We appreciate our owners! I hope you were able to come and shop with us for Owner Appreciation Day on July 21st. The next Owner Appreciation will be in December, close to the holidays.

Eating locally produced food is becoming a real focus not just for the cooperatively minded but is showing up in broader communities. Tidal Creek is proud of its strong connections and support of local farmers. This summer Tidal Creek sponsored a month long Eat Local Challenge. It gained attention from the local media about localvorism. The Challenge also prepared us to better source a variety of local product options for each food category. Thanks to all for making this a successful adventure. This fall will bring another local farm tour. Stay tuned to the co-op calendar (page 15).

PRICE CONCERNS
Our growers, manufacturers and distributors have had to adjust for the recent changes in weather patterns, the Midwest floods and the rising cost of oil. This adjustment is passed along to us by way of increases in the cost of goods. We are watching this closely and will absorb some of this increase internally whenever possible. We continue to offer great value through our Owners Savings program, deep discounts on everyday items, and the Cooperative Advantage Program (CAP).

In June we introduced our weekly Get Fresh program featuring produce, deli, specialty cheeses, perishables, bulk and beer and wine items. Look for the green flier as you enter the door by the produce department.

DELI CHANGES
This summer we also adjusted our offerings from the deli to include a lot more products in the grab and go cooler. We have some wonderful new sandwiches and the Chef’s Specials are fantastic meal solutions. We are continuing to work on expanding these options.

We’ve heard the complaints from those missing the hot bar food after 3pm and realize this may have impacted some of our core customers. This change came after months of monitoring. The evening hot bar was very labor intensive and generated too much waste at the end of the day with leftover food. By looking at the bigger picture we chose to focus on areas that can contribute more to the product mix with less costs and waste. This fall we will introduce packaged hot items after 3pm on the hot bar for eating here or taking home.

NEW CO-OPS
I feel that cooperatives are uniquely suited to change with the times. We began and continue to be adaptable to meet our owner’s needs because of our focus on democratic participation and community. After many years of no new food co-ops opening and a few older food co-ops closing their doors this past fiscal year has seen the opening of 11 new co-op stores!

Here is the list of the towns where new co-ops opened in the last year: Baltimore, Maryland; Carbondale, Colorado; Missoula, Montana; Northampton, Massachusetts; Oakland, California; Paoli, Indiana; Pocatello, Idaho; Reno, Nevada; Stoughton, Wisconsin; Wykoff, Minnesota; & Yelm, Washington.

It is exciting to see the food cooperative movement grow!

If you are interested in donating to help the Midwest farmers affected by the floods you may join others by contacting the North Country Cooperative Development Fund (www.ncdf.coop). NCDF has graciously made its Cooperative Disaster Relief Fund (501c3 status) a collection and disbursement agent for monies allocated for co-op farmer-suppliers affected by the recent flooding.

Cooperatively your,
Christine McElwee

by April Marlow

Clif Bar and Company started on a bike ride. The founder of Clif, Gary, bit into another protein bar and thought to himself, “I could make a better bar than this.” The Company began in 1992, when Gary and his Mom created what they feel is truly the better bar and what today has became a better company.

Clif Bar and Company tries extra hard to hold themselves to a higher standard in two ways: by working towards becoming a greener company and by giving back to their community. In 2001, they started Project 2080. 2080 is how many hours a full-time employee works in one year and that’s at least how many hours their company volunteers each year in the community. In 2007 alone, their employee logged 4,628 hours in their community doing volunteer work!

This year Clif came out with something for kids that we here at Tidal Creek were really excited about, Organic Twisted Fruit. Its real fruit twisted into a fun rope shape that’s easy to slip into a backpack or lunch box. Part of a healthy lunch option, Twisted Fruit contains no added sugar, only organic ingredients, which means nothing artificial.

