Davis Food Co-op Suggestion Box
Do you have a suggestion, comment or question regarding the Co-op? Please visit our Contact Us Page to communicate with the appropriate Board or staff member.
March 2009
For a cool white wine...
Q: Please put a wider variety of white wines in the cooler. You have 6 or 7 Chenin Blancs, but little else. All those great new wines but not a good cross section. — J.M.
A: I’m so sorry you missed our new wine case in front of the Meat Department. In it you will find Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris, Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Muscat Canelli, a few Rosés and a selection of Sparkling wine & Champagne. The Chenin Blancs and White Blends never had an official home, and now they do—in the cooler right next to the organic wines, next to the refrigerated pastas! We’ve put up signs to make the situation less confusing. — Anett Evans, Wine Buyer
Q: What happened with the bulk pasta? - Anonymous
A: I hope you have been able to find the bulk pastas. If we are not carrying your favorite, we can special order it for you. — Becky Santos, Bulk Department
Q: Whoa! What happened to the bulk coffee section? Looks like Peerless Vanilla is one of the casualties. How would I go about finding it elsewhere? — S.S.
Q: Request that we carry Equal Exchange Dark Breakfast Blend Coffee. Looks like this flavor was dropped in your reorganization of the bulk coffee. It’s my favorite!! - L.K.
Q: We always seem to be out of Brazil Estate Peerless Coffee. Just who gets to choose what coffee we carry? Most are dark roast which I hate. From my two favorites – Brazil Estate and Colombian, you took one away. Almost all the rest are dark except Guatemalan, which I don’t care for. - L.H.
Q: Request that we carry light roast coffee. It’s been a month now and there is no “light roast” coffee. I was asked to be patient 2 weeks ago. This is coffee genocide, offing one whole variety. — S.
A: I’m sorry that we are no longer carrying your coffees. We do carry a light roasted coffee in bags—it’s the North Coast Coffee, Wicked Wake Up. The decision as to which coffees were discontinued from the coffee set was determined by the sales generated by each coffee. Unfortunately, light roasted coffee does not sell well. We can special order your coffee if you’d like. — Becky Santos, Bulk Department
Q: Request that we carry low-acid coffee beans. — E.E.
A: We carry two low acid coffees in bulk: Equal Exchange’s Mind Body and Soul and Pachamama’s Peru. —Becky Santos, Bulk Department
Q: Will the Co-op no longer carry Olinda Gold Olive Oil? That was my favorite. — D.B.
A: We are saving a slot for this olive oil on the shelf, but the manufacturer has been out of stock for some time. We will continue to try bringing it back. — Chad Bogin, Grocery Manager
Q: I suggest that the bulk flours and grains be rearranged slightly in order to separate the gluten-containing grains and flours from the non-gluten containing grains and flours. Right now, for example, there is a gluten-containing mix right above the brown rice flour bin. This guarantees that gravity and dust will ensure the contamination of the rice flour. There is no reason for making gluten-sensitive shoppers suffer from cross-contamination. — B.
A: Thank you for your suggestion. We are very proud to provide Co-op members with many fine, gluten free products. We are also very concerned about the problems of cross contamination. We continually strive to improve the bulk department and will take into consideration your suggestions. — Becky Santos, Bulk Department
Q: Please have wipers for the bulk honey & agave molasses. Thanks. — E.R.
A: We usually have a roll of paper towels available on the shelf where the honey, agave and molasses are located. For sanitation reasons, we cannot keep a cloth towel available to wipe with. — Becky Santos, Bulk Department
Q: You should create a display of (including frozen & non-frozen) gluten-free products for kids and adults. There are a lot out there but I’m new to gluten-free and don’t know all of my choices. — S.H.
A: We tend to avoid sectioning out our food like that mostly because we don’t have the space. Instead we have a gluten-free shopping list & brochure. Available in-store, on our new website, or by calling & telling me your US mail address. — Julie Cross, Education Coordinator
Q: Today seems like a bad day to shop. A number of items I was looking for were not stocked: Equal Exchange milk chocolates, Black & Green Tea, Crafters Blueberry Fruit Spread, and Vital Vittles Real Bread. Just wondering, why? — L.S.
