Dear CoG Members:
Thanks for writing and sharing your concerns. We understand that your expectations about what the CoG promises to be aren't yet represented by your first ordering experience. Please allow us to explain a little about what's happening at this first moment of bringing the store "live" to our current members.
This first order was a way for us to establish our relationship with our largest distributor, UNFI. Since we are a cooperative relying only on the membership investments that we have raised so far, we don't have a bankroll to purchase all of our inventory ahead of time in large amounts. Therefore, we have to build our inventory slowly and then work on bringing our volume up before UNFI will give us similar wholesale prices that they give other natural food stores in the area. This could take a couple of months. Since our markup on products does not have to cover labor costs, our prices should be less than or comparable to theirs overall even at this early stage, but once our volume increases (fewer than 50 members placed orders this first time), our prices will decrease significantly. Again, this might take a few months since we are a non-profit endeavor and there is no markup beyond that of paying the rent and utilities at this point.
As far as bulk goes, we are in the process of finishing some plumbing that the Health Department requires before we can bring in bulk items. We're hoping to have that all done in December. At that point, yes, we will purchase huge bags of basic foods that the members will then divide up into smaller amounts for other members' orders. This will also include oils and maple syrup and nut butters - you name it. And local products will begin to be added as early as the next order.
For this first order, we only offered products that are distributed by UNFI since their warehouse/delivery system takes quite a bit of choreography to add a new account, and we needed to make sure the system on our end works with theirs. We already have accounts in the works with Vital Vittles, Bernie's Apple Juice, Sweet Earth Organic Chocolates, Grateful Body Skin Care, EcoLani, as well as a local raw honey producer, and we are constantly working on adding more. But we do need to offer "regular" nationally distributed natural foods products as well if we are to expect that members will be able to do the majority of their shopping at the CoG. There simply aren't local producers of toilet paper or canned tomatoes or laundry soap, or dried pastas. Further, many members still want to be able to buy some processed foods, so we will carry those as well. We will only carry the most sustainable of these items, but we will need to use a distributor like UNFI to be able to do so. Once our refrigeration system in in place (mid-2008), this relationship will even be more important since many frozen and chilled items are only carried by distributors.
We recognize that the store doesn't look like what many members imagined it to at this very moment, but it will soon be everything we promised it to be. We do see that we could have been much more transparent about what the process has been like getting things going up to this point, but even that requires a great deal of work, and the five of us have really been on overload since we found the site (especially considering that we all work 'real' jobs and have, between us all, 7 children). We do have some communications going out now that hopefully explain our process a little bit better.
Thanks again for writing. We truly appreciate you writing to us to share your concerns. We are confident that you will be happy with the CoG once things fall into place. And thanks for your patience.
all the best,
Julia (on behalf of all of us at the CoG)
Sunday, November 18, 2007
Friday, October 26, 2007
Raw milk sales significantly restricted
Hi Coggers:
Just saw this article in the SF Chronicle. We've had several members writing to us over the past year indicating their hopes for the CoG to be able to develop relationships with raw milk dairies. This new legislation will certainly make it more difficult for consumers to purchase what they choose. Any thoughts as to how the CoG can help?
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2007/10/26/MNM2SVJDN.DTL
San Francisco Chronicle
State's tough new raw milk standards upset consumers, farmers
Carol Ness, Chronicle Staff Writer
Friday, October 26, 2007
Raw milk, as precious as mother's milk to about 40,000 California consumers, is likely to be tougher to find on store shelves come January because of a state law that the Legislature passed quietly this month.
For the first time, raw milk will have to meet a strict limit for coliform bacteria.
"It basically prohibits raw milk in California," said Mark McAfee, managing partner of Organic Pastures Dairy in Fresno, which produces most of the raw milk sold in California. He sees the standard as a stealth attempt to ban raw milk.
Raw milk advocates and milk safety authorities agree that most strains of coliform bacteria don't cause illness. Raw milk already is tested for the ones that do - E. coli, salmonella, listeria and campylobacter. The rest are part of the teeming culture of bacteria and enzymes that proponents believe make raw milk more healthful than pasteurized milk.
The raw milk standard was part of AB1735, a broader measure designed to align California milk standards with federal ones. There was no public debate over the bill, nor were the two raw milk dairies in California informed in advance. The bill won routine, unanimous approval, and the governor signed it Oct. 8.
The maneuver represents latest round in a struggle between raw milk's avid fans and government food safety and public health officials, who want all milk pasteurized. A Food and Drug Administration manager has compared drinking raw milk to "playing Russian roulette with your health."