As Co-op owners, we’ve committed ourselves to shopping for quality food; healthy ingredients, local whenever possible and organic. That commitment often comes with a higher price tag, as American farm policy benefits conventional/industrial food. But we’ve accepted that and supported our food cooperative, local farmers, making a thriving local Co-op in our community a reality. Now we’re heading into what appears to be challenging times for food prices all around.

Reasons for rising costs
Since January, worldwide food prices have skyrocketed, largely because a “perfect storm” of events drove grain and feed prices upward. Oil prices and the accompanying increase in shipping costs were most central to this storm, of course, but so was a wild, “gold rush” level of investment in the grain market. With the mortgage crisis all but capping real estate investment, stock speculators have been pouring money into grain futures, which were already inviting attention with rising prices last summer.1

USDA economist Ephraim Leibtag explained the jumps in a recent presentation to the Food Marketing Institute, starting with the factors everyone knows about: sharply higher commodity costs for wheat, corn, soybeans and milk, plus higher energy and transportation costs.

The other reasons are more complex. Rapid economic growth in China and India has increased demand for meat there, and exports of U.S. products, such as corn, have set records as the weak dollar has made them cheaper. That’s lowered the supply of corn available for sale in the U.S., raising prices here. U.S. agriculture’s mass conversion to corn to meet President Bush’s commitment of blending 35 billion gallons of ethanol into the U.S. gasoline supply by 2017 has also diverted corn from dinner tables, causing corn for feed to become “rare” and expensive.

Soybean prices have gone up as farmers switched more of their acreage to corn. Drought in Australia has even affected the price of bread, as it led to tighter global wheat supplies.

After nearly two decades of low food inflation, the U.S. is wrestling with the worst food inflation in 17 years. Prices for staples such as bread, milk, eggs, and flour are rising sharply, surging in the past year at double-digit rates, according to the Labor Department. Milk prices, for example, increased 26 percent over the year. Egg prices jumped 40 percent.2

But let’s put all this doom and gloom into perspective. On average, Americans spend a lower percentage of their income on food than they ever have in our country’s history. And American households still spend a smaller chunk of their expenses for food than in any other country — 7.2 percent in 2006, according to the USDA. By contrast, the figure was 22 percent in Poland and more than 40 percent in Egypt and Vietnam.

At Tidal Creek, we’re doing all we can to keep food prices down
Tidal Creek Co-op is a member of the cooperative group the National Cooperative Grocers Association (NCGA). This organization aims to provide the vision, leadership and systems to keep food co-ops prominent in the natural foods industry. Co-ops can band together just as individuals do to form co-ops for the benefit of their members. The NCGA is one such organization that includes 110 grocery co-ops around the US. These independent co-ops, creating a ‘virtual chain’ through NCGA, were able to negotiate improved distributor pricing contracts that translate into lower prices for our shoppers. Look for the ‘Weekly Savings’ tags on our shelves identifying products with new reduced pricing.

Even though we cannot control the many forces driving the rising cost of food, or the wholesale prices charged by manufacturers, we’re working every angle to keep prices in line!

CAP (Co-op Advantage Program) monthly specials are available to all shoppers and are found in the monthly CAP sales flyer. CAP sales are another result of NCGA membership, bringing deep discounts on top quality products every month. (Because these specials are negotiated on a region-wide basis, we may not have access to all of the items in the flyer. If you see an item you are interested in that we don’t carry, please ask a Buyer. They may be able to special order it for you.) These flyers are available in the store, CAP specials have CAP on the tag near the item.
We have a new sales program called Get Fresh with featured specials in the fresh departments of the store. A Get Fresh flyer is available in the store and signage helps you locate the products on the shelf.

Owner Savings are savings available only to owners. They are listed in an in-store flyer available at each register. Look for Owner Savings signage near the item.

Saving money while maintaining a commitment to eating high quality, health-sustaining food can be done!

