June 2024 Letters to the Editor
Share your views with other PCC members and shoppers by sending a letter to the editor for consideration to editor@pccmarkets.com. Letters that are printed may be edited before publication.
Compostable packaging
Hi! I have a question regarding the packaging for PCC deli items. Are the stickers compostable? I appreciate that the containers are compostable, but as far as I can tell the stickers are not. If that’s the case, then either the consumer would need to peel it off (which is time consuming), throw the entire container in the landfill, or put it in the compost bin (even though the sticker material contains plastic films or adhesives that aren’t compostable).
PCC elections
When I reviewed the candidates for this year’s board election, I was surprised and disappointed to discover that my vote (and the votes of all PCC members) will be pointless. There are four candidates who were allowed on the ballot, and four open positions. Thus, the PCC Board has effectively already chosen the future board members. The election itself appears to be for show.
If the PCC Board has determined that it will choose its own members without the community’s input, please be transparent about it. Please don’t hold an election that is meaningless. That is not a democracy.
PCC replies: Each year the PCC leadership team considers what skills on the Board of Trustees would be most valuable to them in navigating PCC’s short- and long-term strategic goals. The leadership team provides this evaluation to the Governance and Membership Committee (GMC) of the Board to use in soliciting applicants for the upcoming election. In 2023, informed by these priorities, the PCC leadership team determined that a trustee with executive-level experience in grocery merchandising, operations or supply chain management would be the most valuable addition to the Board.
In the 2024 election cycle, there were four seats on the Board up for election, and three of four Board incumbents (Donna Rasmussen, Laurae McIntyre and Rodney Hines) submitted applications to be considered to serve another term on the Board. After interviewing candidates for the Board, the GMC recommended one additional candidate, Joe Rogoff, be placed on the ballot along with the three incumbents. The Board chose not to place more candidates on the ballot than available seats because of the immense value that the three incumbent candidates would continue to bring to the Board, and because the additional candidate’s grocery expertise, combined with his passion for natural and organic foods, was a remarkably rare combination of qualifications that made him the most compelling candidate for the fourth open trustee position. Members always have the option to vote “no” on any candidate; those who do not receive a majority of “yes” votes will not be elected to the board. Trustee Megan Karch discussed the process in more detail in this Sound Consumer article if you would like to read more, and results from the 2024 election are online here.
Chick culling
Hi there, I was researching your line of PCC eggs and I wanted to reach out with a question about where PCC purchases their hens from. Does PCC buy chicks from a vendor that uses chick culling? I am trying to purchase eggs that are ethical. By all other accounts PCC eggs check all the boxes. But I want to avoid buying eggs from companies that participate in the slaughter of male chickens.
Thank you for your time!
Brian C.
In terms of what one can do now, we would recommend focusing on the welfare of laying hens that are producing the eggs we enjoy. Misty Meadows, available at all PCC stores, is a local pastured operation that has a strong commitment to hen welfare, as is Palouse Pastured Poultry, available in all PCC locations except the Burien store, where we hope to add them soon. Our Private Label eggs also come from hens raised with some of the highest welfare requirements; they have access to lush pasture and spend almost 100% of their time on it, thanks to Wilcox’s mobile hen houses.
We hope this helps you decide which eggs to purchase. We appreciate you sharing your concerns, it helps us better understand what our shoppers care about and how we can improve our standards.
Molly Moon Ice Cream
Could you let me know what the benefit is for PCC members at Molly Moon’s?