Hello River Market Owners!

Thanks to everyone who joined us for this year’s Annual Meeting! While we encountered a few unexpected twists, we were grateful to see so many of you there, ready to reflect on another successful year.

Our choice of venue, Lift Bridge Brewery, came with a bit of a surprise: they were running their production line during our event, adding some unintended “ambience” to the evening. To top it off, the sound equipment provided wasn’t working, leading to a delayed start and making it tough for many of you to hear our updates. We want to thank you for your patience and understanding—and for rolling with it! We’re grateful that Lift Bridge recognized the mishap and has provided a refund.

Given the audio challenges, we wanted to make sure all owners stayed in the loop, so here’s a quick recap of the night’s highlights.

Growers, Grazers, Makers, and Bakers Grant Recipients
We kicked off the evening by hearing from the two recipients of our Growers, Grazers, Makers, and Bakers Grant Program. They shared exciting updates about their projects, reminding us all of the impact our coop has on local food systems. Supporting local farmers and makers remains a central part of our mission to support the local foodshed.

Employee Recognition
Our dedicated team members received a well-deserved bonus this year in appreciation of their hard work. They’ve kept us running smoothly through difficult periods of understaffing, and we’re incredibly grateful for their commitment to our coop community.

Parking Solutions
We recapped the steps we took for a parking solution to help our shoppers find a spot more easily. Though our lot was reduced to 25 stalls, each one is now clearly reserved for River Market shoppers—a change that’s made a noticeable difference.

Bathroom Installation
We also announced the addition of an in-store bathroom, set to open soon. This has been highly requested by owners for years, and we’re thrilled to be able to improve the shopping experience for all.

Focusing on Inclusion
This year, we launched our Equity, Belonging, Inclusion, and Access (EBIA) committee, an initiative dedicated to making our coop an inclusive and welcoming space for everyone. Our initial focus is on Indigenous justice, and we’re grateful to everyone who has joined us on this journey so far. This new committee is open to all owners to join so please reach out to board@rivermarket.coop if you’re interested.

Future Growth
We are also working behind the scenes on some exciting growth opportunities for our coop. While we’re not quite ready to share the details, we’re looking forward to providing updates in the near future. Stay tuned!

Financial Health
Our Treasurer, Stephen, shared the good news: our financial health remains strong. We were able to wipe out our loss carryforwards this year, in other words, we’ve made up for past years of operating at a negative net income. This means we could potentially provide patronage refunds to eligible co-op owners in proportion to their individual patronage.

Board Election Results
And finally, our Secretary, David, closed the evening by announcing the results of our board elections. Thank you to everyone who voted and took part in shaping our coop’s future. Your involvement is what keeps River Market a true cooperative community.

Thank you again for your patience, participation, and support. Here’s to another year of growth, resilience, and community at River Market!

Warmly,

The River Market Community Co-op Board of Directors