Customer Comments 10/26/18
Grocery
Customer Comment: Is it possible to please get black sesame rice thin crackers? (They come in a plastic sleeve like the other rice thins). They are all black.
Co-op Answer: Thank you for your input! We can definitely add this to our set – unfortunately we have finished our new product selections for the year, but we will get this on the shelf in January. -Olivia, Grocery Buyer
Q: Please carry Celestial Seasonings non-caffeinated herbal teas. I can’t find it anywhere!
A: Thank you for your input! We currently carry around 9 flavors of the Celestial Seasonings tea, all of which are caffeine free. We also carry about 8 additional flavors around October – December for the holidays. -Olivia, Grocery Buyer
Q: Dave’s Killer Bread from Oregon? Do the locals need the competition? Does the Co-op get credit for what does not sell (the way it is for almost all the locals)? Is the shelf stocked by Le Page bakery?
A: Thank you for your input! Dave’s Killer Bread is an organic bread option delivered and stocked by Le Page Bakery. It is organic, which makes it stand out from most of our local options. It also took the place of Barowsky’s which was not a local option. Le Page Bakery does give us credit on any bread that goes out of date. -Olivia, Grocery Buyer
Q: Please – order more quart size 1 % milk. Half gallons often go off before our 2 person household can use them up. Especially Rock Bottom Farm.
A: Thank you for your input! I will certainly pass this message along to our dairy buyer so he is aware that there is increased interest in the Strafford quarts. If it is ever out on the shelf, please ask any employee for assistance in case there is some out back. -Olivia, Grocery Buyer
Q: Very difficult to find whole or 1% milk in quarts except the very expensive Organic Valley kind. Has Rock Bottom Farm run out of glass quart bottles?
A: Thank you for your input! I will pass this along to our dairy buyer so he is aware there’s an opportunity to order more. I recommend coming in on Tuesday and Friday, Strafford’s delivery days, for the freshest and most readily available product. -Olivia, Grocery Buyer
Q: Can we carry Red Hen whole wheat rolls (sold as singles)?
A: Thank you for your input! We generally leave this decision up to our bakeries – space is limited and we want them to feel like they are using it for the product that is selling well. I will let them know there was a request for the wheat rolls. -Olivia, Grocery Buyer
Q: I bought “Brad’s” organic tahini at another store and was really impressed with the flavor and texture…just FYI.
A: Thank you for your input! I will certainly check out. -Olivia, Grocery Buyer
Q: Those of us with blood sugar issues would greatly appreciate an expansion on low-carb options.
A: Thank you for your input! W are working to provide more low-carb options for the customers who need them. Some great low-carb noodles, chips, tortillas and even cookies. If there are any particular brands you are looking for, please let me know. -Olivia, Grocery Buyer
Q: I own a tea shop in town and we sell only 4 oz loose leaf tea tins. Sometimes people want less than that. I can’t really refer here because glass jars in lighted area is bad for tea. We use dark tins and keep the tea fresh.
A: Thank you for your input! Currently non e of our teas are packaged in glass jars. The lighting of our aisles are for safety and is not something we could change. -Olivia, Grocery Buyer
Q: Please carry the lemon Larabars.
A: Thank you for your input! We will add this to the set in January after our November/December moratorium on new products. -Olivia, Grocery Buyer
Q: What happened to the Tandoori Chef brand frozen chicken curry? Please bring it back!
A: Thank you for your input! We do still carry Tandoori Chef chicken curry in our frozen set, but unfortunately it is a long term out of stock from our distributor. We expect to see this item back in stock around October 23rd. -Olivia, Grocery Buyer
Q: Patak’s Indian Pickle? Please bring it back!
A: Thank you for your input! Unfortunately, this item was discontinued by our distributor and we are unable to order it. -Olivia, Grocery Buyer
Q: Could you please bring back corn based pastas.
A: Thank you for your input! Unfortunately this product was discontinued in 2015 due to slow sales. We are unlikely to bring it back at this time but you may special order it by the case and receive a 10% discount. -Olivia, Grocery Buyers
Q: [Stacy’s Tortillas]. 10 ct, very affordable, please consider.
A: Thank you for your input. I am also a big fan of this brand, but we unfortunately do not have any space in our refrigerated section for new tortillas. I will certainly keep them in mind if space opens up. -Olivia, Grocery Buyer
Q: We wish you’d sell the sticky mango at the truck sale! (Again).
A: Thank you for your input! Unfortunately, Matt’s Munchies is no longer able to provide us with any discount on this item. We have replaced it in Truckload with the Nature’s Bandit brand in the mango-apple flavor and berry-apple flavor. -Olivia, Grocery Buyer
Q: Could you please carry macadamia nut milk?
A: Thank you for your input! We will add this to our non-dairy set starting in January after our November/December moratorium on new products. -Olivia, Grocery Buyer
Q: Please carry Vermont Spaetzle.
A: Thank you for your input! We are considering bringing this product in starting in January after our November/December moratorium on new products ends. -Olivia, Grocery Buyer
Q: Please carry the original Oat-ly oat milk Barista Edition. Made in NY, 100% vegan, non-GMO.
A: Thank you for your input! We are currently planning to bring this product in once they have more stable production levels so we don’t experience out of stocks. You can expect to see it on the shelf in January. -Olivia, Grocery Buyer
Q: Can you please get more flavors of the Kevita probiotic sparkling drink! The flavors you have all taste the same!
A: Thank you for your input! We will look at fixing our current selection to bring in some better sellers. Unfortunately, we do not have the space to add product in without removing other product. I am really excited about bringing in the Elderberry Tonic! -Olivia, Grocery Buyer
Q: Please, if possible: Birds and Beans Scarlet Tanger coffee beans and Equal Exchange Midnight Sun coffee beans.
