The Co-operator

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board corner

By Tom Pandaleon, Vice President

Shopping is just one of many ways that you can support your Co-op...

Forseveral years, the East End Food Co-op board has been attempting to cultivate a more active and productive committee structure. However, recruiting interested members and making good use of the talents of our volunteers has been a challenge. Additionally, calibrating the proper structural relationships between the committees, the board, and management has been an obstacle, albeit a surmountable one.

One shining example, however, has been the Member Owner Participation (MOP) committee. Under Marty Seltman, this committee has met regularly and overseen several projects, including planning and facilitating the annual meeting, initiating a fledgling book discussion group, and developing a member survey. For the last two years, the Finance Committee has been more active than in previous years, including quarterly meetings between the board, the general manager, and the finance manager prior to their presentation of the B1 Reports (quarterly financial reports presented to the entire board). To varying degrees, each of those four meetings has given the participating board committee members a chance to pre-digest the financial data and hone the report presentation, improving board members’ grasp of the data and, ultimately, their understanding of the Co-op’s financial position.

The Co-op’s relocation will once again be the focus of much of the board’s energies this year. This board has grappled with finding its proper role as the party ultimately responsible for this monumental undertaking and as the conduit

to the membership. We will continue to fine-tune that set of relationships and responsibilities.

The East End Food Co-op has been around since 1972. That means we’re about 50 years old. In that 50 years, generations of members have collectively weathered many challenges. We’ve survived numerous contentious chapters in the distant past concerning the proper running of the Co-op, our level of independence as a local cooperative, the appropriate direction to be taken in the face of competition from national chains invading a market that the Co-op and its predecessors had created. We have survived the belated appearance in the Pittsburgh natural foods economy of that great clumsy behemoth, Whole Foods, back in 2001. We have survived some pretty wrenching internal divisions regarding governance, including the contentious dissolution of our volunteer program. And let's not forget that we banded together and survived the COVID pandemic of 2020-2022.

Our little cooperative is a survivor — a rugged yet lovable hub of intentional community. One that I have personally participated in for 34 years. I recently spent some time out in front of the store urging members to vote in our current election, attend our annual meeting, run for the board, or serve on a committee. I engaged members in frank conversation, including the challenges we face as a business. I also enquired about their patronage of the store, the dollars they spend here, the distance they travel to the store, and their willingness to support a move. I was pleasantly surprised by our membership’s regard for the Co-op, their loyalty, habitual support, and emotional investment in our store and this community.

As individual members, we have different thresholds for involvement. Some simply shop at the Co-op and enjoy the most elemental member benefits. Some spend their working lives here — unloading the trucks, stocking the shelves, stirring the batter, answering the questions, and managing the day-to-day affairs. Some go to meetings. Some vote. Some steer the ship, some help to plan the ship’s next voyage.

We must find a way to value and respect the work being done by each and every member. While discourse is essential, we cannot afford to disrespect each other in our debates. Critical matters are at stake in our discussions about matters such as our store’s relocation and union contract negotiation. And in the end, these goodfaith discussions, debates, and negotiations will ultimately propel us to where we need to go.

Navigating The Next Chapter Navigating The Next Chapter

Nestled in the heart of Pittsburgh, the East End Food Co-op has been more than a grocery store; it’s been a community hub, a haven for those seeking organic, local, and ethically sourced groceries since its humble beginnings in 1972. As we stand on the brink of a new chapter, it’s crucial to keep our indispensable memberowners abreast of a significant decision – the relocation of our beloved Co-op.

Our Journey

The narrative of the East End Food Co-op is woven with threads of community dedication and resilience. From its roots as a modest buying club in the basement of a building in Point Breeze to its evolution into Pittsburgh’s premier destination for fresh, natural, and ethically sourced products, every step has been fueled by the unwavering commitment of our member-owners. The pivotal decision in 1986 to move to “The Factory” marked a transformative moment driven by the community’s ever-growing demand for a broader selection of natural foods.

Reasons for Relocation

As we face the challenges of a changing landscape, the East End Food Co-op is compelled to relocate, a decision rooted in both necessity and vision. The lease on our current location, which has been the heart of our operations, is set to conclude in January 2026. We are presently exploring a lease extension. While our current location has served as the backbone of our operations, it presents physical limitations that hinder our ability to provide the optimal shopping experience our community deserves.

