July 2022 Newsletter
Hello co-op friends!
Welcome to our first newsletter! We are so excited about the co-op’s recent membership launch; in our first month we already have over 270 paid members and counting! A huge THANK YOU to everyone who has already joined us. For anyone who is interested in becoming a member, you can do that here: https://charlesriverfood.coop/join
Our next milestone will be getting to 500 members so that we can move onto the next step: conducting a market study and a preliminary feasibility study. We have set a goal of 500 members by October 31, and you can help us reach this goal by spreading the word to your friends, family, and coworkers. You can do this by simply forwarding this email, by printing and posting a flier on a local community bulletin board, or by sharing our posts on social media.
One of the resources we are using to guide our journey is the Food Co-op Initiative’s Guide to Starting a Food Co-op. This helpful resource outlines the key stages and activities that need to be done to launch a successful food co-op. The market study and preliminary feasibility study are critical components to ensure we are planning correctly both from a financial perspective and from a market perspective. The Guide says: “getting expert market research on a site and location is your best insurance that you are opening in the right place and the right size for your sales potential.” This next step will allow us to better understand our market potential and to start defining our goals for our eventual physical location.
Currently we’re in need of a volunteer bookkeeper or accountant. If you have this skill set and are interested in finding out more about this volunteer opportunity, please email us at info@charlesriverfood.coop.
Once again, thank you so much to all of you for your support and please spread the word by forwarding this email to a few friends!
In co-operation, The Charles River Food Co-op Board
(Nick, Melissa, Thomas, Tim, Christina, Lissa, Lew, Benny, & Jen)
Events
Watertown Farmers’ Market
This month we had a table at the Watertown Farmers Market. The weather was great and we got a lot of interest at the table, and even a new member on the spot!
Local News
Neighboring Food Co-op Association joins regional initiative in support of local organic dairy brands and farms
We're associate members of the Neighboring Food Co-op Association, and they've been huge supporters of our local dairy farms in New England. Check out this article about how the NFCA's member stores are making a huge difference in our region's economy.
Food Co-op Initiative launches the Cooperatives Futures Fund
The FCI has been instrumental to the Charles River Food Co-op getting off the ground, and they're starting a new fund to ensure the next 100+ co-ops can get the support they need from their amazing organization. Check out their page for more!
