Since the positive vote for consolidation between the Wedge Community Co-op and Linden Hills Co-op in the fall of 2016, the two co-ops have been working together on a collaborative implementation plan.
Eight committees were developed in the December to focus on specific elements of the business. Each committee is comprised of Wedge and Linden Hills management and staff. The committees have given us the opportunity to better understand each other’s businesses and to explore the most efficient systems and policies for the future organization. Each month, committees present recommendations to a Steering Committee for review. Implementation of the recommendations will take anywhere from a few months to more than a year based on complexity.
The collaboration and enthusiasm in the committees has been extremely positive and illustrates that we truly are stronger together.
PREPARED FOODS COMMITTEE
expanding systems for sourcing, pricing and delivery of prepared foods from the Wedge commissary to Linden Hills.
PURCHASING / MERCHANDISING COMMITTEE
determining centralized purchasing practices and where we might gain efficiencies. Identifying similar and unique items, cross-store pricing, promotions and merchandising.
CULTURE COMMITTEE
creating an open environment for staff to engage and communicate across all locations.
HR COMMITTEE
HR departments from both locations are defining a combined system for all employee related functions, procedures and policies. Some examples would be health insurance and payroll.
IT COMMITTEE
the teams are creating a solid networking infrastructure between all locations, including Point of Sale systems.
OPERATIONS & LOGISTICS COMMITTEE
setting up pricing, delivery and buying standards for how CPW (Co-op Partners Warehouse) will interact with the retail stores. Using scale for better pricing.
FINANCE COMMITTEE
in charge of closing the consolidation legal transaction and integrating the financial systems for all entities.
MARKETING, BRANDING AND OWNERSHIP COMMITTEE
coordinating all marketing and ownership functions. Examples of this are website, social media, newsletters and owner benefits.
Keep an eye on your mailbox mid-June for even more consolidation dates.
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