This year has presented unprecedented challenges for the cooperative community. Over the course of nearly the last 10 months, co-op staff have not only had to keep their businesses operating, but they have also had to respond to the countless unknowns of COVID-19, working to keep both employees and shoppers safe. They’ve dealt with the resulting unpredictable shopping patterns and supply issues caused by the pandemic, as well as contended with a severe economic downturn. Amid all of this, co-ops still strived to show their support for their communities in numerous ways in the wake George Floyd’s murder and the ensuing grief it caused. All around the country, co-ops have been a beacon of hope in their communities.
When COVID-19 first emerged in the U.S. in early spring, co-ops were some of the first businesses to react, taking immediate measures to protect staff and customers. Much was still unknown about the virus, but cooperatives still took it very seriously, installing handwashing stations, providing gloves and masks for staff, initiating vigorous cleaning protocols, instigating reserve hours for the most vulnerable shoppers and, in many cases, closing lucrative departments, like delis and bulk. Here are just a few examples of how co-ops responded to these challenging circumstances.
Shoppers also took notice of their co-ops’ efforts to keep them safe and continue to provide excellent service. NCG’s CX Survey program, which allows co-ops to hear directly from shoppers in real time, provided a small sample of praise from co-op shoppers across the country during the early days of the pandemic.
Co-ops Get Creative
After the initial phase of the pandemic — a surge of shoppers stocking up followed by a sharp decline as many isolated at home — co-ops began to adapt to the “new normal” and consider new initiatives, services and operations. In acknowledgment of significantly more people cooking at home, co-ops promoted family meal solutions and baking supplies. They reconfigured bulk sections and repurposed salad bars and hot bars to make use of unutilized space. And they made endcaps featuring DIY activities, games and puzzles.
Co-ops were also forced to rethink the way they engaged with their communities via public events and educational opportunities. Many co-ops got creative by hosting virtual events, like anniversary celebrations, CSA fairs and farm tours, as well as online classes. The pandemic didn’t negate the need to hold board of director elections or annual meetings, either, and co-ops turned to technology, setting up online elections and hosting virtual meetings.
As time went on, a number of co-ops began looking at larger, long-term solutions to the limitations placed on them by the pandemic. Learning from new shopper behaviors, such as fewer shopping trips and larger basket sizes, some co-ops began devoting more space to shelf-stable staple goods. Other co-ops, recognizing shoppers’ cooking fatigue, increased their value-added offerings.
Vital Community Role
Throughout all of this, co-ops have continued to play a vital role as essential businesses in their communities. Many co-ops, in addition to endeavoring to keep staff and customers safe, have tried to recognize employees in other ways, from staff picnics to bulletin boards with supportive customer comments. And with so many of the events and celebrations that people look forward to either cancelled or compromised, co-ops have come up with inspired ways to have a little fun and keep some semblance of normalcy.
All co-op staff should feel immense pride in their resilience and accomplishments in this unprecedented year. We hope the year to come brings some reprieve, with new vaccines and a potential end to the pandemic. Whatever 2021 brings, co-ops will certainly continue to act with innovation, creativity and compassion in support of their communities.
To see many more examples of co-ops’ accomplishments throughout 2020, visit the On Common Ground archive.
Co-ops are responding to the COVID-19 pandemic in new and creative ways. Each co-op is unique and there are no one-size-fits-all solutions. Still, consider whether you may be able to adapt some of these ideas at your co-op. At the very least, we hope these short profiles will spark inspiration for new strategies to serve the changing needs of your owners, customers, vendors and community.
