North Farm News
June 2001

Published bimonthly by North Farm Cooperative for its customers/members. To submit original articles or provide feedback, please
e-mail the Editor, Norma Woods.

In This Issue:

Spring Cleaning For All Our Cooperatives 

July 4 Holiday Delivery & Order Changes

Member Forum:  Questions & Answers

Member Equity Concerns

Board of Directors Update

Good News About Magic Mill

North Farm Staff Picks Favorite Products

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Spring Cleaning For All Our Cooperatives
by Mark Slagh, General Manager

With Spring in full bloom in our service area, the need for a good spring cleaning becomes evident. North Farm Cooperative still runs much the same as it has for a decade, but we are improving. We need you to be working on how you run your buying clubs, too.

Time for Plain Talk
For the past 15 years, I’ve fed my family through buying clubs—first with the Michigan Federation of Cooperatives and for 10 years with North Farm. But choices and the competition have changed.

Some of our products are now available in supermarket chains—at very competitive prices. But can you feed your families from the hit-and-miss selection they carry? Do they offer several thousand natural food products? Have they made the commitment we have to only carry natural products? 

The bottom line is this: The fewer customers we have, the smaller the orders, the more spread out over the 13-state service area, the higher our costs.

Changes at North Farm
Now I’m the first to admit our service at North Farm has not always met expectations. But you need to know there are over 100 dedicated, caring people in Madison who delivered $80 million dollars’ worth of food to you over the past three years. And we’re also members of North Farm’s Warehouse Chapter, with our money invested as well. 

As the new General Manager at North Farm Cooperative, I’m engaged every day in rooting out the causes of our service problems. Serving on the Board of Directors for the past three years, I know most of your complaints very well.

Out-of-Stocks are a leading concern, and we’re tackling them in several ways. Work teams have been formed to allow people to be responsible, as a group, for their work. They stay overtime, if needed, to complete your orders. 

Our prices have recently gone up slightly in the short term to help us keep operating after the losses of Y2K. We’ll lower them as soon as possible, but we must improve our financial condition first.

Delivery times and routes are also being revised to reduce costs. While few welcome changes to delivery times and weeks, many of you will hear from your drivers this summer. They’ll negotiate improvements to help us all save money.

Our new Warehouse Manager, David Fredrickson, has some fresh perspectives to improve accuracy. Eliminating errors is a tall order, and to help we’re carefully storing different products side-by-side to eliminate the right color box, wrong item mistakes. 
What We Need From You

As customers you could just sit back and watch, but as our owners you have a responsibility to this business. We need you to:

• Order more products.
• Invite new members to participate.
• Inform us of any problems.

And if you feel you’re not being heard through regular channels, call me at 1-800-236-5880, ext 2665. Either my new assistant, Ellie Puccio, or I will get back to you to make sure we at North Farm are doing the best we can. 

Remember this is our business. We own it. Together we WILL make it the best!

Pack Sizes Made Simple
by Wendy Fairbanks,
Member Services Supervisor

By now you should be aware of our tighter Returns Policy published in the May/June Price List. A leading cause of returns is errors in ordering due to confusion over pack sizes. It is helpful to know how to interpret pack sizes of different types of products.

Coffee is sold by the bag. Most bags are one case. For example, Café Altura Breakfast Blend (17106) 1/5# bag has a regular price of $47.26. It is only sold by the case, which is one 5# bag. You can’t order just one pound separately since we will not break open a bag to subdivide it.

Equal Exchange Bolivian Full City OG (16088), 2/5# is sold by the case or unit; prices are given for each. A unit is one 5-pound bag. A case is 10 pounds of coffee in two 5-pound bags.

Bulk cheese is sold by the pound. For example: The pack size of North Farm Colby Pasteurized OG Cheese (544) is 8/5#. This means there are 8 5-pound bricks to a case (40 pounds total). Order 5 units to receive a 5# brick. You must order multiples of 5 as we do not cut blocks of cheese for individual orders. The unit price is the per pound price.

Meat is also sold by the pound. For example: The pack size for Shelton’s Chicken Breast OG (2845) is 6/2#(Avg. Wt.). To order a 2-pound chicken breast you must order 2 units. 

Cereals and flours are sold by the bag or box. If a pack size is 8/5#, ordering a unit would give you 5 pounds and ordering a case would give you 40 pounds. The minimum you can order is 5 pounds.
 
Recent pack size changes and prices have resulted in more ordering errors and subsequent returns. Be especially careful when ordering bulk nuts and seeds. For example, if you order a case of Almonds Blanched, Slivered (4608) you will receive five 5-pound bags. Before the change you would have received one 5-pound bag. The item numbers are different—which is your best signal to look carefully for any pack size changes.