Plan Ahead
Planning ahead, whether you can do it a week or a month at a time, saves not only money, but also time and stress. If it’s 4pm and you didn’t know what was for dinner the stress level can be high, and we are more likely to reach for more expensive convenience foods, go out to eat or end up with not-so-healthy snacks for dinner. So try making up a general monthly meal plan with 5 dinners per week, and then adjust it each week. By having a basic plan in place, when 4pm rolls around you know what’s in the cupboards and what meals can be made.
Planning ahead also helps you take advantage of sales. Take a look through the monthly CAP sales, Get Fresh & Owner savings flyers to see what the sales are and plan your menu accordingly. If a product you use quite often is on sale, order a case of it so you get the sale price even after the month is over. As an owner you can receive 10% off special orders.

Take notice of what produce is in season; when supplies are abundant the price is down.

Hurray for Homemade
In the spring 2006, Mary Saucier Choate of the Hanover Consumer Co-op of New Hampshire worked with two dietetic interns on a class she teaches on how to save money on food purchases. They gathered data and analyzed cost comparisons on products and on eating out vs. home prepared. The savings on eating at home were very significant – 40% a month on groceries even before any sale prices are added in.
Sometimes, we balk at the “high price” of organic meat, but are still willing to stop at a burger joint for a quick meal. So I decided to do a little cost comparison. Going to a local fast food restaurant for a burger, fries, and small soda for a family of 4 people costs $19.28. Here’s the breakdown for making a burger meal at home with regular priced organic ingredients:

$1.99 4 Rudi whole wheat organic
buns
$5.14 1 lb. Nooherooka organic
ground beef
$2.50 misc. condiments (ketchup,
mustard, pickle)
$2.79 4 svgs Cascadian Farms fries
made with organic potatoes
$2.66 4 cans Blue Sky organic soda
$15.08 Total

If you choose Maple View organic milk instead of soda, the total is $14.41. In the time it takes to drive to the restaurant and make your order, you can be eating a better meal, with higher quality organic ingredients at home that costs 22% less.

Time can be a factor, but even preparing a few meals a week at home is a step towards savings and better nutrition. Shopping with a list, having a general game plan of meals for the week, planning to make extra to freeze for a super quick meal on busy nights and not shopping when hungry are additional ways to save money on food. With this plan, more meals can be homemade, timesaving and healthful, while saving money to boot!

Special Reprint
by July/Aug 2008 Pea Soup, Viroqua Food Cooperative

1 Barth Anderson, “Going with the Grain: Organic Valley Fights to Stabilize Food Prices Cooperatively” http://www.wedge.coop/grocery/grocery-stabalize-food-prices.html

2 Ellen Simon, AP Business Writer, “Food Costs Rising Fastest in 17 Years,” http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/080414/inflation_squeeze.html

Q: How is the member dividend working this year? Will we be notified by email instead of in your newspaper? I totally missed both the announcement last year, and the basket by the “back” door with the checks in it, so when I asked a cashier about the dividend in August, they said all remaining checks at the end of July were “reabsorbed”. I asked why they weren’t mailed like most dividends and she said they were trying to save postage! I was really angry, that those with checks remaining were not notified. I renewed my membership anyway and am asking the question now so I don’t miss the checks this year!

A: The Co-op Current newsletter is our primary source of communication with our owners. They are both mailed to owner households as well as available for pick-up in the store. Announcements of 04-05 patronage refunds were placed in the newsletter 2006 February/March, April/May, and June/July. Should there be patronage in the future our online newsletter would also be utilized to communicate plans for patronage distribution. It was a Board of Directors decision, supported by management team, to not mail refund checks. Concerns were voiced over this issue in the 2007 Annual Meeting. In the coming years of patronage the Board will consider mailing checks over a certain value. At this year’s annual meeting, September 21, the Board will annouce their decision regarding patronage for 06-07.
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Q: Hi, I am new to Tidal Creek Co-op, less than a year membership. I would like to know if the idea of moving to a larger location has ever been discussed? If it has been, what was the result of the discussion. I enjoy being a member, thanks for the opportunity.