California is one of just four states that allow raw milk to be sold in stores; 24 others permit sales directly from farms. The federal government requires any milk shipped across state lines to be pasteurized.
The California Department of Food and Agriculture, which inspects dairies and tests raw and pasteurized milk monthly, strongly backs the new raw milk standard.
"A coliform count by itself doesn't mean there's an organism that will make you sick," said Stephen Beam, the state agency's chief in charge of dairy food safety. But a high count is an "an indication of general sanitation and will lead you to solve a problem before it becomes a greater problem."
Several other Western states, including Oregon and Washington, have adopted the same limit, Beam said.
The food and agriculture department says the limit is reachable. About 25 percent of the raw farm milk the agency tests before pasteurization comes in below the limit of 10 coliform per milliliter, according to agency figures.
McAfee said new coliform limit will be impossible for his 350-cow dairy to meet consistently because coliform are so common in the environment and in cows.
Besides that, he argues - and many raw milk consumers agree - that beneficial bacteria are a big reason people seek out raw milk. They believe bacteria help build the immune system and reduce allergies and asthma and that the good bacteria actually inhibit the production of bad bacteria in raw milk.
The new limit, McAfee contends, "is going to make the sale of raw milk very, very difficult if not impossible in California."
Organic Pastures sells $5.8 million a year in raw milk, cream and cheese, most of it in California. About 300 stores, including many Whole Foods supermarkets and San Francisco's Rainbow Grocery, carry the milk. It's also shipped to other states labeled as pet food, which is legal.
McAfee said, and the state agriculture department's Beam confirmed, that no illness-causing bacteria have been found in milk from his dairy.
But Organic Pastures raw milk has been recalled three times over the past two years, when state health authorities believed it had caused outbreaks of food-borne illness. Two involved non-fatal E. coli, but no E. coli bacteria was found in Organic Pastures milk, McAfee and Beam said. The third case, earlier this year, did find listeria in Organic Pastures cream; McAfee said he had bought the cream from another organic dairy.
The only other dairy that sells raw milk in California stores, as well as in farmers' markets, is tiny Claravale Farms, with 55 milking cows. It recently moved from Watsonville to San Benito County and has never found pathogens in its milk.
Claravale owner Ron Garthwaite said the new limit will make his job more difficult.
"It's hard to argue against a coliform limit," he said. "It's a contaminant, and if you are doing things cleanly, it shouldn't be there. But I don't know, maybe in six months I'll be out of business."
Most raw milk consumers, who already pay more for raw milk and can't find it in most stores, still aren't aware of the new law.
Informed of it by a reporter's call earlier this week, San Francisco artist Francesca Pera called it "pretty upsetting" and predicted it would drive raw milk drinkers underground.
Pera, who lives in the Richmond District, is the organizer of a 15-member buying club to purchase milk directly from Organic Pastures, both to save money and ensure their supply. Her family drinks it "mainly for health reasons," since her 16-year-old daughter was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease a couple of years ago.
"As happens in other states, people find small farms and buy raw milk illegally through cow shares," Pera said. "That's what we could be forced to do."
McAfee has vowed to fight for repeal and is talking with Assembly Agriculture Committee staff about a meeting next week.
He intends to stir up his customers - including, he says, actor Sylvester Stallone - to action, starting with a press conference Saturday in Fresno.
Whom to contact
Assembly Agriculture Committee chair Nicole Parra, D-Hanford (Kings County); (916) 319-2030
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger; (916) 445-2841 or www.gov.ca.gov
California Department of Food and Agriculture, Animal Health and Food Safety Services, Milk and Dairy Food Safety Branch;
(916) 654-0773
Organic Pastures;
(559) 846-9732 or www.organicpastures.com.
E-mail Carol Ness at cness@sfchronicle.com.
This article appeared on page A - 1 of the San Francisco Chronicle
Just saw this article in the SF Chronicle. We've had several members writing to us over the past year indicating their hopes for the CoG to be able to develop relationships with raw milk dairies. This new legislation will certainly make it more difficult for consumers to purchase what they choose. Any thoughts as to how the CoG can help?
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2007/10/26/MNM2SVJDN.DTL
San Francisco Chronicle
State's tough new raw milk standards upset consumers, farmers
Carol Ness, Chronicle Staff Writer
Friday, October 26, 2007
Raw milk, as precious as mother's milk to about 40,000 California consumers, is likely to be tougher to find on store shelves come January because of a state law that the Legislature passed quietly this month.