Master cases occur frequently in Snacks and Nutrition Bars. If the pack size is 16/12/2.4oz it refers to 12 2.4 ounce bars in a unit and 16 units of 12 bars in a case. If you order a case you will receive 16 x 12 = 192 bars.

Please always check your order recommendation before sending in your order through NF-One to make sure you have no errors.

July 4th Holiday Delivery & Order Changes!
by Becky Sonstrom,
Sales and Member Services Manager

North Farm Cooperative will be closed Wednesday, July 4th except for Member Services which will only accept calls, including orders, from 8 a.m. to noon. Please call in your orders as early as possible.

Deliveries normally scheduled for that day will take place as usual. For those who don’t want to take their normal delivery on the 4th, we will try to schedule your delivery for the next day. However, because we must honor standing delivery times, we cannot guarantee to meet everyone’s scheduling needs.

Because of the closure there will be changes to order and delivery days before and after the holiday. We will try to minimize the impact of these changes.

In mid-May we mailed letters to each coordinator detailing these order and/or delivery day changes or indicating no change. Please confirm with your coordinator how your group may be affected by the scheduling changes.

We appreciate your continued support and wish you and your family a safe and happy holiday.

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Member Forum: Questions & Answers

These concerns were called into the North Farm Member Services Team. Please send your feedback on these questions/issues and the responses to Wendy Fairbanks at North Farm or e-mail wfairb@northfarm.com

For Those Using NF-One: 
Q  “I just downloaded my invoice and it says it’s not current. I’m getting delivery tomorrow. What should I do?”
A  Check the “order sent date” on your computer. Verify if it has current date; if more than 7 days before or after delivery, call Member Services and we will help correct it.

Q  Why is my equity not showing on my invoices?
A  First check with North Farm Member Services to find out if North Farm took out equity. If equity was taken out, check NF-One on your computer under Set Up, North Farm Set Up and Invoice and Other Options and make sure the box relating to equity is checked. 

Q  I just downloaded the Price List. Why is it giving June prices for delivery in May? 
A  Check “delivery date” in your NF-One Set Up on your computer. Change delivery to a May date. Download the Price List again. You should have the correct May prices.
Also, watch the “cycle week”. For a weekly cycle, put in “1”; for a 4-week cycle, put in “4”; for an 8-week cycle, put in “8”.

Sending Orders Via Modem:
Q  What does “Error Code #1” mean? It comes up when I am trying to send an order.
A  This means the BBS board is busy. Please try again.

Q  My modem will not communicate with North Farm’s. I get a “Communication Error”.
A  You must be off the Internet to send an order via your modem and if you have been on recently you must reboot. Also, check your modem to make sure your settings are the same as North Farm’s.

Reasons For “Items Shipped Not Ordered”:

1. North Farm created an “auto-sub” number. The old item number will come up “Not Available As Ordered”. The new item number will appear on invoice, “Item Shipped Not Ordered”.
2. Someone called in and added to the club’s order but didn’t tell the order placer.
3. Sometimes there are “glitches” with weighted items where the correct weight won’t go onto a member’s order and it incorrectly appears as “Item Shipped Not Ordered”. In most cases the member wanted the item.

Also, if all items say “Not Available As Ordered” you probably downloaded your invoice too soon.

This is in response to the question, “Can allowing children to drink cola drinks high in caffeine stunt their growth or harm them in any way?”

According to information in ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE, people who consume products containing caffeine have a higher risk of cancer. Caffeine is also known to damage cellular DNA and impair its normal repair.

According to Prescription For Nutritional Healing by Balch and Balch, carbonated soft drinks contain high amounts of phosphates. These cause the body to eliminate calcium (page 416, second edition).

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Member Equity Concerns
By KJ Jakobson

Cooperatives use an equity charge as a way to capitalize the business. This capital is used for property and equipment, development and covering any losses in difficult years. The equity charge is based on patronage as a fair way for those members who use the business more to pay in more capital than members who use it less.
 
Equity works like any other investment in a private company. In prosperous years members get a return on their investment and in years when there are losses the value of their equity may decrease.

Equity is a long-range investment. To give you a sense of what I mean by long-range, an example is our membership in Frontier Herb Cooperative. This year we received a dividend check based on the equity investment we made in that co-op in 1993.

I have been taking equity calls from members over the past few months since we changed the equity goals. Almost all calls have been the identical question, “My equity goal and equity charge have changed. Is this right or will I have to do a lot of book-keeping to correct it on our individual NF-One invoices? Can you ex-plain to me what this equity charge is all about and why it changes?”