A: Growth in the new store (relocated to Oleander Drive in 2003) has exceeded expectations along with the parking crunch. Therefore, expansion has been on the table for discussion among the Board of Directors for several years now. You are encouraged to contact the Board of Directors Ownership Liaison, Anthony Garguilo, to hear the past and present dialogue on expansion of Tidal Creek Co-op. He may be contacted by phone or email (910.409.2735; whootenschool@yahoo.com).
——
Q: I was in Tidal Creek earlier today, and when I was making my purchases I noticed “Tidal Creek Bottled Water”. I’m not sure how new this item is, but I was shocked to see them at Tidal Creek especially since you all just made a wonderful step by eliminating plastic bags.

Just like plastic bags there are many reasons we should avoid the purchase and support of bottled water. I urge you, if you haven’t already, to support the “Think Outside the Bottle” campaign and eliminate bottled water at Tidal Creek.
http://www.thinkoutsidethebottle.org/ Thank you for your time!

A: We view the environmental issue of bottled water as a matter of choice. Bottled water is one of the many options we offer our customers who want to buy water. Tidal Creek recognizes the impact that the vast amounts of plastic water bottles have in our environment. For those that prefer filtered water, we are initiating a promotion to encourage bulk water purchases; this promotion is a free first fill with the purchase of any polycarbonate water jug. We also continue to source non-plastic vessels for infinite refills of tap or filtered water. We also offer recycling at the co-op.
——
Q: Can we buy stuff in bulk? eg. Cleaning supplies, shampoo. I’d love to stop having so much plastic in my house!

A: Unfortunately not many cleaning products come in much larger that a gallon.
——
Q: This is a suggestion that we carry re-usable beer and wine bags (similar to the .99 bags)

A: I have not found any that are the inexpensive from our distributors. I do have a neoprene insolated bags coming in June.
——
Q: Bulk item area has scoops exposed enough to attract dirt from floor to them as people walk by. The dirt on scoops will contaminate products. Please find a way to cover or move scoop holders.

A: We will investigate ways to protect the scoops. In the meantime, let us know when you are shopping. We will wash any scoop before use.
——
Q: Please carry jarred jalapenos!

A: I have been looking but cannot currently find any from our main distributors.
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Q: Request for Fantastic Foods Soup Cups. You just add hot water. They are wonderful!

A: We have carried these in the past and stopped due to slow sales. I will try them again when the weather gets cooler again.
——
Q: Please bring back World’s Best Cat litter!

A: We can no longer get this brand from our distributors.

Wine e-News
Beginning in August a new online newsletter will begin distribution. Tidal Creek’s new wine & beer buyer, JR Jones, will get you dialed in to the newest wines, food pairing ideas, notice of sampling events and tasting classes. Join the list by emailing JR at jr@www.tidalcreek.coop

Annual Meeting
It’s that time again, our fiscal year has ended and we want to share with you our year in review. The Tidal Creek Co-op Annual Meeting is set for Sunday, September 21st at 4pm at the Co-op. We’ll be celebrating the year end with live entertainment and light hors d’oeuvres. The Board of Directors and General Manager will present the financial standing of the co-op, the decision on patronage refunds and the successes and the challenges faced for 2007-2008. There will be kid’s activities and adult beverages served.

Button Up!
In 2007-2008 Tidal Creek selected 8 recipients for the Button Up program. The Button Up program donates 5 cents for every bag saved by co-op customers to a local charitable organization. There was a 50% increase in bags saved from October to June for a total of 11,248 bags. Tidal Creek distributed donations, totaling $562.40, to these local organizations: Southeast NC Food Bank, Topsail Turtle Rescue, Good Shepard Food Bank, Earth Day Alliance, Mother Hubbard Cupboard, Coastal Land Trust, Full Belly Project, and Carolina Canines.

