Grocery

Customer Question: Please bring back single serve Green Mountain Creamery Vanilla Skyr!
Co-op Answer: Thank you for your input! Unfortunately, Green Mountain has decided to discontinue their line of flavored Skyrs so they are no longer available to us. We have recently re-expanded our Siggi’s line to still provide Skyr options. -Olivia, Grocery Buyer

Q: Please carry Charlie’s laundry detergent in your truckload sale.
A: Thank you for your input! Unfortunately, we try to only include the top selling items from the category in our truckload sale. Charlie’s does not sell well enough to bring in a pallet or more of this item. -Olivia, Grocery Buyer

Q: Are you no longer carrying “Just Mayo”?
A: Thank you for your question! We have stopped carrying Just Mayo at this time. Unfortunately, this product was experiencing long term out of stocks and we decided not to hold the empty space for them. You may still special order this product and receive a case discount. -Olivia, Grocery Buyer

Q: 1) Pro Bar – please sell other varieties without caffeine such as Almond Crunch, Original Trail Mix, Peanut Butter Chocolate, Peanut Butter Super Food, etc. 2) Do you carry Zatar?
A: Thank you for your questions! Unfortunately, space for refrigerated bars is extremely limited. We do carry the line of Perfect Bars which do not contain caffeine. We do carry a Za’atar spice in our packaged spices section. It is by the brand Teeny Tiny Spice CO. -Olivia, Grocery Buyer

Q: I’m surprised that you don;t seem to have Za’atar in the spice section…
A: Thank you for your question! We actually do have Za’atar in our packaged spice section! It is by the brand Teeny Tiny Spice Co. -Olivia, Grocery Buyer

Q: Kevita flavor Mango Coconut or Hibiscus Berry!
A: Thank you for your input! Based on Kevita’s website, Hibiscus Berry flavor is unfortunately no longer available. We are going to bring in the Watermelon Rose as our new flavor. -Olivia, Grocery Buyer

Q: Cheaper snacks! A girl is going to starve if she doesn’t eat!
A: Thank you for your input! As a big time snacker myself, I always try to hunt for the best sales – often there are great sale pricing on chips, salsa, and crackers! Hail Merry snack cups are also on sale every other month as well as Rx Bars, Larabars, and usually a brand of chocolate bar as well. -Olivia, Grocery Buyer

Q: Miss Fage 2% large yogurts! You don’t sell another 2% Greek plain. Will buy at Shaw’s.
A: Thank you for your input! Unfortunately, this item experienced slow sales and the cooler is highly competitive. You may still special order this item and receive a case discount. -Olivia, Grocery Buyer

Q: Vermont Artisan Coffee bags are puffed up like chip bags – packing hot coffee beans – the coffee becomes really acidic. Please inform company. Also not vacuum sealed.
A: Thank you for your input! I will certainly pass along this information to Vermont Artisan Coffee for you. We try to pull the bags from the shelf when we see them, but please feel free to bring them to our attention. -Olivia, Grocery Buyer

Q: Can you get a low-fat option for chocolate milk. I hate to go other places to find it…
A: Thank you for your request! This section is especially limited for space, we do currently carry a 2% reduced fat chocolate milk from Organic Valley. If we receive more requests for this item, we will consider adding it to our set. -Olivia, Grocery Buyer

Produce

Q: Could we please have some kind of “noodles” in produce – carrot, zucchini, squash! I would get them here. As it is I go to Hannaford’s.
A: We are not set up to produce these. Sorry. -Robert, Produce Manager

Q: I’d love to buy some lettuce but it has all been wrapped in unnecessary plastic lately. Please ask your suppliers to produce lettuce plastic free!
A: We are experimenting with wire bands instead of the plastic sleeves. We’ll have to see how the lettuce does. -Robert, Produce Manager

Food Services

Q: Nancy in the deli is awesome! She’s friendly, diligent and has a good spirit!
A: Thanks for the feedback – it was passed along and appreciated. -Doug, Prepared Foods Manager

Q: Stop using canola oil on your grill and foods, it’s toxic. Too many contradictions, research the facts. Canadian oil company grape-seed oil used as a pesticide. Not healthy, many coops have banned them.
A: There are definitely strong debates and information about canola oil out there. I have found them to be unresolved. We do use a non-GMO canola spray for our baked goods – given the controversy we are looking at/testing other options as I write this. -Doug, Prepared Foods Manager

Q: Could you please consider getting chocolate mousse?
A: While we are not considering adding chocolate mousse, we do offer chocolate pudding in the grab and go – a close relative! -Doug, Prepared Foods Manager

Q: Croquembuche, please!
A: This does make a lovely holiday decoration but it is not something we will be offering. -Doug, Prepared Foods Manager

Q: More fruit on the salad bar please!
A: As we get to the melon season we will be offering it on the salad bar. -Doug, Prepared Foods Manager

Wellness

Q: 1-2 vegetarian cooking magazines please!
A: We currently have “thrive” which is a vegetarian option. Our distributor will be adding more vegetarian titles to the mix. Stay tuned. -Laura, Wellness Manager

General

Q: Is the red scanning light at the register bad for your eyes if you accidentally look directly into it? I keep doing it because it attracts the eye involuntarily, so I want to know! Thanks.
A: No, the light will not hurt your eyes. As with any light, it is better not to stare directly into it. Thanks. -Sonia, Front End Manager

Q: Please teach cashiers not to pile canned goods on top of produce, etc.
A: I am sorry for your poor bagging experience. We have 50+ front end employees which have been trained. I can put a memo out reminding everyone on the bagging procedure. Please, in the future, if you have a poor experience with a cashier, please stop by and talk to me, call me, or email me and let me know the details of the interaction. I would rather personally speak to the individual that needs the extra training. I appreciate your time letting us know. -Sonia, Front End Manager

Q: I was wondering if you could do a day when people (specifically member owners) could get a few items for free!
A: We do offer member appreciation days and weekends throughout the year when we have raffles and samples. We demo products throughout the year. We offer free meals at Annual Meeting and Dinner and Discussion. -Kari, General Manager

Q: There should be a day when member owners get 5 items for free!
A: Interesting idea. That would be approximately 4500 free items. -Kari, General Manager

Q: The Coop shouldn’t carry products with any palm oil unless it is certified that it comes from palm plantations not on former rain forest. I have looked at a number of your cookie-like products and they often have palm oil.
A: We recognize the concerns with plantation-grown palm oil. We do prefer to avoid palm oil or secondly source non-plantation grown palm. Because it is a shelf stable saturated fat, pal m oil became a top replacement for trans-fats that used to dominate the baked goods section. -Kari, General Manager

Q: No idle zone.
A: We do ask that vehicles not idle in our parking lots. -Kari, General Manager

Q: Why so many plastic bags everywhere, especially bread section?
A: Yes there is a lot of grocery packaging that use plastic, mainly because it is clear, lightweight, waterproof, and inexpensive. The crusty breads are meant to last a few days so plastic is the preferred medium for now. -Kari, General Manager