Grocery

Customer Question: There Are 15 empty bread shelves right now. Please bring in Rise-Up bread! Thank you!
A: Thank you for your input! I would definitely bring in Rise Up bread if we had space. While there are specific days that our bread shelves are low, that space is set aside for other local bakeries – we have tried shared, rotational space for bakeries and it was not successful for anyone involved. -Olivia, Grocery Buyer

Q: There are 13 empty bread shelves right now, 1 pm 10/31. Please bring in Rise Up bakery. Thanks.
A: Thank you for your input! Rise Up bread is a great baker and I would certainly bring them in if we had space. While there are specific days of the week our shelves are low, that space is set aside for other local bakeries. We have tried shared, rotational space for bakeries before and it was not successful for anyone involved. -Olivia, Grocery Buyer

Q: 1. This board is great. Makes me feel I’m part of a community. 2. Can we get in bulk: White vinegar, laundry powder, dishwasher detergent. 3. Consider carrying cleaning strength white vinegar? 4. Carboys for water?
A: We do carry a distilled white vinegar in our cleaning department in gallon containers. We have looked into a source for carboys for awhile; I haven’t found found a plastic carboy that is BPA free yet, but when I do, I will bring them in. We currently carry laundry soap in bulk, but the space in that section is very limited. If space opens up, we will look into new items to bring in. -Olivia, Grocery Buyer

Q: Does it strike you as an oddity that you carry bougie ice cream from Los Angeles and don’t carry Ben and Jerry’s? Do you know how much energy it takes to ship ice cream from California, right?
A: Thank you for your input! I appreciate your dedication to local – it is a concern of mine as well. I am generally very proud of our local products in the ice cream set. Ben and Jerry’s ice creams are often not made with clean ingredients that we can carry and is also very widely available within Montpelier already, so I don’t believe it is a brand we need on our shelves. -Olivia, Grocery Buyer

Q: Be sure to have sufficient feedback forms at box. Please price fermented milk and milk substitute products by consistent unit – either qts or lbs but not both. It’s too difficult to make price comparisons when there are irregularities.
A: Thank you for your input! To answer your second question the weights and measures on our price tags are required by law to match what is printed on the vendor’s packaging. If they list the weight as FO or fluid ounce, we have to price it by the quart. I apologize for the inconvenience. -Olivia, Grocery Buyer

Q: Please look into carrying these brands of toilet paper: Marcal and Treefree
A: Thank you for your input! It does not appear that this brand is currently available form any of our distributors. -Olivia, Grocery Buyer

Q: I was wondering could you please start selling frozen Brussels sprouts?
A: Thank you for your input! We have tried selling frozen Brussels sprouts in the past, but they were not a successful item for us. You may special order them by the case and receive a special order discount. -Olivia, Grocery Buyer

Q: The spring and distilled water gallons you have are Poland Spring which is owned by Nestle, who does lots of evil things in 3rd world countries. Isn’t it possible to carry non-Nestle water?
A: Thank you for your input! We do carry other water brands like Saratoga to provide alternatives to Poland Spring. Unfortunately, Nestle and other larger corporations own a great number of the beverage brands on the market and there currently isn’t another option for gallons of distilled water. -Olivia, Grocery Buyer

Q: Siggis 0% fat?
A: Thank you for your input! Our yogurt set is currently full, but Siggis is a really successful brand for us, so we will add this to the list for the next time we review this category. -Olivia, Grocery Buyer

Q: Organic grass-fed, whole milk, plain, Greek yogurt, please.
A: Thank you for your input! It looks like Stonyfield does make a plain, organic, grass-fed Greek yogurt. We will add this to our list to bring in in January. -Olivia, Grocery Buyer

Q: Can you guys please carry peanut butter chocolate chip Macro bars?
A: Thank you for your input! our bar set is currently full and we only recently brought in this brand. We are going to wait until we have sufficient sales data on our current set before considering other flavors. -Olivia, Grocery Buyer

Q: Canoleo 100% canola margarine, 16 oz
A: Thank you for your input! It appears that this product contains ingredients that are banned in our store. I appreciate your interest. -Olivia, Grocery Buyer

Q: Can you ask the Vegetabals pesto folks why they switched to black plastic lids a while ago? The containers are recyclable. The lids used to be but recycling does not accept any black plastic in Vermont. Thanks.
A: Thank you for your input! I reached out to them directly but have yet to hear back from anyone at the business. If you would like to reach out to them directly, their email is [email protected] or (603) 504-6037. -Olivia, Grocery Buyer

Q: Are you going to carry the So Delicious coconut milk – sweetened?
A: Thank you for your input. We carried this flavor in the past but it did not sell well for us so we discontinued this item. We do have sweetened coconut milks in our grocery department. -Olivia, Grocery Buyer

Q: Simple Mills cheese crackers please!
A: Thank you for your input! These are planned for the cracker section in our next cracker reset later this month. -Olivia, Grocery Buyer

Q: Please! Keep buying Little Northern Bakehouse GF bread. Thank you!
A: Thank you for your input! I’m so glad you enjoy this brand – it has been very successful for us so far. Also, keep an eye out for it possibly being in a case sale in the future! -Olivia, Grocery Buyer

Q: I have heard that the Co-op is unwilling to carry bread baked in the newly restored historic baked in the newly restored historic wood fired bakery building that belongs to the Old Labor Hall National Historic Landmark, but every time I come to the Co-op the bread shelves are quite empty. Carrying this bread would help to sustain an educational bakery and maintain a historic building and get bread on the shelves.
A: Thank you for your input! I am very excited about this new bakery in Barre and very supportive of the great work they do. However, space in our bakery / bread set is incredibly limited and there unfortunately is no way to add in a new vendor without taking space away from our current vendors. If any space opens up, Rise Up is at the top of my list! -Olivia, Grocery Buyer

