COOKS CO~OP

The Report

HOW’S THE CO-OP DOING?

Here’s a report out on some Co-op facts. This report’s coverage will morph depending on what’s on top for us. Interested in knowing something in particular? Post suggestions in our Systems Slack Channel.

TIME FOR A SPRING CLEAN!

The back story

We’re currently at $25k in stock. Not surprising, really, as there’s nearly 1000 items in our Produce List! This is what we wanted: a diverse offering that satisfies our members’ desires. But it is a lot of stock, particularly when we’re still a relatively small group.

Here's how that $25k breaks down:

• $15k from me (Ange) – through the Membership Bank

• $6.8k from member contributions (the $200 each member commits to when joining, plus a few lovely folk with the means to put in a little more)

• the balance ties up member credits (which we can’t access because its locked into stock)

Then there’s the extra $5k or so required to pay for the items that we don’t keep in stock each month. This is normally supported in two ways:

• by members putting their expected order amounts in ahead of Meetups

• by Ange putting in extra credit to cover the rest - sometimes up to $5k

As you can see, as we increase our stock levels, the buffer we have available for cash flow gets tied into maintaining stock levels. So, we need some help to reduce this financial weight while our membership bank catches up (as we grow our numbers).

Billy and I have figured out that right now, around $3.4k is sitting in slow-moving inventory. Moving through these products will:

• Reduce the financial pressure on our member credits

• Free up funds for the stock that members actually order

• Make room for exciting new products (like all those you’re recommending in our Product Suggestions Slack Channel). Until we move some stock, we won’t be able to accommodate all these requests.

• Give us crucial feedback on which products to keep stocking so we continue to keep ONLY what offers the crucial combination of both quality and affordability.

So what does this spring clean look like, exactly?

• Try something new! Find a product we’re ‘spring cleaning’ and give it a go. Save it for a Christmas gift? Think ahead for someone’s birthday? Spring clean items are highlighted a rosy pink in the Product List.

• A full list of Spring Clean products are also listed in this google doc. We’re planning on including recommendations for how to use some of the less familiar items listed - so if you have any, please add your suggestions (recipes, links, anything like that) directly into the document and we’ll neaten them up as they arrive.

• Once you try the product, give it a review in the Product Review Slack Channel. Tell us if it's awesome enough that you’d keep ordering it.

NB. There's nothing actually WRONG with the Spring Clean Products. They aren’t faulty, out of date or past their best befores.

And now for some friendly competition…

Every household who participates will get our heartfelt appreciation and a cookie at the Meetup (…who are we kidding - you’ll get these anyway - we love you regardless). Every household who participates to the order value of $30 or more gets some slightly out of date but perfectly presentable preserved horseradish.

Plus, there’s prizes for our top contributors!! This will be based on the $ value of spring clean items purchased. (And if you’re a small household (so lower spend) but an enthusiastic spring cleaner, we’ll slip you into a prize slot all of your own, too.)

• 1st Prize: A jar of rather amazing homemade chilli jam + a big bunch of fresh herbs from Ange's garden + anything anyone wants to contribute to the prize pool

• 2nd Prize: A cookbook (choose from 5) + anything anyone else wants to contribute to the prize pool

• 3rd Prize: A beautiful bouquet of paper daisies from Ange’s garden + anything anyone wants to contribute to the prize pool

REPLY TO THIS EMAIL if you have anything to add to the prize pool

Together, we can spring clean this produce list to new heights.

This Month’s Awesome Human

BILLY AND HER PRODUCE PLANS

Last month the produce stall was brimming with people and plants, and we discussed some ways to ease the flow during our retro (feedback) meeting at the end of the meet-up. So we are trialling a new system for the October meet-up based on this conversation.

There will be three ways to gather fresh fruit, vegetables and herbs this month:

1. PREPPER STYLE: Order exactly what you’d like on the produce list, and your order will be packed for you, ready to collect in a neat ‘n’ tidy box. You are welcome to leave a comment here and there (on the cell you order in) indicating if you have a preference e.g. small apples, large sweet potatoes, underripe bananas. We will do our best to accomodate.

2. WILD STYLE: Don’t order on the produce list, just turn up to the meet-up and browse the produce stall, gathering from whatever is available on the day.

3. COMBO STYLE: A combination of the two: order the things you can’t live without, and browse for items you are a bit more flexible with.

In terms of what will be available on the day to shop from, there will always be an abundance of:
hardy seasonal fruit (at the moment, apples, pears, citrus, avocados, tomatoes)
hardy veg (potatoes, sweet potatoes, onions, garlic, beetroot, carrots, ginger)
and there will be a smaller selection of:
more perishable fruit and veg (greens, herbs, broccoli, beans, cauliflower, corn, cabbages, asparagus, zucchini, cucumber, leek, carrot bunches, bananas, pomelo, berries, papaya). This smaller selection is usually based on what Ange and Billy are up for taking home if no-one decides to shop from it - hence why we keep it small!!

The List

WHAT’S NEW IN THE LIST

I was going to say there’s nothing new in the list, because it’s spring cleaning time but then I realised we’ve added: Yarn’n toilet paper & tissues, whey proteins, flavoured collagen powders, some better priced Vanella buffallo mozzarella, roquefort cheese, all the flavoured yoghurts, hi protein yoghurt, more affordable symons’ organic cheeses, and some new tofus. Other than that… there’s nothing new (haha) because this month is ALL ABOUT CONSOLIDATION. (We’ve included these additions because they will only be ordered if pre-ordered, so they don’t contribute to our stock on hand cost.)  

For the Mungalli Dairy fans out there - we’re seeing their milks and yoghurts regularly through one of our suppliers at virtually the same prices, so no need for an early order any more (we hope). Just order their products directly in the Produce List and fingers crossed we keep seeing them turn up locally.

Oooh one final little thing…

COST LINES NOW INCLUDE MARGINS

We’ve played with the cost columns in the Produce List so that we can generate a record of your orders (ie. a receipt). This means you now have only one Order Total, and it INCLUDES your member margin (the 15 or 30%). The cost cells beside your quantities ordered also INCLUDE your margin. You can still see the cost price of all items in the same spot as usual.