A: At the time you wrote to us, we had just reset the entire grocery and dairy departments. It usually takes about a month to get everything back in shape after a reset. The products you were looking for on that day may have been out of stock because of manufacturing problems, discontinued, or the victim of lost shelf tags. I hope that by now you'll find that we're doing a better job of keeping our shelves stocked. Thanks for your patience, and I’m sorry you were disappointed-- if you have continued problems with items you regularly shop for being out of stock, please don't hesitate to let me know. — Melanie Madden, Marketing & Education Assistant
Q: I’d be happier if I got my Co-op Advantage (Sales) by the 1st of the month (not the 5th).— M.A.Y.
A: I apologize that you have not been receiving your Co-op Advantage flyer by the 1st of month. We do not handle the direct mailing of our fliers to local households, and as such I am unable to control the speed at which the postal service delivers material. However, we do have the fliers available in the store by 8 am on the 1st of every month. — Bija Young, Marketing Director
Q: I would like to attend a Raw Organic Food Class that will teach me how to make new dishes. Please call me if you have a class. — D.W.
A: Our class schedule is available on our website (www.davisfood.coop/classes.html) and in the store. We try to have at least one specifically “raw” foods class each month, although we may have more. — Julie Cross, Education Coordinator
Q: Thank you to Produce / Co-op Department for answering the phone and knowing what frisee is this Sunday afternoon. I appreciate your knowledge of produce and good service. — Anonymous
A: Thanks for the compliments, and you’re welcome! — Elizabeth Davidson, Produce Manager
Q: Last year, I was told by DFC that Cascadian Farms would start making pickles again in Spring 2008. If Cascadian Farms is making pickles again, please stock its bread & butter pickles. They were the best. No one else’s tastes as good. The organic bread & butter pickles on your shelf are awful tasting. — P.
A: Cascadian’s website does not list pickles as one of their products, and I haven’t heard a word about them making pickles again. If we could get them, we certainly would! — Julie Cross, Education Coordinator
Q: Not to focus on the negative – the store looks amazing. The Co-op continues to impress me. However, BWC (Beauty Without Cruelty) has increased in price by 25%. Why such an increase? — B.M.
A: Companies in every industry, even health and beauty, have had to re-assess their costs due to increased prices of raw materials and fuel. We continue to keep our prices as low as we can by passing on the savings we get from our main distributor. — Rose McFadden, General Merchandise Manager
Q: We always seem to be out of Real Aloe Vera Soap (bar in bright yellow wrapper). Hope it comes back. It’s the only one I’ve used for years. Will order a case if necessary. — K.
A: Real Aloe has changed their packaging and the size of their bar soap, but it is still available on the shelves along with our other aloe and therapeutic soaps. — Rose McFadden, General Merchandise Manager
Q: Request that the Co-op carries the safety t-shirts for sale for customers. Love them. “Cooperate and No One Gets Hurt”. — J.
A: We’re pretty fond of the safety shirts, too. Sorry, but they’re only available to staff! — Bija Young, Marketing Director
IN BRIEF
Yes, we do have
• Bulk Flame Raisins (Across from syrup & oils)
• Bulk Parmesan, Romano & Asiago Cheeses (around the corner from specialty cheese & under the Chenin Blanc wines)
• Dry Roasted Almonds
• Nabisco Shredded Wheat ‘n Bran (cereal aisle)
• Good Earth Tea – two varieties
• NiMH Rechargeable Batteries (next to yoga products)
• Newman’s Own Marinara Sauce (bottom shelf pasta aisle)
• Family size Grape Nuts (top shelf cereal aisle)
• Salted Peanuts in red striped bag (on shelf in bulk aisle)
• Nancy’s Lowfat Organic Plain Yogurt in 8 oz and 32 oz sizes
• Organic Horizon Blueberry Yogurt (dairy case)
• Pitted Greek Olives with Chili and Blue Cheese Stuffed Olives (in olive bar)
Sorry we were out but we now have:
• Finn Crisp Crackers (Cracker Aisle)
• Chia Seed
• Massa Organics Brown Rice
• Bulk Bay Leaves
• Organic Valley Milk
• Small spice jars with lids
Thanks for the suggestion. We’ll look into:
• Alpen Organic Muesli Cereal
• Anchovy Stuffed Olives
• Anne Taintor ID Boxes/Holders
•Bolthouse Berry (similar to Kefir)
We've discontinued:
• Organic Strawberry Horizon Yogurt (can be special ordered)
• Peerless Coffee
• Feta stuffed olives
Manufacturer discontinued:
• Willow Run Margarine
February 2009
Traditional in name, not in recipe
Q: Mi Abuelita Bonita Tortillas – their traditional tortillas contain added wheat gluten! Please put a sign to warn people.