Many of the inquiries start off with “I didn’t get a letter this year.” We decided to forego the annual letter to members due to the high cost of postage and because your equity goal and balance now show on your statement. I apologize for our oversight. The following message will soon appear on the master invoices and the NF-One invoices:

“Your invoice includes a 2% equity charge until you reach your equity goal. New customers’ equity goals are set at $5,000.

In the first quarter of each calendar year we calculate the monthly average of your past year’s purchases and adjust your equity goal to that average. Your equity balance is the accumulated amount of equity you have paid in. If your equity balance exceeds your equity goal you are no longer charged equity. If your equity balance is less than your new goal you will be charged 2% of your purchases, excluding tax and bottle deposits, until you reach your goal.”

Your new equity goal and equity charge/no charge change is most likely correct but Member Services can check it for you. If your average orders increased in 2000 from 1999, then your equity goal will have increased. If your average orders decreased in 2000 from 1999, your goal will have decreased.

Members have recommended we change the equity goal more often because clubs change their ordering volume rapidly with an increase or decrease in members. We agree and are working on doing so, but it involves a significant computer programming change and may not happen for some time.

If you are concerned about not paying enough equity when you have increased your order volume substantially, you can voluntarily pay more equity and set your NF-One program to charge members of your group individually as a member surcharge. The above points essentially cover everything which has come up in my conversations with members about equity. If you have further questions, please contact North Farm Member Services.

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Board of Directors Update
by Dottie Dykstra

Board Meeting Dates
At its regularly scheduled board meeting on March 31, 2001, the Board set its meeting dates for the 2001-2002 Board Calendar. All meetings are currently scheduled to take place in Madison, Wisconsin.

• July 13 and 14, 2001
• September 14 and 15, 2001
• December 1, 2001
• January 26, 2002 (tentative)
• March 16, 2002

The Board left the date open for the 2002 General Membership Meeting to allow North Farm’s GMM Team time to research best possible dates for the event.

Officer Elections
With the resignations of Sheila Herman and Mark Slagh, both members of the Board’s Executive Committee, officer elections took place at the March 31 Board meeting. Seth Nowak was elected to complete the one-year term of Treasurer; Bill O’Donnell was elected to the office of Vice President of Planning. 

O’Donnell will remain in this position until May 19, when he completes his tenure on the Board. Another election must take place at that time to fill this position through July 13, when all officer terms expire and new elections take place.

Member Survey
Buying Club members were sent a member survey in addition to their mail ballots at the beginning of April. Board members are expected to review the results of this survey at the July Board meeting.

Good News About Magic Mill

Magic Mill Natural Foods Market has had a tough time since Whole Foods Market was built several years ago, but lately things have improved. Phillip Post, the new manager, has stopped the decline in sales and, with the help of his employees, has made the store more open and inviting.

A major improvement was the addition of automatic doors which make it much easier for customers to enter and leave the store. Also, the Freezer section was moved to the opposite corner of the store.
 
Another area drawing traffic is the Vegetarian Deli Section where people can drop in to make their own lunch. This is a very labor intensive operation requiring several employees to set up and maintain, but it commands a premium price. 

Magic Mill is trying to emulate a European foods market where people stop by daily to buy what they need for supper that night. Because Magic Mill is located on the westbound side of University Avenue, people find it easy to stop in and quickly buy their groceries on their way home to the suburbs.

Magic Mill offers North Farm a unique window on what retailers and consumers face every day. Since the majority of the products carried by Magic Mill are from North Farm (except for produce which is often bought from local growers), North Farm can learn what sells well and what does not. When Magic Mill buys a new cash register system it will improve efficiencies, offer customers new benefits such as credit card purchasing and provide marketing data to be used by North Farm.

All-in-all, the future looks encouraging for Magic Mill. When you are in Madison, take time to shop at the Mill located in the University Station plaza at 2862 University Avenue. You’ll be glad you did!

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North Farm Staff Picks Favorite Products

Chris Balistreri, Sales Rep
“Sprouted Breads—If you haven’t tried these breads yet, I encourage you to give ‘em a try. The quality is second to none for a fresh frozen bread. Both taste great, are organic, toast well, come from great manufacturers, are very good for you and worth every cent. French Meadow’s “Healthy Hemp” sprouted bread (#3164) and Alvarado St. Bakery Cooperative’s Multigrain sprouted bread (#3317). Yummy!”

Bonnie Heitner, Web Developer
“I have only been with North Farm for six months. Of the products I’ve tried I really like Kettle Chips’ Baked, Salted Potato Chip LF (#15619) and Glaceau’s Fruit Waters—especially the Raspberry-Lime flavor (#15566). Being from Wisconsin and a cheese connoisseur, I think the North Farm brand is one of the best I have tasted. I plan to try a variety of new products each week.”

