“Good food. Quality products. The farmers, the staff, the community needs PCC. Even the world benefits from PCC.” – Edmonds PCC shopper, June 2018

Two years ago, we began surveying PCC customers at checkout. Shoppers are randomly selected every day to tell us how we’re doing by completing an online questionnaire.

We receive hundreds of comments every month. I read each one and share them across our leadership team, highlighting comments — both positive and negative — that stand out to me. I believe this candid and honest feedback is a barometer for how our co-op is performing in market.

While comments range from disappointment over items that were out of stock or that we simply don’t carry — cucumber kimchi, alfalfa sprouts, duct tape — to suggestions on how to better season our made-from-scratch turkey meatloaf, the majority of them share a common theme: trust. As one Fremont shopper put it: “I trust that you have done the leg work to make sure I can feel proud to feed my family the food that we buy in your store.”

That trust wasn’t easily earned. It’s taken our co-op generations to build the relationships with local producers, the credibility in food policy, and the expertise in organic and sustainability standards that ground the trust our members and shoppers hold in us.

We continue to build that trust daily through conversations between staff and shoppers about everything from the unique story behind our purple sprouting broccoli to our decision to stop selling Chinook salmon from Washington, Oregon and British Columbia.

This annual Co-op Purposes Report is another example of how we strive to continue to earn our members’ and shoppers’ trust. By reflecting on our goals and results, we can offer transparency into our efforts against our social, environmental and financial bottom lines. I think you’ll find that our co-op is healthy and thriving across all three.

To share a few highlights, we achieved 100 percent renewable energy at the end of 2018, through the purchase of renewable energy credits for wind power, and we donated more than 430,000 meals to our neighbors in need, bringing us that much closer to our goal of donating one million meals by 2022.

Gross sales also grew at a healthy rate — 4.6 percent over last year. Burien PCC, which opened in May 2018, exceeded expectations, revealing both the loyalty of our West Seattle shoppers — many of whom have made it their temporary store until we reopen West Seattle PCC later this year — and the enthusiasm of the local community for PCC, our shared values, and the organic, sustainably sourced food we offer.

Looking ahead, our co-op plans to add nearly 500 new jobs to the Puget Sound area by the end of 2020 with new stores in Ballard, Bellevue, Downtown Seattle, Madison Valley and West Seattle; eliminate plastic packaging from our deli by 2022; and work hard every day to, as one shopper encouraged, “Keep taking it to higher ground.

– Cate Hardy, PCC Community Markets CEO

When our co-op opened in 1953, we could not have imagined the positive impact we would have on our community. From advocating for strong national organic standards to creating a land trust that has protected over 2,500 acres of farmland, PCC Community Markets has a long legacy of commitment to our producers, our neighborhoods and the environment we all share.
In 2017, our co-op set ambitious sustainability goals that ensure our commitment to our social and environmental bottom line is equal to our financial. In 2018, we made significant progress toward these goals, such as achieving 100 percent renewable energy across our stores. We are pleased to report our progress to you in our annual Co-op Purposes Report.
Opening our new Burien store was another highlight of 2018. Designed to conserve energy and water, Burien PCC was built with sustainable materials and is pending LEED certification. We are happy to report that the store is performing well financially. It provides fresh, organic food to the neighborhood, and food is donated daily to the local food bank. Equally important, it has become an important gathering place for the Burien community.
As PCC grows, we continue to maintain our longstanding support of organic and sustainable production. Thirty years ago, PCC started the PCC Farmland Trust to protect organic farmland. In 2018, we pledged to continue our support of the Trust by committing $1 million to their capital campaign.
We also expanded our advocacy work by becoming a full member of the National Organic Coalition, a prestigious advocacy group focused on defending the national organic standards. Our membership gives us a stronger presence in Washington, D.C. with regulators and the organic community.
In a rapidly growing city, feeding our neighbors has become more important than ever. That’s why we’re committed to feeding 1 million neighbors in need by 2022. This year, we donated more than 430,000 meals through our bulk food donation program and our grocery rescue program.
Looking ahead, we will be opening new stores and reopening our West Seattle location. With these store openings, we will be selling more organic products, increasing our membership and amplifying our positive impact on the world. Rest assured that as we grow, so too does our commitment to our triple bottom line. This year alone proves that we are not letting up. Our co-op is pushing harder than ever — with your help — to build a more sustainable world.

– PCC Board of Trustees