- D.Q.
A: I’m usually wary of putting up too many signs, which creates visual clutter and information overload (particularly when ingredients and allergens are already listed on packaged products’ labels). But in this instance, I agree that most shoppers expect no wheat or gluten in a corn tortilla that’s labeled “Traditional,” so a posted warning is warranted. Thank you for bringing this to my attention.
- Melanie Madden, Marketing & Education Assistant
Q: I read your response about the cold freezer aisle. OK, so no doors. But it’s cold. We should save as much energy as possible, not just more than we used to. What about those plastic flaps that hang in front of freezers? Easy to reach through, transparent to see through, no doors to block aisle.
- R.N.
A: Unfortunately, most customers dislike those plastic flaps. We are exploring fans and vents as ways to make the dairy aisle less chilly.
- Beth Tausczik, Store Manager
Q: Signs, PLEASE! Our time is short and I am giving up finding what I came for – talked with two other frustrated shoppers who were endlessly searching! Thanks!
- Anonymous
Q: How about a flyer or sign for customer use on the new store layout?
- Anonymous
A: I’m sorry that there were not adequate signs and maps to help you during the resets of our grocery and dairy departments. As it happens, the major transformation of our sales floor coincided with a major transition in the staff of our Marketing department (which includes much of our in-store signage). Though I did my best to post signs and maps to help shoppers cope with the changes, it has been a great challenge to keep up with demand! I hope that by the time you read this you have become accustomed to the new store layout and aren’t spending so much time endlessly searching.
- Melanie Madden, Marketing & Education Assistant
Q: The greens in the produce section are too wet. I buy them Saturday morning and by the time I use them on Sunday, they are already smelling rotten – not all of them but enough to be off-putting.
- C.O.
A: Thank you for bringing this to our attention. We are now doing a better job of draining the greens after they have been washed prior to going out on the sales floor. We hope that this will eliminate any problems.
- Bija Young, former Produce lady
Q: You’re ruining your leafy green vegetables by soaking them in water. Put them in roots first rather than leafy part down.
- D.M.
A: We cannot safely display our greens leafy side up. We tried it for a few days and as customers shopped the greens would fall and cause wet spots on the floor, not to mention that product which fell on the floor was being placed back on the shelf by well-meaning customers.
- Bija Young, former Produce lady
Q: I came to buy tickets for the Environmental Film Festival between 11 – 3 like the website said, but when I asked for them, nobody knew anything about it. Why advertise it then…what a hassle.
- J.P.
A: I’m sorry you had a frustrating experience trying to buy tickets. In the future I will make certain that we don’t sponsor or promote any events without first informing the cashiers of the situation.
- Melanie Madden, Marketing & Education Assistant
Q: Request that we carry organic Epsom salt in bulk. You currently carry Western Family Epsom Salt. Is there another product that you can carry that is organic Epsom salt? Thanks?
- H.L.C.
A: Epsom salt is not available as a certified organic product, as it is a natural mineral taken from the earth. Unfortunately, I do not have a source for Epsom salts in bulk quantities.
- Rose McFadden, General Merchandise Manager
Q: Request that we carry Left Hand Brewery’s bottle conditioned Rye Bock and especially Imperial Stout. Both are superior options compared to available choices. See ratebeer.com for more details.
- Z.N.
A: Left Hand doesn’t currently have distribution in California. This may change, however, as more Colorado breweries find success west of the Rockies. I will definitely bring this in if it becomes available.
- Tom Nolte, The Beer Baron
Q: The Co-op direction is going downhill!!! We now have expensive wine tastings, dairy refrigerators which refrigerate the whole store and no pens by the suggestion box. Please spend more on middle class consumers, local food and energy efficiency and less on luxury items!
- B.
A: We’ve had wine tastings (at the same price, and always to benefit charity) since 2002. We’ve never stocked pens at the suggestion box, since golf pencils last so much longer. The new dairy refrigerators are super-cold, and I’m told it takes about two weeks to adjust them perfectly, when we expect them to be pretty efficient. We’re trying to strike a good balance of local, luxury, and every other item.