Eat local Challenge
This summer Tidal Creek sponsored the Eat Local Challenge. Forty-nine local people signed-up, 9 families and 14 individuals. Of the participants 2 elected for a 100% local diet. The group average was 80% local. Participants and farmers were invited to a Potluck Picnic on July 19th. Thanks to all for making the Eat Local Challenge a success!

FRONT END CHATTERBOX
School’s just around the corner, but summer is still here and going strong! Try cooling off with Julie’s Ice Cream Fudge Bars. “I have one everyday when I get back from the pool.” And if Fudge isn’t your personal taste, the Orange Sorbet and the Mixed Berry are terrific as well. Another delicious cold treat is the local Maple View Farms Ice Cream, available in Chocolate, Vanilla, Strawberry, and Chocolate Coconut. “Maple Farms makes the best dairy products I’ve ever had!” And if you can’t enjoy dairy products, the “Soy Delicious Ice Creams are heavenly.”

Once it’s time to fill those lunchboxes again, there’s a huge variety of snackers to fill the kids bellies. “Kozy Shack’s Chocolate Pudding texture and flavor beats out the other brands without question!” And the Organic Valley’s Milk Boxes are a huge hit. They don’t need to be refrigerated, and you can special order them through Customer Service if you want them in bulk, or would like to try a flavor we don’t have on the shelf.

Another popular item is the Popcorn Indiana Kettlecorn. “I’ve become addicted to this stuff,” one confessed. Currently we also have snack sized bags of the White Cheddar flavor, and larger bags of the Movie Theatre style. My personal favorite is the Smoked Cheddar Kettlecorn, you get the smoky, salty, and the sweet!

We always appreciate what the customer has to recommend, so keep the suggestions coming!

Your Front End Shopping Tip
Tip #3: Please remember to have your salad bar items weighted before consumption. To avoid waiting in longer lines, utilize the express register closest to the sliding doors!
Stephen & the Front End Staff

PRODUCE NEWS
In December of 2003 I found myself working a register at Tidal Creek Cooperative Food Market. I was happily unemployed up to that point, earning my rent and food money by finding things in the trash and selling them on eBay. I also ran an organic produce buying club and converted a few old diesel cars to run on used vegetable oil, forming the idea that would become Cape Fear Biofuels. It was an interesting life even after the point where I decided to hold onto a time card again.

A year or so later I was produce manager.

As manager I have had some profound experiences that have shaped my life and my philosophy of community and food. I have met and talked to a great many of you. Those conversations shaped the way the produce department evolved over the years and determined the priorities for bringing in products. You wanted organic; you wanted local; you wanted trust in the food and the systems and people that provide it. Hopefully I have given you what you wanted.

It is now time for me to move on and take on new challenges. I leave for my land in Chatham County to start a farm and get back into the dirt.
Nicole, my long time right hand in the produce department, is also leaving at the same time as I am.

I leave the department in the hands of a new staff and manager who will lead you into a new era. Please welcome Stephen Chu (manager), Buddy and Stephen K. Embrace them as you have me and all the other produce folks over the years – Mike S, Sasha, Matt, Peter, Nathaniel, Stacey, Daniel, Brad, Shannon, and Nicole B.
Trace Ramsey

GREEN GROCERY NEWS
The Grocery buying team is committed to providing the healthiest products for ourselves and our planet. We will work to insure that our products are free of GMOs, hydrogenated oils, and artificial colors, sweeteners, preservatives and flavors. In addition, our meat and dairy buyers will only purchase products free of hormones, and antibiotics. Our beer and wine department is committed to working with smaller vineyards and microbreweries and to offer organic and no sulfite added choices. We will also look to purchase from small farms, local growers and companies with ethics and standards similar to the Co-op’s whenever possible.
Craig Harris – Store Manager

WELLNESS NEWS
Hemp for Health
Tidal Creek has recently added a wide selection of hemp products to our Wellness Department. An amazing plant with a variety of affordable health care uses, hemp has seeds that are high in fiber, protein, amino acids, essential fatty acids and many vitamins and minerals. Medicinal hemp products can add to both longevity and quality of life. Medical research shows that hemp is beneficial as a nutritional supplement in the treatment of cancer, glaucoma, AIDS, pain, asthma, epilepsy, MS, nausea, cramps, muscle spasms, insomnia, herpes, arthritis, rheumatism, migraines, stress, and depression. Hemp has antibiotic, pain relieving and expectorant properties when used in topical ointments and taken orally.