Denise Denu, Marketing Assistant
“I really like the Niora Naturals facial care line, particularly the Alpha Intensive Face Moisturizer (#8416) and the Alpha C Serum (#8357). These products have very clean ingredients and don’t irritate my skin. I also like Bob’s Red Mill Flax Meal (#5932) which has a wonderful nutty flavor and makes a healthy addition to yogurt or cereal.”

Dottie Dykstra, Board Administrator
“Nature’s Gate Eye Makeup Remover (#19733). It’s very light and gentle. In a word, it’s perfect! And the bottle will last me darn near forever! One slightly saturated cotton ball handles that yucky mascara buildup with ease! No more rubbing, rubbing, rubbing. As we women get older, our faces get drier. The oil base works as a wonderful moisturizer overnight. I wake up to a clear, never-dry face looking back at me in the mirror.”

Chris Nord, Warehouse
“My favorite North Farm products are the Alacer Emergen-C powdered drinks. I also like potato soup cups —These give me a quick warmup after I’ve been working in the cooler.”

Elizabeth Disch, Member Service Rep
“My favorite products:
Mountain High Fat-Free Black Cherry Yogurt (#10285)—I have one every morning for breakfast and give a bit to my cat. She likes it so much she dances on my head before the alarm clock goes off and meows until her craving is satisfied.
Red Grapefruit (#16405)—Really tasty and juicy!
Garden of Eatin’ Mini Corn Chips (#4086)—These are some of the best chips I have ever eaten. Cute too!
Newman’s Salt and Pepper Pretzels (#17948)—Very addictive!”

His neighbors said he was crazy. The experts he consulted told him he was wasting his time; his wife thought he had become obsessed; but David Mintz persisted filling the night with the sound of clattering pots and high-pitched mixers as he looked for a way to make a nondairy frozen dessert from the fermented soy bean curd—tofu.

That was in the late 1970s. A few years later, the result of Mintz’s incessant experiments would sweep the nation as Tofutti, a terrific-tasting frozen dessert with no cholesterol, no butterfat and about one-third the calories of premium ice cream.

A likeable Brooklyn native, David Mintz began experimenting with tofu in the early 70s, seeking a nondairy substitute to use at his kosher delicatessen. “If you keep kosher, you cannot mix meat and dairy,” he said. “I wanted to serve my customers things like beef stroganoff and lasagna, so I was always looking for something to use in place of dairy—but everything I tried tasted awful”. 

Then one day David Mintz read an article in a health magazine about tofu, a gelatin-like soybean curd long used in Asian cuisine and just beginning to gain acceptance among health conscious American, who used it as a cholesterol and lactose-free substitute. After reading the article Mintz exclaimed, “Hey this is what I’ve been looking for all my life!”. He went to China-town, picked up a pail of tofu and started experimenting.

Mintz’s early experiments yielded impressive results. “The first thing I made was “sour cream’ for my Stroganoff (that was pretty easy). Then I started making tofu pancakes, tofu cheese dips and tofu quiche… it was fantastic! Discovering tofu was like discovering America; it opened up a whole new world”.

Tofu proved to be such a realistic substitute for dairy products that some of his customers suspected him of violating kosher law. One woman yelled at him “Have you lost your religion?” Other customers threw down their napkins and vowed to never return to his delicatessen. Eventually Mintz had to tack up posters explaining exactly what tofu is.

Despite his success at duplicating traditional dairy-based entrées, Mintz had a difficult time trying to develop a tofu ice cream substitute. “Dessert was a whole different ball game.” Recalls Mintz “No matter what I did, I could not get the results I wanted; I became obsessed with finding a tofu dessert.”

By the end of 1970’s, Mintz had finally succeeded in creating a frozen tofu dessert that had agreeable soy-free taste and the smooth texture of ice milk and frozen yogurt. Every different flavor represented a challenge, each one difficult to get right, but David Mintz did succeed. Soon the demand for Tofutti spread beyond Manhattan; he was receiving calls from all over New York, New Jersey and Connecticut.

By 1981, it was clear that Mintz faced a major decision: remain at the deli and sell Tofutti as a side line, or leave the security of his established business, risk everything and turn his invention into a healthy national product. A voice inside gave him the answer. “DO IT!” He sold his first order of Tofutti to a health shop called “The Health Nut” in Manhattan…it cost him a $45.00 ticket for double parking, but his business was on it’s way!

Tofutti started as a one-man operation with a phone and answering machine; within two years there were 38 phones, each ringing with demands for Tofutti products. David Mintz has turned down several offers from large corporations to buy out Tofutti “Our attitude is, “Thanks, but no thanks. There is still a lot we want to do with Tofutti, and we are just beginning to scratch the surface of what can be done with Soy.”