- Julie Cross, Education Coordinator
Q: For the second time, you’re out of everything I came here to buy. Very tempted to leave the stuff I can get elsewhere and give up. Unfortunately, I’ve just joined the co-op – a decision I now regret. Try to stock stuff, huh?
- Anonymous
A: Since you’ve just joined, you may not be aware that we’ve reset the entire grocery and dairy departments in the last couple of weeks. It usually takes about a month to get everything back in shape after a reset. If you’ll let us know what products we’re out of it helps: they may be here-but-not-where-you’re-looking, out of stock because of manufacturing problems, discontinued, or the victim of lost shelf tags. Thanks for your patience, and I’m sorry you were disappointed.
- Julie Cross, Education Coordinator
Q: Can you print the Co-op Bakery’s pumpkin pie recipe scaled down for single pies?
- Anonymous
A: The bakery recipe is proprietary, but here’s my favorite pumpkin pie recipe!
- Julie Cross, Education Coordinator
Pumpkin or Squash Pie
(makes one 9-inch single crust pie)
2 cups cooked or canned pumpkin
1 ½ cups evaporated milk or rich cream
¼ cup brown sugar
½ cup white sugar
dash of salt
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp ginger
¼ tsp nutmeg or allspice
¼ tsp ground cloves
2 slightly beaten eggs
Mix ingredients well. Pour the mixture into an unbaked 9” pie shell. Bake 15 minutes at 425 degrees, then reduce heat to 350 and bake about 45 minutes longer or until an inserted knife comes out clean.
Q: I’m aware of the Satsuma shortage, but don’t you think that you would move a lot more volume if the price wasn’t so high? Maybe closer to $3/lb, and then we can all benefit!
- A.
A: As of this date (11/16) only one farm has had organic satsumas. When there are more organic satsumas on the market, I assume the prices will drop.
- Bija Young, former Produce lady
IN BRIEF
Yes, we do have
• Rechargeable solar batteries
Sorry we were out but we now have:
• Cheesecloth
Thanks for the suggestion. We’ll look into:
• Suki color makeup
Not available to us:
• Chicken-free Patties by Boca Burger
December 2008
We still LOVE bulk foods!
Q: I appreciate that you called me
about discontinuing the bulk pasta.
I continue to be dismayed that you
would discontinue all bulk pasta. I
can understand cutting back on some
that don’t sell well but am surprised
that none would qualify for being
continued. It makes me sad that prime
space in the store is given to plastic
containers with cookies that seem
so wasteful in packaging and unappetizing.
It seems like we are losing
sight of cutting back on wasteful
packaging and the things that attracted
me to the Co-op in the first place.
—S.S.
Q: Hello. Just wondering where the
bulk pasta (organic) is? Buying bulk
organic allows me to feed my small
baby organic food on a low income.
Thank you. —Anonymous
Q: The set up for bulk foods today
is AWFUL. Too tight for people and
carts. We struggled to get around
each other and the bins were blocked
by carts. Also weighing /bag/pencil
station is not enough. Please, more
room!!! —S.L.R.
Q: I understand that you are carrying fewer bulk foods in the new arrangement. These are the best feature! —B.D.
Q: Request that we carry whole
wheat macaroni in bulk. Staff says
we’re not carrying it due to the renovation.
I just hope we get back the
whole grain pasta soon. Thanks.
—J.M.
Q: What happened to the bulk food selection? Hopefully this is temporary. Please bring it back to its full glory. —Anonymous
Q: Argh. I can’t find the pasta in the bulk food anywhere. I asked and an employee said she thought it was being discontinued. If this is so, please bring it back. —Anonymous
Q: Please bring back the bulk food variety. I drive from Benicia just for the selection. Thanks. —Anonymous
A: Thank you all for your comments
regarding the renovations
happening in the Bulk Department.
Your feedback is incredibly valuable
in determining how we are
or aren’t meeting your needs. The
majority of comments suggest that
our shoppers are dismayed that Bulk
seems to be shrinking, especially
the pasta section.
Regarding bulk pasta: yes, we discontinued
all of the pastas for a limited
time. Space was needed to allow
for an efficient rearrangement of our
space. Once the dust settles, we will
be bringing back some, not all, of the
pastas. Many of our pastas were sitting
in the bins for longer than they
should and becoming old and stale.