The appeal of the hemp plant is that its seeds contain protein in a beneficial nutritional combination. Essential fatty acids in hemp seeds help build the immunological response system and may reduce cholesterol levels, making them a great addition to your diet. And they are easy to add to a meal by simply sprinkling the delicious nutty tasting seeds whole or ground on any dish such as a bowl of cereal or a salad.

On the back of aisle 6 you will find our wide selection of hemp proteins, hemp fibers, hemp granola bars, hemp oil, and hemp butter! We have also added a new local line formulated by Earth Force. Their Green Sativa Soothe is a topical salve that is great for every day skin use, troubled skin, or painful joints!

You will also find the new line of locally made, Independent Women products on aisle 6. They are washable and re-usable women’s moon time pads. They are beautiful, affordable and will help you cut down on unnecessary disposable waste each month!

Have a great Summer and be Healthy! Thank you,
The Wellness Team

Deli News
It is the goal of Tidal Creek’s Deli to enhance our customers’ shopping experience by providing them with healthful, affordable, fresh and convenient food choices of the highest quality. Providing them with the best customer service experience goes hand in hand with this goal .

We are committed to providing the healthiest products for ourselves and our planet. We work to follow the Buyer’s Commitment adopted by the Co-op. This includes ensuring 100% GMO-free and hydrogenated oil-free shopping experience. We minimize the use of any products with High Fructose Corn Syrup. Organic products are central to our department and we weigh carefully the choice between them and conventional products when availability or financial concerns cause us to make this choice.
Developing relationships with local food producers and companies that share the Co-op’s vision is also of central importance to us. We understand that our effort to bring well prepared fresh foods to our customers contributes to a larger ecological and cultural mission.

We are cognizant of customers’ health concerns and are committed to producing products that meet the various dietary requirements of this important clientele. We are also committed to the education of our staff to respond to these needs with correctness and carefulness.

We work with staff, Co op members and the community to minimize our waste through recycling and composting efforts. We strive to minimize the amount of packaging that we use and to co-operate with the NCGA in their vision to reduce the carbon footprint of the national co-op community by participating fully in their program.

We are committed to offering value to our customers while maintaining standards that meet the organization’s financial goals. We strive to maintain good work practices that minimize the waste created by our department and allow us to offer the highest quality foods at the most reasonable costs.

We strive to accomplish this in an environment that is positive for both customers and employees. We encourage our staff to participate fully in this experience.
Deb Lovan & The Deli Staff

Beer & Wine News
After spending the last three years working in local wine shops I have made the decision to join the Tidal Creek crew as the beer and wine buyer. You may have noticed some recent changes in the department. For example, our Build-Your-Own-Six-Pack program has expanded to include all the beer we offer in six packs and singles. We have also re-organized the wine section so that the wines are grouped together according to type, i.e. light-bodied whites and full-bodied reds, for your ease of selection.

I am here to take suggestions and always enjoy talking shop. If I am not in the store please e-mail me with any questions, suggestions, or special requests. I would be happy to locate your favorite bottle of wine if we don’t yet carry it. Additionally, I will be helping Tidal Creek with its new monthly beer and wine e-mail packed full cool info on products, sales, and our monthly tasting. That’s right. I said it. We will be having monthly tastings in the café and you’re invited!

If you need to contact me or if you would like to sign up for the beer and wine newsletter, e-mail me at JR@www.tidalcreek.coop.

Cheers!
JR Jones