Site Selection Process

Finding a new location is no small feat, and we acknowledge the concerns about the potential disruption to your shopping routine. Our commitment is unwavering – we aim to stay within a reasonable distance of our current location, preserving our roots while exploring various options to find a space that not only addresses the immediate challenges but also sets the stage for a thriving future. Proximity to public transit, accessibility to major roads, and overall convenience are integral considerations in the site selection process.

Community Input

In the spirit of co-operative decision-making, your voices have been a guiding force. Forums, surveys, and discussions at board meetings have served as platforms for the exchange of ideas and concerns. The challenges we face are shared, and your invaluable feedback has played a pivotal role in shaping the trajectory of our decision-making process. Some of the comments and questions we’ve received include:

• Concerns about parking

• Concerns about bus line access

• Member-owners who say they’ll stick with the Co-op wherever it goes

• Concerns about moving farther from the population centers

• Suggestions about locations

• One member-owner pointed out that the eastern suburbs don’t have natural food stores, so the Co-op’s proximity to them fills a need

• Concerns about theft

• One comment that the Co-op should consider closing (unless we reopen the café)

• Some of what the Co-op is facing now are the same drivers that moved it here in the first place

• Owning your own space can eventually pay off

• Concerns about growth vs. survival vs. in-between state

FAQs

Let’s delve deeper into some frequently asked questions, addressing the nuances of our decision-making.

Q: What is the primary reason for the move?

A: The decision to relocate stems from the impending end of our current lease in January 2026, coupled with the inevitable increase in rent. It’s a strategic move to secure a sustainable future for the Co-op, ensuring our ability to continue serving the community for decades to come.

Q: Are you looking for a place with ample parking?

A: Yes, we’re trying to find a location with good parking. Our goal with parking is to have a better situation than the current store at the very least, hopefully much better.

Q: Will the new site be available by public transit?

A: Yes. We are hoping for a site within a block of a bus stop.

Q: Does the URA have a property that would work?

A: They might! We currently have at least one URA property on our potential list (it has ample parking but no building).

Q: Will a move affect prices?

A: It shouldn’t. Prices are affected more by larger economic forces such as inflation.

Q: What rental amounts can the Co-op afford?

A: What we can afford is based on several factors, so we can’t provide an exact number. For example, if a location is eligible for certain tax credits, we can afford a higher rent than in a location where those credits are not available. Rents have to be considered case-by-case.

Q: Is building our own space an option?

A: Yes, it is, if we can find the right place for a building. It might mean having to close for a few months if we can’t extend our current lease.

Q: Is purchasing an option?

A: Yes, it is, if we can find the right place in a suitable timeframe.

Q: Will members have input regarding a move?

A: Yes, the board has continuously sought member input regarding relocation. In addition to email, we have held forums and conducted surveys. Member-owners are encouraged to email the board and/or to attend our monthly board meetings to discuss relocation.

Q: Will you reopen the café?

A: We hope to reopen the café at our current location in the new year, and improving the café and seating is a goal for the new location.

Q: Why not keep this store and also expand into a second location? Has the Coop considered a smaller-footprint store or multiple smaller-footprint stores?

A: We can certainly keep that in the plans for the Co-op, but we are focused on relocating the current storefront. We are currently over-performing at our Meade St. location. Typically, a co-op will look to expand to a larger footprint or open a second location when their sales are ~$1,000 per square foot. Currently, we’re doing over ~$2,000 per square foot. By relocating and expanding our sales floor, we’re ‘rightsizing’ our operation to keep up with our growing membership numbers and sales figures.

Q: Why not Rockwell Park (across the street)?

A: We have considered our options within Rockwell Park, which is owned and managed by our current landlord. At present, a lease extension in our current store remains the best option within the complex.

Rockwell Park will soon be home to a grocery store chain headquartered in Raleigh, NC. Fresh International Market is set to open next year at 7511 Thomas Blvd.

Q: Why can’t we go to the old Whole Foods building? Why not move further into East Liberty where there’s more foot traffic?

A: The Whole Foods building has been leased to another grocery store chain, The Fresh Market, also headquartered in North Carolina. East Liberty locations are not off the table for consideration. However, we are cautious about moving closer to our competition, as industry experts do not recommend it.

Q: Are you looking at locations in Homewood? And are you in conversation with the group that wants to start a co-op in Homewood?