These pastas will not be coming back.
The rice pastas and some of the
organic pastas will be back. As always,
if you’d like, you can special order
any bulk items which are available
from our distributors (which includes
the pastas that are being discontinued).
The good news is that, although the look of Bulk is smaller, the amount of space available for bins has remained the same. When the renovation is finished, you will find that we are carrying more products and we will be able to respond to your bulk needs in a more timely fashion. —Becky Santos, Bulk Department
Q: The tomato sculpture should be washed and waxed. There is tape residue on it. Thanks. —G.H.
A: Our maintenance department has been alerted and will take care of the sculpture. —Seth McOmber, Marketing Coordinator
Q: There was a Co-op t-shirt that read “Food for Community, Not Corporate Profits” (or something like it). Any chance to get that positive message back? My son lost his in a house fire in Michigan and wants a replacement! —P.G.
A: I’m sorry to hear about your son’s house fire and appreciate your desire to replace his Co-op shirt. In past months we received many requests to reprint the “Stick it to the Man!” shirts but few requests to reprint the “Support Community, Not Corporation” shirts. However, since displaying the “Stick it!” reprint, we have had a handful of shoppers now request the other design as well. We will get a batch of these reprinted in December—just in time to make the shirt a unique holiday gift! —Seth McOmber, Marketing Coordinator
Q: Request that we carry Bridgeport I.P.A. It’s “reeeeeealy good.” —Anonymous
A: I used to carry Bridgeport a few
years ago, but when the price went
up sales plummeted. In the current “beer price climate,” however,
a $7.09 price tag puts it right back
into the more affordable range of the
craft brew market. I’ll try to squeeze
it back in and see how it does.
—Tom Nolte, The Beer Baron
Q: Olives by bulk are $2.00 less at Nugget. —S.L.
A: We offer over 25 varieties of
antipasto and olives, many of them
local and some of them organic. Local
producers tend to be smaller meaning
they generally have a higher overhead
and in turn require a higher
price for their goods. In short, it costs
a little more to offer a better product
with a greater selection.
—Bija Young, Assistant Produce
Manager
Q: YIKES! I refilled a syrup and it cost $22.00. I guess we usually get the refillable not Grade A which you were out of. —C.S.
A: We will do our best to keep the Grade B Syrup bin filled. If you find the bin is empty when you want to make a purchase, please let a staff member know so we can take care of it. —Becky Santos, Bulk Department
Q: I thought you might be interested in the nutritional analysis of the Spinach & Craisin Salad and the Garden Vegetable Bake recipes in the Co-op flyer. Maybe a better source of recipes is called for! —C.L.
A: It’s true; both of these recipes are fairly high in fat. They’re also super on protein, fiber, and a variety of nutrients. These recipes come to us from one of our sister Co-ops in the Midwest, and I suspect most Californians would automatically adjust for our leaner tastes. —Julie Cross, Education Coordinator
Q: The tasting stations are great and might help if they told where in the store the items are. Still looking for the plantain chips. —Anonymous
A: Great suggestions. Thanks! —Julie Cross, Education Coordinator
Q:Today, the Co-op is out of: Rudy’s
Bread, Niman Ham, Chandler Walnuts,
Ricera Yogurt, Rock Island Eggs,
Gluten Free Pretzels (in the red bag).
WOW! And I bought millet bread in
a hurry here because 2 weeks ago the
Co-op was out for days. What is happening
here? I’m sorry if I appear
rude, but I have dietary restrictions
and will have to travel to Whole Foods
for some items. It seems to be happening
more often.
—J.P.
A: The September reset was an awful time for things being out of stock, wasn’t it? By the time you read this (fingers crossed), I hope everything will be back to normal, or even better than the old normal. —Julie Cross, Education Coordinator
IN BRIEF
Yes, we do have
• Boxed Tulsi (in Wellness section)
• Westsoy Italian Spiced Baked Tofu
(Dairy aisle near the meat
counter)
We’ll look for space for:
• Brown Cow Lowfat Yogurt
• Horizon Organic Blueberry or
Strawberry Yogurt in large
container
Thanks, we’ll look into:
• Bulk Tulsi
Not available from our supplier:
• Beemster Wasabi Cheese (but we’ll keep looking)