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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>Thanks for posting this article, Bill.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>I can remember the old Moscow Food Co-Op (located
on <st1:Street w:st="on"><st1:address w:st="on">Third Street</st1:address></st1:Street>,
I think, back then) could fit in today’s Moscow Food Co-Op’s
parking lot twice over.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>As the saying goes:<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>You’ve come a long way, baby.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>Tom Hansen<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on"><font size=2
color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;
color:navy'>Moscow</span></font></st1:City><font size=2 color=navy
face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>, <st1:State
w:st="on">Idaho</st1:State></span></font></st1:place><font size=2 color=navy
face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<div>
<p><font size=2 color=navy face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
color:navy'>"We're a town of about 23,000 with 10,000 college students.
The college students are not very active in local elections (thank
goodness!)."<br>
<br>
- Dale Courtney (March 28, 2007)</span></font><font color=navy><span
style='color:navy'> </span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><b><font size=2 face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Tahoma;font-weight:bold'>From:</span></font></b><font size=2
face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Tahoma'>
vision2020-bounces@moscow.com [mailto:vision2020-bounces@moscow.com] <b><span
style='font-weight:bold'>On Behalf Of </span></b>Bill London<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Sent:</span></b> Saturday, April 07, 2007
11:44 AM<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>To:</span></b> vision2020@moscow.com<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Subject:</span></b> [Vision2020]
Spokesman-Review article on Moscow Food Co-op</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
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<h2><b><font size=5 face=Arial><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:Arial'>Spokesman-Review
April 6, 2007<o:p></o:p></span></font></b></h2>
<h2><b><font size=5 face=Arial><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:Arial'>Big
digs reflect big changes at food co-op <o:p></o:p></span></font></b></h2>
<h4><b><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial'>Moscow,
Idaho, store adds meat section, bigger deli and broader consumer interest<o:p></o:p></span></font></b></h4>
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height=132 id="_x0000_i1025" src="cid:image001.jpg@01C7790D.A58F0DA0"
border=1><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=caption style='mso-element:frame'><font size=3
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Arissa Fench, bottom
left, and Kathleen Benton eat an organic lunch Monday at the Moscow Food
Co-op in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Moscow</st1:City>, <st1:State
w:st="on">Idaho</st1:State></st1:place>. Sales have increased 42 percent
in 2006 over the previous year at the co-op, with a total of $5.9 million
in gross sales. <!-- 5_biz_main_Moscow_Co-Op_04-06-2007_D7A8A34.jpg-->(Photos
by Amanda Smith The Spokesman-Review <!-- --><!-- 5_biz_main_Moscow_Co-Op_04-06-2007_D7A8A34.jpg -->)<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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<h5 style='mso-element:frame'><b><font size=2 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt'>At a glance <o:p></o:p></span></font></b></h5>
<h5 style='mso-element:frame'><st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><b><font
size=2 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:10.0pt'>Moscow</span></font></b></st1:place></st1:City>
Food Co-op <o:p></o:p></h5>
<p style='mso-element:frame'><em><i><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'>Address: </span></font></i></em><st1:address
w:st="on"><st1:Street w:st="on">121 E. Fifth St.</st1:Street>, <st1:City
w:st="on">Moscow</st1:City></st1:address><o:p></o:p></p>
<p style='mso-element:frame'><em><i><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'>Established: </span></font></i></em>1973,
incorporated as a co-op in 1974<o:p></o:p></p>
<p style='mso-element:frame'><em><i><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'>Employees: </span></font></i></em>More than 100<o:p></o:p></p>
<p style='mso-element:frame'><em><i><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'>2006 sales: </span></font></i></em>$5.9 million<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class=byline><span class=name><font size=2 face=Arial><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'><a
href="http://www.spokesmanreview.com/news/bylines.asp?bylinename=Becky%20Kramer">Becky
Kramer </a></span></font></span><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial'><br>
Staff writer<br>
April 6, 2007<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on"><font size=2 face=Arial><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'><!---------Code for Big Ads-------------------><!---------End Code for Big Ads------------------->MOSCOW</span></font></st1:City><font
size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>, <st1:State
w:st="on">Idaho</st1:State></span></font></st1:place><font size=2 face=Arial><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'> – The irony of running a
natural foods co-op from a former Safeway store isn't lost on Kenna Eaton.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>After
years of cramped quarters, the Moscow Food Co-op moved into the
15,000-square-foot building in late 2005. The co-op doubled its space, added a
meat department and expanded its deli. With wide aisles and bountiful produce
displays, its looks sort of like, well, a mainline grocery store.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>More
telling yet, Eaton – the general manager – sees shoppers she
doesn't recognize. And sales are up 40 percent.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>"As
we've grown up, I think our customer base has grown as well," Eaton said.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>Without