For the first time, raw milk will have to meet a strict limit for coliform bacteria.
"It basically prohibits raw milk in California," said Mark McAfee, managing partner of Organic Pastures Dairy in Fresno, which produces most of the raw milk sold in California. He sees the standard as a stealth attempt to ban raw milk.
Raw milk advocates and milk safety authorities agree that most strains of coliform bacteria don't cause illness. Raw milk already is tested for the ones that do - E. coli, salmonella, listeria and campylobacter. The rest are part of the teeming culture of bacteria and enzymes that proponents believe make raw milk more healthful than pasteurized milk.
The raw milk standard was part of AB1735, a broader measure designed to align California milk standards with federal ones. There was no public debate over the bill, nor were the two raw milk dairies in California informed in advance. The bill won routine, unanimous approval, and the governor signed it Oct. 8.
The maneuver represents latest round in a struggle between raw milk's avid fans and government food safety and public health officials, who want all milk pasteurized. A Food and Drug Administration manager has compared drinking raw milk to "playing Russian roulette with your health."
California is one of just four states that allow raw milk to be sold in stores; 24 others permit sales directly from farms. The federal government requires any milk shipped across state lines to be pasteurized.
The California Department of Food and Agriculture, which inspects dairies and tests raw and pasteurized milk monthly, strongly backs the new raw milk standard.
"A coliform count by itself doesn't mean there's an organism that will make you sick," said Stephen Beam, the state agency's chief in charge of dairy food safety. But a high count is an "an indication of general sanitation and will lead you to solve a problem before it becomes a greater problem."
Several other Western states, including Oregon and Washington, have adopted the same limit, Beam said.
The food and agriculture department says the limit is reachable. About 25 percent of the raw farm milk the agency tests before pasteurization comes in below the limit of 10 coliform per milliliter, according to agency figures.
McAfee said new coliform limit will be impossible for his 350-cow dairy to meet consistently because coliform are so common in the environment and in cows.
Besides that, he argues - and many raw milk consumers agree - that beneficial bacteria are a big reason people seek out raw milk. They believe bacteria help build the immune system and reduce allergies and asthma and that the good bacteria actually inhibit the production of bad bacteria in raw milk.
The new limit, McAfee contends, "is going to make the sale of raw milk very, very difficult if not impossible in California."
Organic Pastures sells $5.8 million a year in raw milk, cream and cheese, most of it in California. About 300 stores, including many Whole Foods supermarkets and San Francisco's Rainbow Grocery, carry the milk. It's also shipped to other states labeled as pet food, which is legal.
McAfee said, and the state agriculture department's Beam confirmed, that no illness-causing bacteria have been found in milk from his dairy.
But Organic Pastures raw milk has been recalled three times over the past two years, when state health authorities believed it had caused outbreaks of food-borne illness. Two involved non-fatal E. coli, but no E. coli bacteria was found in Organic Pastures milk, McAfee and Beam said. The third case, earlier this year, did find listeria in Organic Pastures cream; McAfee said he had bought the cream from another organic dairy.
The only other dairy that sells raw milk in California stores, as well as in farmers' markets, is tiny Claravale Farms, with 55 milking cows. It recently moved from Watsonville to San Benito County and has never found pathogens in its milk.
Claravale owner Ron Garthwaite said the new limit will make his job more difficult.
"It's hard to argue against a coliform limit," he said. "It's a contaminant, and if you are doing things cleanly, it shouldn't be there. But I don't know, maybe in six months I'll be out of business."
Most raw milk consumers, who already pay more for raw milk and can't find it in most stores, still aren't aware of the new law.
Informed of it by a reporter's call earlier this week, San Francisco artist Francesca Pera called it "pretty upsetting" and predicted it would drive raw milk drinkers underground.
Pera, who lives in the Richmond District, is the organizer of a 15-member buying club to purchase milk directly from Organic Pastures, both to save money and ensure their supply. Her family drinks it "mainly for health reasons," since her 16-year-old daughter was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease a couple of years ago.
"As happens in other states, people find small farms and buy raw milk illegally through cow shares," Pera said. "That's what we could be forced to do."
McAfee has vowed to fight for repeal and is talking with Assembly Agriculture Committee staff about a meeting next week.
He intends to stir up his customers - including, he says, actor Sylvester Stallone - to action, starting with a press conference Saturday in Fresno.
