In August 2023, BriarPatch Food Co-op opened its new store in Auburn, Calif. The new location, the co-op’s second in its 47-year history, occupies 12,500 square feet and is expected to provide approximately 100 new jobs in the area.

The store boasts several new features, including a full deli and hot bar, a 99%+ organic produce department, expanded wine, craft brew and cocktail selections, a gourmet cheese island, and aisles of natural and local grocery items. Self-checkout and curbside pickup are also available. An in-store demo area will allow for tastings and recipe promotions, and the outdoor patio and dining area is designed as a communal gathering space. Since opening, the co-op’s sales are above projections.  

BriarPatch’s staff put a significant amount of effort and planning into preparing for the store’s grand opening to ensure an enthusiastic response from the community. That involved sending out a grand opening direct mailer with vendor-supported coupons to 3,000 non-owner residents in the area.

“We really wanted to focus on our differentiators, which are obviously our perimeter departments, as well as Field Day, which no one else in the area has, and our unpackaged department,” said Rebecca Torpie, BriarPatch’s director of marketing.

“We put a lot of resources into marketing and promotions up front to provide the best first impression we possibly could, mapping out a series of generous promotions and incentivized owner drives over the course of several months to create a high-contact campaign,” Torpie said.

The co-op worked with their suppliers and asked for vendor support for their promotions. That meant they were able to give away free goodie bags to attendees that were entirely paid for by vendors. In addition, a number of their high-value coupons were subsidized by vendors who wanted space in the new store.

Co-op staff have also been handing out $5 gift cards in the aisles and passing out welcome bags of snacks and gift cards to local businesses in the area.

“We’ve been working in the area for the past three years laying a foundation for outreach, so that’s been a big help, too,” Torpie said.

So far, the extra promotions have paid off for BriarPatch. Grand opening day saw sales 175% above projection, and the co-op is now steady to its pro forma.