A: We have been conversing with Homewood residents and the community organizers looking to start a food co-op in Homewood. In fact, EEFC’s General Manager, Maura Holliday, is a member of their steering committee. The elders of the Homewood community have told us they would like to develop their own co-op based on their terms. As a result of our conversations with them, and out of respect for their wishes, we have decided to look elsewhere.

Q: Have you looked in Wilkinsburg?

A: We have! And we are actively pursuing Wilkinsburg as an option for the future home of EEFC.

Q: Where are the properties you’ve looked at? Have you already determined they are disqualified?

A: We have looked at eight locations within the East End (within two miles of the Co-op). We disqualified them based on the established site criteria we are looking for, as well as market study sales projections. We extended our search radius and considered two other sites, one in Wilkinsburg and one in Uptown. We are currently still looking at properties.

pros cons

Q: What are the pros and cons of renting vs. buying?

A: Pros to renting: we can obtain a long-term lease (upwards of 25 years) and have a partner to work with to maintain the property. Major maintenance expenses are not something the Co-op needs to worry about. If we need to relocate in the future, we can do that without worrying about the sale of the building or its value.

Cons to renting: we would be working within the parameters set in a lease with a landlord, so we would have less flexibility. There are fewer tax benefits, and we would have to be concerned about rent escalation and sale of the building.

Pros to buying: We would not be vulnerable to changes in landlord or landlord goals for the space. We would have full control of our space and a permanent home. There are tax breaks available to owners that are not available to leaseholders.

Cons to buying: Major maintenance expenses would become the responsibility of the Co-op. No opportunities for tenant improvement allowance or other supports from landlord. We would need to have a down payment and hidden costs later on would be our responsibility.

Q: Have you considered what you may lose by getting bigger (e.g., charm, community feel)?

A: Yes, that is a concern we all share. Our goal is to ‘right-size’ our operation while continuing to build on what has made us successful over the past 40+ years. We are focused on maintaining our unique co-op charm while developing a safe and welcoming store for employees, members, and shoppers.

Black Farmers

Learn the Story of the Who Grow Equal Exchange Pecans

Article courtesy of Equal Exchange, www.equalexchange.coop

Whenyou own the land you farm, you decide what to plant, when to harvest, and which maintenance methods to use. More importantly, you’re the one who controls your own livelihood. For Black farmers in the United States, land ownership is tied to freedom. But systematic racial discrimination has pushed many out of agriculture. Equal Exchange’s partners at New Communities, who supply our fair trade pecans, know the power of land — and these challenges — firsthand. They farm in southwest Georgia, in one of the poorest parts of the state. Over the organization’s fifty year history, these tenacious farmers have experienced more than their share of hardship and prejudice. Yet today, they are still farming and looking to the future.

Land and Justice for Black Americans

Shirley Sherrod, Vice President for Development at New Communities Inc., as well as former USDA Georgia State Director for Rural Development, says that coming out of slavery, Black people knew that owning land was important “to help lift the family out of poverty.” By 1910, Black people owned more that 14 million acres of land. Black farmers in the South played an important role in the Civil Rights Movement. Their relative wealth meant they could bail protesters out of jail. And, as independent businesspeople, they could take action without worrying about what the boss would think.

But holding on to their acreage and turning a profit has proved to be an uphill battle. Black farmers in America encountered — and still encounter — bias in countless ways, from institutions and from individual neighbors alike. Sherrod told us that farmers she knew weren’t able to depend on fair grading for crops like peanuts. Many processors wouldn’t work with them and buyers might offer artificially low prices. White dominance at all levels of government in the South meant that Black farmers’ interests were not protected. They faced discrimination from the banking system. They had a hard time accessing loans and credit. In consequence, they learned to rely on each other.

New Communities: Built together

New Communities, established in 1969, put cooperative values into action from the start. Shirley Sherrod says that she and the founders realized they needed to build something of their own in order to “use the skills they had to make life better.” Her husband, Charles Sherrod (who was also a founding member of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee) went to Israel with seven others to study the kibbutz model. They then designed New Communities as America’s first community land trust, and it was owned and operated by Black farmers. At almost 6,000 acres, it was the largest parcel of land owned by Black people in the whole country.

The farmers there raised hogs and grew staples like peanuts, soy and corn. They were some of the first in the area to cultivate Muscadine grapes. In addition to devoting land to crops, the founders planned for a real community that would someday include villages, industry and schools.