Whom to contact
Assembly Agriculture Committee chair Nicole Parra, D-Hanford (Kings County); (916) 319-2030
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger; (916) 445-2841 or www.gov.ca.gov
California Department of Food and Agriculture, Animal Health and Food Safety Services, Milk and Dairy Food Safety Branch;
(916) 654-0773
Organic Pastures;
(559) 846-9732 or www.organicpastures.com.
E-mail Carol Ness at cness@sfchronicle.com.
This article appeared on page A - 1 of the San Francisco Chronicle
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
Sunday October 14th Work Party!
Hey fellow Coggers!
Come down to our new location (at 67th and Hollis, Emeryville) on Sunday October 14th and help prepare the site for operation, meet other members and have a few laughs.
We'll be there from 10-5, but you're only expected to work for 2 hours, so we hope you'll find the time.
CLICK HERE TO RSVP (AND FOR MORE INFO)
It's a great way to spend your first hours as a working member.
See you there!
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
We have found a site!
We signed a lease! The CoG will be at 67th and Hollis (2 blocks north of Ashby) -
the lease starts Nov. 1, but we'll need your help throughout October getting the site ready for our opening.
We'll be sending a newsletter with additional details soon.
the lease starts Nov. 1, but we'll need your help throughout October getting the site ready for our opening.
We'll be sending a newsletter with additional details soon.
Sunday, August 19, 2007
Site Update
There are two additional sites that we're exploring in Emeryville, both of which are within a couple of blocks of Ashby. We're excited, because this is one of the most accessible areas for both Berkeley and Oakland residents, not to mention freeway access for members coming from further away. I've heard from a couple of people that street parking in the 67th/ 68th st area is not that difficult to find, and we will also still be within a block of the proposed Emeryville/ Berkeley bike path, so we feel pretty good about our prospects.
Look for another update in about a week, or as soon as there is something newsworthy to post.
Look for another update in about a week, or as soon as there is something newsworthy to post.
Saturday, August 18, 2007
The CoG coming to Berkeley Sustainability Summit
The Ecology Center, the folks who bring us the Berkeley Farmers Markets and Berkeley's recycling program, will be hosting their 2nd Sustainability Summit in September.
Best of all, they have asked us to give a short presentation about the CoG. This will be a great opportunity to share our vision with a group of local thought leaders who may think they've heard it all. Well, they haven't—and we are excited to explain how our working members co-op is a solution to the expense and perception barriers that keep families away from quality foods and goods.
In addition to the CoG, there will be speakers discussing sustainability issues around development, transportation, energy and more. To learn about the 2007 Berkeley Sustainability Summit, just visit:
http://www.ecologycenter.org/
Best of all, they have asked us to give a short presentation about the CoG. This will be a great opportunity to share our vision with a group of local thought leaders who may think they've heard it all. Well, they haven't—and we are excited to explain how our working members co-op is a solution to the expense and perception barriers that keep families away from quality foods and goods.
In addition to the CoG, there will be speakers discussing sustainability issues around development, transportation, energy and more. To learn about the 2007 Berkeley Sustainability Summit, just visit:
http://www.ecologycenter.org/
Thursday, August 9, 2007
Case Foundation grant application
Hi folks,
I'm happy to announce that we've applied for an exciting new grant from The Case Foundation.
The "Make It Your Own Awards" were created to fund "people who join together to create innovative ideas and solutions that can lay the groundwork for long-term social change." Sounds like the CoG to us.
You can read more about the grant here:
http://casefoundation.org/make-it-your-own/awards/facts
Why grants? Because they're ideal for helping to cover the one-time start-up costs of an endeavor like the CoG—signing a lease, building out a space and ensuring that operating expenses are covered for the first few months. After that, we expect to run a very self-sufficient model.
If you know of a grant or other funding opportunity that is a good fit for the CoG, please let us know at info@thecog.org.
Check back soon.
Martin
I'm happy to announce that we've applied for an exciting new grant from The Case Foundation.
The "Make It Your Own Awards" were created to fund "people who join together to create innovative ideas and solutions that can lay the groundwork for long-term social change." Sounds like the CoG to us.
You can read more about the grant here:
http://casefoundation.org/make-it-your-own/awards/facts
Why grants? Because they're ideal for helping to cover the one-time start-up costs of an endeavor like the CoG—signing a lease, building out a space and ensuring that operating expenses are covered for the first few months. After that, we expect to run a very self-sufficient model.
If you know of a grant or other funding opportunity that is a good fit for the CoG, please let us know at info@thecog.org.
Check back soon.
Martin
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