wastage, whether we have to pay for gas to pick up, etc)

 Most Grocery stores tend to have a 42-100% mark up (depending on items), so you may notice that our produce is often less expensive. When our prices are matched or slightly higher than supermarkets it is usually because they can afford to buy in larger quantities to get better prices. We have also heard from farmers about unethical practices to lower the market value of produce by these large food retailers. (to drive the price down on produce we have heard that large food retailers request the same items from many farmers. When the produce is ready to sell there is an abundance and farmers are forced to sell for less)

At YLMC, we let the farmers decide the price. We do our standard mark ups, and let YOU, the customer decide. If it sells, we buy more. If it does not sell due to the price, we do not buy more.

While we were setting up, one farmer told us "You're going to lose your shirts for 35%". Now, this is probably true if we were only selling produce and groceries. When you buy produce and groceries at YLMC, you are:

a) supporting local farmers or producers; and

b) helping us cover the costs of being open (not including wages)

When you buy our bread, baked goods, take-out meals, prepared dips and salsas, (and more coming soon!) you are supporting our employment... and 

supporting the possibility for additional members to have sustainable empowering employment!

THANK YOU!

March 2012 - Still room to grow!