about 4,500 members, the co-op attracts an array of customers, including
granola types, students, people with food allergies, vegans and the more casual
shopper. Over the past decade, the ranks of customers have increased as
national interest in locally produced and organically grown foods has picked
up, Eaton said.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>The
Moscow Food Co-op's goal is to embrace the new shoppers coming through the
doors while maintaining the close-knit feel of the co-op's early days, when
such a small percentage of the population bought spelt flour and tofu that it
created instant solidarity among shoppers<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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<p><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>"There's
sort of an artsy feel to the co-op, a real creative aliveness," said Chris
Caudill, a <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceType w:st="on">University</st1:PlaceType>
of <st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Idaho</st1:PlaceName></st1:place> researcher who
was recently elected to the board. "We really want to continue to foster
that, even as the co-op grows."<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>The
co-op's recent move is an example of how the organization differs from big-box
retailers, Eaton said. Board members had coveted the Safeway site for several
years, but followed a fiscally conservative path. Moving into new rental
quarters and stocking the store cost about $1 million. Members provided about
half of the money through personal loans.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>The
move has paid off for the Moscow Food Co-op, which rang up $5.9 million in
sales last year, a 40 percent increase over 2005.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>"There's
a whole stereotype of who shops at co-op," said Kimberly Vincent, a board
member. "I see people who didn't feel welcome at the old building coming
into the new one." <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>The
larger product lines also help attract shoppers who are used to a supermarket
mentality, she said. "They feel it's worth their trip if they can pick up
four or five things or a whole cartful, instead of just one item."<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>The
co-op is a <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Moscow</st1:place></st1:City>
institution. It organized in 1974, shortly after the vegetarian primer,
"Diet for a Small Planet," became a bestseller. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>"Being
vegetarian was a relatively new concept," Eaton said. "It was an
idealistic thing … People were living in teepees, getting back to the
land. It was a small operation, but it grew."<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>The
co-op also had its lean years, when only the dedication of the membership
carried it through.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>"In
1985, when Safeway put in the bulk bins, it just about put us out of
business," Eaton said. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>"There
were times when we wished just one more customer would come through the door
and buy $5 worth of stuff."<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>Vincent
started shopping at the co-op 19 years ago. "It was crowded, dark and
tiny," she said. "The selection was mostly bulk foods … It was
hard to get through the aisles. There weren't any carts."<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>As
the co-op grew, it rented larger and larger spaces. But even the last location,
an old Kentucky Fried Chicken, "felt cramped and it was still mostly bulk
food," Vincent said.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>The
new location allowed the co-op to expand the deli, which is how many customers
first taste some of the products. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>Kale
slaw, for example, has become so popular that the deli carries it year-round.
The co-op also serves a chocolate Dream Pie in which tofu is the main
ingredient.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>Recipes
are posted on the co-op's Web site, and they help encourage sales as customers
try new items, Eaton said. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>The
move also gave the co-op room for a meat department, which sells grass-fed
beef, free-range chickens and pork. For some of the co-op's vegan members,
adding meat was a controversial step. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>"We
had a backlash from some clients," Vincent said, "but I'm one who believes
we need to have things for all types of shoppers and not just one belief."<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>Personally,
Vincent said she was glad to have access to "clean meat," raised
without hormones, steroids and dyes. A former vegetarian, Vincent said she had
to start eating meat again to control her anemia but had trouble finding
estrogen-free chicken.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>The
majority of the co-op's shoppers share a certain ethic about food. "They
want to feel good about their purchases," Eaton said. "They want to
know that they have less impact on the planet and on their bodies."<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>What
people eat has a definite impact on the environment, Caudill said. Flying
apples from <st1:country-region w:st="on">New Zealand</st1:country-region> to <st1:place
w:st="on">North America</st1:place> uses a tremendous amount of energy. Raising
beef consumes large amounts of water. Fruits and vegetables from Latin America
may contain pesticides banned in the <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place
w:st="on">United States</st1:place></st1:country-region>.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>As
the co-op expands its reach to attract more shoppers, it has to weigh all those
factors, Eaton said.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>"If
we bring in those blueberries when they're out of season," she said,
"there's a tradeoff."<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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