Eat & Drink
After 40 years is Karma Co-op about to go deadpool?
Karma Co-op, the beloved non-profit organic food cooperative, is in danger of having its doors closed for good. Members of the co-op received an email late last week. The email, which was later circulated on Reddit, spread concern about the shop's imminent demise —unless they increase sales by $21,000 per month.
Talia McGuire is the acting general manager of the Annex shop, and she says the co-op realized it was in serious trouble at the last AGM in October. Since then, Karma has been hosting internal workshops and events to try to get existing members to be more actively engaged. The co-op also held a membership drive in November, but McGuire says it didn't drum up the support needed to create a significant leap in sales. That leap has to happen by June, or the co-op is kaput.
Opening up the model to accommodate non-members would undeniably ramp up sales numbers, but McGuire says making those changes would be more difficult than it sounds.
"Our model is not set up to allow non-members to shop, but we're re-evaluating that and discussing how to eliminate barriers to joining and make that more accessible." In the meantime, they have extended their trial shopping period from a day to a month, and the membership fee is waived for that period. (Membership is $40 per year).
Karma is aiming to attract 100 new members by June, as well. More details can be found on their site.
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You can choose to work (volunteer) or you can be a non-working Member. Those interested in great local produce and products should come and try it for the free trials.
People who are interested in alternatives to the main stream should probably join.
BTW the Co-Op is in Seaton Village which is right near the Annex neighbourhood, just steps away from Bloor & Bathurst.
http://www.toronto.ca/demographics/cns_profiles/cns95.htm
Reading their website makes it seem like an intimidating place to go. The location can't be helping matters.
So to sum up: Located in a back alley, only members can shop there, costs $40 a year to be a member, prices are higher than most other grocery stores, members must work there at least two hours a month or pay a fee.
This is not a slam against Karma Co-op, or any organic grocery stores, but it is easy to see how shopping there is prohibitively expensive and inconvenient for the average consumer. One has to be rather well-off with flexible work hours to be able to afford to do the right thing by shopping at Karma Co-op.
No Annex street signs west of Bathurst = not the Annex.
But I'm interested, for sure. No reason why it can't be as successful (or awesome) as Mountain Equipment Co-op.
www.imdb.com/title/tt0094963/?ref_=sr_2
So i went to the website to check it out and possibly joining.
After reading on how to be a member, I changed my mind.
WAYYYYY too confusing.
I would love to support a place like this. But a confusing membership policy, and other alternatives that are much easier to join.
If it does end up in the deadpool it would not be a surprise to be honest.
This is the real world, the organic food space can be found at all major supermarkets now.
The member structure definitely has its downfall, but as said in the article, it is working to try to simplify it and open it up to everyone.
By shopping there instead of my local Metro or Noah's, I know I am saving money on organic produce and bulk, contributing to a ethical practice (staff is paid a reasonable salary), and being a part of an amazing community of people who share some similar thoughts on the nature and the food industry.
So overall I love this place- my weekly shop is cheaper and far more enjoyable and I've met great people there. I just hope there are enough other people who feel the same so this gem can carry on.
Karma’s prices are actually about 9% lower than nearby competitors, and sometimes as much as 17% lower according to a recent comparison. Regardless, I am personally willing to pay a bit more for food that is healthy and supports local, sustainable agriculture.
Aside from price, here are some of Karma's other attributes:
- Karma sells a lot of its products in bulk with minimal packaging (you can bring your own or buy bags for 5cents). Things like detergents, nut butters, oils, flours, miso, grains, beans, cereals, honey, agave, and (best of all) maple syrup are all sold in bulk. Hard to find elsewhere.
- Very few stores in Toronto have a purchasing policy that compares to Karma’s. It strives to carry local, organic and fair trade products wherever possible and has outright eliminated brands that don’t align with its ethical standards. (e.g Tropicana / Nestle) It is also committed to keeping foods with genetically modified ingredients off the shelves. This guarantee alone makes Karma’s membership fees worthwhile to me. (You can read their Product Policy on their website)
- Karma staff can “special order” products that customers request if they don’t already carry it. And if enough members request a product, Karma will gladly stock it (as long as it aligns with the purchasing policy). It’s this kind of two-way dialogue that is unique to the co-operative model. Karma is an ideal store for consumers who want to be involved and engaged in their food system and choices.
- Karma cultivates strong and lasting relationships with local farmers and food processors and works to pay them what their food is worth. (in my professional life I work with a lot of farmers and they have repeatedly told me even grocery stores who are outwardly committed to supporting local food still try and pay as little as possible for it…which to me does the opposite of supporting local farms).
If you're curious about Karma Co-op, I would recommend just going by the store one day to learn more and get a first hand experience. The staff are very knowledgeable and friendly, so feel free to ask them (or other members) questions about the co-op. Right now you can also shop for 30 days without having to become a member, so it’s a good way to get a feel for how the shopping experience, selection, and price compare to your usual grocery store.
Their website also has lots of good information.
1. Atmosphere and People. Karma is a community of people who have a shared vision of a sustainable, fair and healthy food system. This is evident from the atmosphere – from the eclectic music playing (chosen by staff members, not engineered to make you buy more), the community notice board, the quirky signs giving you more information about products, the availability of a washroom for members to use, and on and on. It is also evident because people feel comfortable talking to each other there – whether to ask how others prepare a particular vegetable, or to just shoot the breeze about a local event. I can’t remember the last time I spoke to someone I’d never met before at Loblaws or Qi but I do it all the time at Karma.
2. Learning/Making Connections. Working at Karma is not an obligation, as a previous commenter suggested, but a choice. I’ve really enjoyed putting my two hours/month in at Karma because it has allowed me to get to know a little bit more about how a food store works, and to get to know other members, who I then later bump into in the store, which gets back to point #1.
3. Fair Prices. Karma tries not only to keep prices low for members, but pay fair prices to farmers and other producers. This does not mean that Karma’s prices are necessarily higher (they may seem higher because we list prices in kilos not pounds like most other places), but it’s important to note that good food cannot be gotten at rock bottom prices unless someone (e.g. the farmer or the farm workers) are getting screwed – which is what is typically happening when you buy cheap organics or whatnot at Wal-Mart, and, I sometimes wonder, Herbs & Nutrition or Qi.
4. Democratic Principles. The fact that Karma sells only to members (and prospective members can try shopping there, no strings attached) is not about exclusivity. It’s about the fact that it’s a coop and has cooperative principles. It means we all pool our money and our resources to make it work. This has tremendous benefits. Because we all own the coop, and most of us help to run it, we all have a say and a part in how it is run. To give just one example, our product policy was created by members and through a full membership ratification process. Other decisions are also made democratically – through voting and other forms of member opinion collection. I’m not sure why the building that was originally chosen for the store was located in a back alley, but as a non-profit, this was likely a more financially viable option.
There are so many other reasons to love karma but to keep this short, I will stop listing them here.
New members are always welcome, and anyone can come do a “trial shop” (without first becoming a member) any time!
If more of these hippies would live in the REAL world instead of going on with all that whatever-it-is, people like us wouldn't have to read about it on the Internet.
Much Thanks,
A Fellow Insightful Citizen
Be very wary.
(weirdo...)
What has Karma done to adjust and adapt with all of its direct competitors opening all over the city? What differentiates it from other places that have great knowledgeable staff? The fact that I have to volenteer my own hours to work there so that I can shop there?