The Office of Economic Opportunity promised New Communities money and gave them a planning grant. But protests from white neighbors convinced the governor at the time, Lester Maddox, to veto federal money that might benefit their project. The local opposition they faced was constant. Once, Shirley Sherrod says, someone sabotaged their liquid fertilizer delivery, and they didn’t find out until the crops came up.

The farmers persevered. By the early ‘70s, they were selling watermelons to Safeway. But in the middle of the decade, drought hit the area. Like many of their white neighbors, New Communities applied to the Farmer’s Home Administration for an emergency loan. Sherrod remembers someone at the agency telling them straight out: “You’ll get one here over my dead body.”

Unlike the applications of other farmers, theirs was denied. Multiple years with continuing drought was too much, and by 1985, New Communities was in foreclosure. The new owner used digging equipment to push all existing buildings into giant holes, as if he wanted to get rid of every trace of what New Communities had built.

Confronting Black Land Loss

Sherrod turned her energy to working on the problem of Black land loss and on organizing agricultural cooperatives for Georgia farmers. She worked through supply chain challenges to help Black growers sell pecans to Ben & Jerry’s and watermelons to Northern grocery stores via Red Tomato, a company run by Michael Rozyne, one of the original founders of Equal Exchange.

The farmers had to learn new cultivation skills to grow smaller seedless melons. On the day the five tractor trailers arrived to transport the first shipment, Sherrod found it almost too stressful to watch the pick-up. The farmers didn’t have a loading dock and were hauling fruit from the field. But they got the trucks loaded and made that project work.

The Role of the USDA

New Communities’ owners weren’t the only ones who had lost their land. In 1920, there were 925,000 Black-owned farms in the US, but by 1975, only 45,000 remained. Today, just 1% of rural land is owned by Black Americans. Black land loss is a recent phenomenon; much of it happened within the span of memory of people

White dominance at all levels of government in the South meant that Black farmers’ interests were not protected. They faced discrimination from the banking system. They had a hard time accessing loans and credit. In consequence, they learned to rely on each other. Pictured above: Brodrick Welch

alive today. Sherrod identified the USDA as the main culprit.

In 1997, Black farmers filed a class action suit against the USDA, Pigford v. Glickman. They alleged that the agency’s allocation of farm loans and aid between 1981 and 1996 was unfair. The USDA admitted to having discriminated against Black farmers and settled, agreeing to a payout of $1.2 billion in the first phase and over a billion in the second phase. “I was so busy helping farmers gather the information they needed for their claims to go to the lawyer,” Sherrod says. “I almost forgot about our loss.” New Communities filed its own claim in 1999. The hearings, appeals and reviews went on for a full decade. Finally, in 2009, New Communities was awarded $12 million.

New Communities’ New Start

Some of the original founders had scattered over the years, but Sherrod and others got busy finding land in the area of Albany, Georgia. They located an amazing property just outside the city limits: Cypress Pond Plantation, 1,638 acres once owned by the largest slaveholder and richest man in Georgia. He had owned nine plantations in total, but kept the largest number of enslaved people at Cypress Pond. “I had some problems with that, initially,” Sherrod admitted, “but I got past it, because I started thinking, what a statement for our people, that this property can go from a slaveowner to descendants of slaves.”

Pecan Cultivation

At one point, most of the land had been planted with pecan trees, but when New Communities took over, only 85 acres of pecans remained. Sherrod recalls, “When I looked at the trees, all the leaves were gone and I didn’t think anything was there.” Luckily, they found some outside support — Hilton Segler, a white man who was an expert on pecan production and helped any way he could. Segler trained one of New Communities’ people on site, passing on his knowledge. “We planted an additional 115 acres to make it 200 acres,” Sherrod says. “We have young trees that are really, really producing.”

Sherrod contacted Rozyne, and he connected her to Equal Exchange. And Segler was able to line up a pecan processor, so they could begin selling nuts. Today, farmers at New Communities are growing satsuma oranges and Muscadine grapes for market. And this year, they’re growing 30 acres of vegetables to help deal with food insecurity in the local area. But pecans remain their major crop. Last year, Equal Exchange bought all of their pecan halves and helped find a buyer for the pieces that are a result of the shelling process. Sherrod says their business is growing. “Without Equal Exchange, I am not sure of what we would have done because just like in the past, we would have been locked out of markets that actually would help bring in some income.”

