Q: What brought you to Linden Hills Co-op?
A: My first job in high school was bagging groceries at the local co-op, and I stayed there for nearly five years. I totally fell in love with the sense of community and the people that work and shop at co-ops. When I moved to the city and needed to find a new job, the first place I looked was the co-ops. The only job opening when I applied at Linden Hills was in the Produce department, and it seemed like fate. I had always envied the people who worked in Produce at my first job, and I knew that’s exactly where I wanted to be.
Q: What do you love about working in the Produce department?
A: There is so much that I love about my job! I love being surrounded by beautiful, fresh, colorful food every day, and I love that it changes every season. It’s really difficult to get bored with produce when there’s something new and exciting almost every week. But really the best part about my job is the people that I work with. There’s so much passion in the produce world, from my co-workers to the farmers and distributors that I work with, everyone seems to love what they do and that makes me love what I do. I’ve made so many wonderful friends here, and that makes this job really special.
Q: What produce should our customers look forward to this winter?
A: Citrus! You’ll see a lot of different citrus in the store throughout the winter. My favorites are Cara Cara oranges and pommelos! There’s so much wonderful flavor and variety in citrus season, and the vitamin C will help fight off winter colds and flus.
For veggies, look for local roots! The famous Featherstone Farm carrots will be in store through the winter. We joke that they are veggie candy; they’re just so sweet. We’ll also have local beets, parsnips, turnips and so much more.
Q: What is something owners might not know about the Produce department?
A: We’ll cut you a sample of anything if you ask us. We love to sample produce for customers, and it gives us a chance to taste it, too!
Emily’s favorite at the moment:
I love tangy flavors and with peak citrus season happening right now I’m all about ALL the varieties we have here at co-op! Currently my faves are Buck Brand CaraCara Navel Oranges AKA Pink Navels, Red Globe Pummelo, and MeloGold Grapefruit. But we are always getting in new varieties as the season progresses so keep checking in with your produce staff to try the latest.
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