A: Thank you for your input! We currently only carry local bagged coffees. If you would like to recommend a new coffee for bulk, please reach out to Michael or Terry, our bulk buyers. -Olivia, Grocery Buyer
Food Services
Q: I love love loved the Asian veggie dish – the special today 9/26. Please have it more often. I would get it all the time.
A: Thanks – I passed this on to the team and they were very appreciative. -Doug, Prepared Foods Manager
Q: Please make more sushi in the deli, thanks.
A: More volume? Or more variety? -Doug, Prepared Foods Manager
Q: Please put CBD in all hot bar food.
A: Good one! -Doug, Prepared Foods Manager
Q: My desire is to one day be able to go to Hunger Mtn.’s website or Facebook and see the menu for the day. Our busy lives have us more and more turning to convenience of the web for info.
A: It is and has been posted on our website for a number of years though you do have to search/click through to get to it. -Doug, Prepared Foods Manager
Q: Please make the cucumber and avocado rolls more often!
A: We make them 5 days a week and will eventually expand to weekends but no date set yet. -Doug, Prepared Foods Manager
Q: Can you offer the raspberry square pastries in a bag instead of a plastic container?
A: We did but chose the recyclable container rather than the bag which can only be trash. -Doug, Prepared Foods Manager
Q: Here is a vote for having plain paper napkins. Less ink to manufacture, less ink in waste stream.
A: Thanks for the suggestion. -Doug, Prepared Foods Manager
Wellness
Q: Nordic Natural’s eye formula. Please carry.
A: Thank you for your suggestion. We will bring this in. -Laura, Wellness Manager
Q: Emergen-C lite please
A: Thank you for your request. The distributor that provides us with Emergen-C no longer carries this product. We may be able to special order it. Please let us know if you would like us to look into it. -Laura, Wellness Manager
Q: Garden of Life 9.4 oz slim vanilla grain free organic plant protein.
A: In wellness we carry the Garden of Life 9.4 oz vanilla organic plant protein, however it doesn’t indicate that it is slim. -Laura, Wellness Manager
General
Q: Please petition the Post Office to put a mailbox here at the co-op There is one along Stone Cutter’s Way, but it is a hike and there is so much more people traffic here!
A: I have requested this twice before and I will again. It’s a great idea. -Kari, General Manager
Q: This glossy 7-Days insert is extraneous and wasteful. Please stop the gloss!
A: We contacted VT Solid Waste Mgmt District when the concern about glossy paper was first made. There is no special problem with the paper’s recyclability or environmental impact. Print advertising is a tool that many retailers use to communicate with customers. I would be happy to discuss. 262-3219 or [email protected]. -Kari, General Manager
Q: Bread slicer
A: Thank you for the suggestion. We have received this comment before. Unfortunately, bread slicers are very expensive and not something we are considering at this time. -Emma, Customer Service Rep
Q: Ouch! My neck hurts from trying to read the top row of the suggestion board! Why not post at mostly eye level (or close to it)? Even not using the very top row means that the highest stuff is almost almost two feet away.
A: We have adjusted the setup – I think it should be easier to read now. Thanks! -Emma, Customer Service Rep
Q: I saw Kari’s commentary in the Times Argus about recycling 10 gallons of twist ties. A coop employee told me this is an internal program. Can you open it up to the public?
A: Thank you for the suggestion. This is something we have considered and may be able to offer in the future, but at this time we are still working out storage and delivery challenges just from internal waste streams. In the meantime, the ARCC in Barre is a great resource to recycle twist ties and much more! -Emma, Customer Service Rep
Q: I want an opportunity to have a family membership!
A: Thank you. A common request. This is a co-op bylaw that would require approval by members at an annual meeting. We focused on this issued in 2009 and the prevailing view was to leave membership based on individuals, not families or households. I will share your request with the council. -Kari, General Manager
Q: Please fix or replace the soap dispenser in the bathroom. That will be much more sanitary than everyone handling the soap bottle with dirty hands!
A: We can certainly refill the soap dispenser. Thanks for letting us know. -Mary, Facilities Manager
Q: You know, it would be nice to not have hand sanitizer and towels right over the drinking water tap by the exit. As it is now, it gives the impression that the tap is for disinfecting/washing hands, which is not so great a combination with drinking water (and please use it that way sometimes). Also creates a bit of congestion with people with people getting water and people sanitizing at the same time.
A: Thanks for your comment. We have removed the hand sanitizer from that area entirely and the paper towels have been moved to the side. -Mary, Facilities Manager
Q: Can you cover the cooler section to conserve energy? Price Chopper does.
A: We do actually have pull down covers that are used each night. You are right, they definitely help to conserve the energy used by the coolers. Thanks! -Mary, Facilities Manager
Q: Please don’t try to guess my age (over 40) when buying alcohol – it’s depressing! Is there an “over 21” button available? Thanks!
A: Cashiers are required to put in an age every time alcohol is purchased. If not asking for an ID, a cashier must pick a year and use that year for everyone. They aren’t trying to guess your age. -Sonia, Front End Manager
Q: Where customers need plastic bags (veggies, fruits, etc., please have bag stations accessible to people using the wheelchair. Also, I suggest one position be assigned to check that the wheelchair is fully charged at opening and not plugged in during service when someone should plug it in overnight. Reason: Some may be reluctant to mess with unplugging the cable and replugging after.
A: If I am understanding this correctly, you are looking for wheelchair accessible bags in the produce section. If so, you will be happy to know that we have 4 bag locations at the fruit islands that are the height you are looking for. Just ask one of us the next time you’re in if you are not sure of the location. As for the electric wheelchair, we do generally unplug it in the morning, but this is a good reminder for us. Thank you! -Mary, Facilities Manager