Black Farmers’ Problems Aren’t Over

Black farmers still confront bias today. Younger people who want to get into agriculture often have trouble acquiring land. “The fact is,” Sherrod says, “it’s hard to get a white farmer to sell to a Black farmer, even today, in this area.” White farmers are still the ones with all the information and political clout; she wants to see policies that create ways for Black farmers and members of other racial minorities to be more involved.

And the problems with the USDA aren’t over. After the Pigford ruling, those who had been disadvantaged in the past were supposed to get priority, but it never happened, according to Sherrod. “Farmers who were successful with their claims were supposed to get debt written off.” While the general public might think that Black farmers got paid and the prejudice they faced is now in the past, that’s not the case. Sherrod says, “We haven’t seen much different happen.”

Moving Toward Healing

Still, Sherrod sees Cypress Pond as the perfect place for racial healing. Though only 800 acres are suitable for farming – much smaller than the thousands of acres that the original New Communities encompassed – she says, “we can do so much

more with training, which is really needed at this point.” Through the Southwest Georgia Project, they provide regular training to about 100 farmers, hoping to expand production and share knowledge. Though not everyone can farm on the actual property, Sherrod says that this work ties them together.

How does Sherrod envision the future for Black farmers and collective organizations like co-ops and land trusts? “We’re going to have to identify opportunities for finding definite markets, because our people have been taken down roads,” she says. “People aren’t crazy. They want to be able to work together. But they have to see that there’s a possibility for success.” She’s pleased to see “younger farmers beginning to come on board who don’t know all that bad history … willing to actually work together to make some exciting things happen.”

Equal Exchange was lucky enough to have Shirley Sherrod join us as honored guest and keynote speaker at our 2020 Summit. This article is heavily based on Sherrod’s address. And we’re proud to partner with the farmers of New Communities to support their efforts as a model for future change. We think more people should know their story.

Shirley Sherrod, a Georgia native, resolved to stay in the South and work for change after her father’s murder by a white farmer. She participated in the Civil Rights Movement and helped to form New Communities, Inc., the first Community Land Trust in the United States.

Community partnerSpotlight

Community Cultures

Community Cultures provides in-person educational workshops and seasonal fermented products throughout the Pittsburgh region, as well as fermentation consultations and virtual classes. Our products use ingredients that are fresh, foraged and organically-grown when possible.

Embracing fermentation is an exciting way to explore health, creativity, and our relationship with food. Our goal is to make fermentation education accessible to all through affordable workshops and simple techniques. We believe that fermentation can be used to create community and build a more resilient food system.

Trevor Ring is the founder Community Cultures. He has taught for a decade, worked for numerous agriculture, food and fermentation businesses, and run various fermentation CSAs. Trevor is a former East End Food Co-op employee and has also served on the board of directors. He is most excited about sharing his knowledge of fermentation and utilizing seasonal and regional ingredients to inspire his ferments.

Wild-Fermented Fruit Soda

Creating Unique & Non-Alcoholic Elixirs

TREVOR RING | Fermentation Educator | MBA/MA, Food Studies trevor@communitycultures.com | @communitycultures

Ingredients Yield 1 quart

1 lb (1 pint) of fruit (local/seasonal/chemical-free preferred)

3- 4 Tbsp Sweetener (cane sugar, raw honey, maple syrup, etc.)

Herbs, Spices, Flavorings, etc. (optional)

Water (non-chlorinated)

Equipment

½ gallon vessel (wide-mouth jar, crock, large bowl, or food-grade plastic bucket)

Lid or cloth cover

Stirring utensil

Plastic bottles or other sealable bottles

Process Timeframe: 3 to 7 days

1 Clean fruit and chop, mash or prepare it however you would like to release flavor

2 Add fruit to vessel with sweetener (start with less) and other desired ingredients

3 Pour 3 cups of water over ingredients to fill 1 quart

4 Stir until sugar is dissolved, then taste to see if you would like to add more sweetener, keeping in mind some will be eaten by yeast and the final product will be less sweet!

5 Cover with a towel or cloth, place in a warm spot (out of sun) and stir stir stir! (as often as you think of it and at least twice a day)

6 After 1 to 7 days (less time if it’s hot, more if it’s cold) of stirring, the liquid should be bubbly (you will see and hear it!)

7 Strain out fruit and other ingredients when it’s bubbly & pour liquid into sealable bottles

8 Drink as is or add carbonation to make it bubbly (email us for instructions)