Food Services

Q: I need tapenade but it’s been out in the deli for days! Where’s the tapenade?
A: It’s back! -Doug, Prepared Foods Manager

Q: More vegan baked goods. You only make one! Thanks!
A: Thanks for your support – we will work on our offerings but know that these are traditionally the ones that are left over daily/don’t sell. -Doug, Prepared Foods Manager

Q: More kale Caesar salad, please! It’s so yummy that it’s always sold out. Can we make more? Thank you so much!
A: Will do! -Doug, Prepared Foods Manager

Q: Kale Caesar salad?
A: Yes, our apologies for not having it available. -Doug, Prepared Foods Manager

Q: Today’s meatloaf in deli – delicious!
A: Thank you for sharing – so glad you enjoyed it! -Doug, Prepared Foods Manager

Q: Where is the deli mock tuna salad? 2 days in a row, zip…
A: Do you mean mock chicken? We don’t offer a mock tuna. -Doug, Prepared Foods Manager

Q: Why do you put brownies and bars from the pastry case in plastic?
A: They tend to dry out if we don’t but I am open to giving it a try without it. -Doug, Prepared Foods Manager

Q: Our first time here for a few groceries and a late lunch. Got your hot Reuben sandwich and it was exceptional. Thanks!
A: Thanks – shared with the crew – that is a good one! -Doug, Prepared Foods Manager

Q: Please carry light roast coffee in the deli for coffee lovers who don’t like bitter taste.
A: Thanks for the input – as you know, we have a very limited space for our coffee service, and found that having hot water/tea self service has had more positive effect for or customers than light coffee – perhaps decaf to order instead? Thoughts? -Doug, Prepared Foods Manager

Q: Light coffee in pot please!
A: Thanks for the input – we have limited space for our coffee service area and find that the hot water/tea urn has been a positive vs the light coffee at this time. -Doug, Prepared Foods Manger

Q: Please return the light coffee as a choice in the deli coffee.
A: Thanks for taking the time to inquire about this, we will certainly take it into consideration. -Doug, Prepared Foods Manager

Q: The returnable salad bar containers are awesome but it seems there could be a better system for picking up a clean one rather than waiting in the sandwich line.
A: Thanks for the positive feedback on the containers. I do think the process can be streamlined and am open to any and all suggestions on how to go about it! -Doug, Prepared Foods Manager

Q: Salsa everyday in the hot bar area?
A: Thanks for the suggestion. We will look into what slot this could take/replace existing items, but it is definitely possible! -Doug, Prepared Foods Manager

Q: I would like to be able to buy organic valley single serving cream cheese. I saw them at the WRJ co-op.
A: We do sell these in our grab and go cooler on the top shelf in the deli. -Doug, Prepared Foods Manager

Q: Decaf is out frequently – no back up – need system to address this.
A: We don’t typically brew back up decaf as it is the one that doesn’t move enought – want it to be fresh but we will look into this. -Doug, Prepared Foods Manager

Q: First world problems, I know, but can the deli please cut the pre-made sandwiches in half? Many thanks!
A: The way we display them doesn’t allow them to be cut as they will flop over, but our compostable knives will cut them! -Doug, Prepared Foods Manager

Q: Staff at the deli counter need a bit of guidance on customer service. I was told, somewhat sharply to “order over there” “where it says “order” here”. I was the only person anywhere near the deli counter at the time. I did not feel welcome, so I walked away instead.
A: I am so sorry about this – not our expectation either. Please come see me -Doug, Prepared Foods Manager

Q: Please be better about removing more fat and gristle from your hot bar stews and meat. Most appreciated.
A: You bet, thanks. -Doug, Prepared Foods Manager

Q: Why does the meat have to be so close to vegetarian options on hot bar/salad bar. Ruins things for us vegetarians.
A: I am sorry that ruins your experience but at one point the meat will always be next to a vegetarian dish though? -Doug, Prepared Foods Manager

General

Q: A dry erase board over electric vehicle charger so we can communicate with each other about sharing charger. Thank you.
A: Interesting. What type of information would you like to communicate to other drivers? -Kari, General Manager

Q: “No bag” use hands should count towards BYO bag total.
A: The credit is really for larger bags so an order you can carry in your hands wouldn’t generally count. -Kari, General Manager

Q: Can you please not use so much plastic packaging ? -From “The Next Generation”. Tnx.
A: Thank you. We are also concerned about the amount of single use plastic in our food system and we have been considering ways to reduce. It’s going to take a concerted effort including producers and shoppers but there is a good amount of interest. -Kari, General Manager

Q: Please consider seriously opening a co-op in Randolph, VT. Only one location currently to get organic food (in old train station). We need more variety in products and better prices.
A: Thank you for the suggestion. We plan to update our market study in the next year or so, which will identify if and where there might be viable locations for another store. Ultimately, our members will decide. -Kari, General Manager

Q: You should give the employees a big slap on the back. Thank you for the appreciation. We get many compliments about out customer service and hard work. -Kari, General Manager

Q: You shouldn’t have to request the coupon. If you are a member and there is a coupon, it should just apply.
A: Thanks for the feedback. Our cashiers will often offer the coupon, but we feel it is important that members pay attention to the coupon and adjust their shopping accordingly. Otherwise, we don’t know if the coupon is having an impact. -Kari, General Manager