Curbside Pickup Closing Announcement

Chico Natural Foods Co-op owners and shoppers,
We wanted to let you know that after careful consideration, we’ve made the decision to discontinue our Curbside grocery pickup service. Over the past few years, we’ve seen a steady decline in usage of this service, and we believe this change will allow us to better focus on enhancing the in-store shopping experience for all shoppers, while eliminating administrative and software costs.

What Does This Mean for You?

• Curbside Pickup will end on Monday, April 1st, 2025.

• We’ve remodeled our store to make it easier for you to shop and make your visits even better! If you need help, we are always happy to lend a hand.

• Please let us know if you have any suggestions for other services or improvements you’d like to see at the co-op.

Thank you for your understanding and continued support. We appreciate being part of your community!

Cooperatively,

CNFC

Chico Natural Foods Co-op Boosts Discount to 75% for CalFresh Shoppers on California-Grown Produce

Chico, CA – Fresh, local produce is about to get even more affordable for shoppers using their EBT benefits. Starting April 1, 2024, Chico Natural Foods Co-op is increasing its discount on California-grown fresh fruits and vegetables from 50% to 75% for CalFresh shoppers.

Thanks to an extended grant from the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA), the Co-op’s MORE (Matching On Regional Eats) program will provide even deeper savings—helping shoppers stretch their food budgets while supporting small local farms.

What CalFresh Shoppers Need to Know:

• New 75% discount on all California-grown fresh produce (previously 50%) at Chico Natural Foods grocery store and deli, located at 818 Main Street.

• No sign-ups or enrollment required—just mention to your cashier that you’ll be using CalFresh benefits. Then, simply show your EBT card, and the discount will be applied automatically at checkout.

• Up to $60 off per transaction.

• Program extended through the end of 2025.

A Win for Families and Farmers

“We are thrilled to offer an even bigger discount through the MORE program,” said General Manager Liza Tedesco. “This increase to 75% means more families can afford the freshest, healthiest food while supporting local farmers. With CalFresh benefits decreasing for so many, this program comes at a critical time.”

About the MORE Program

Launched in 2019, the Co-op's MORE program was the first of its kind in Butte County. Since 2020, it has provided over $159,000 in discounts to CalFresh shoppers. Beyond affordability, the program strengthens the local food economy by increasing revenue for regional farmers and food producers. Over the course of the year, this program will support 45 local and regional farmers, further building a strong, sustainable food system.

Chico Natural Foods Co-op is a community-owned grocery store, and everyone is welcome—no membership required. The store is committed to increasing access to fresh, healthy foods and supporting small, local farmers by promoting a resilient, sustainable food system.

Funded by the California Nutrition Incentive Program (CNIP), the program is administered by the CDFA’s Office of Farm to Fork.

Co-op Annual Meeting Monday, February 24

Next Monday, Feb 24, 6pm - 7pm:  CNFC Annual Meeting on Zoom

Gathering For Growth: Celebrating our Community

Mark your calendars and join the Board of Directors for a quick and fun Annual Meeting.  Our last year has been filled with so much change and growth to our beloved little store.  Let’s get together and discuss the highlights of what we’ve done this past year to get to where we are now and envision possibilities of the new year ahead.

Members and non-members of the Co-op community are invited to join the discussion, so invite a friend!

To end the meeting, we will be sharing our favorite Co-op treats, so bring your favorite to the virtual meeting and let’s chat!

Zoom Meeting Link:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83674487689?pwd=qhKUXSYx3Nom3GktUQabV2ernE8DiA.1

Meeting ID: 836 7448 7689
Passcode: 502240

One tap mobile
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Owner Rewards Program Discontinuation

Dear Co-op Owners,

It is no understatement to say that our Owner Rewards Loyalty Points program has been used and appreciated by many since its roll-out on January 1, 2020. Over the years, we’ve given away approximately $30,000 annually in discounts to members ($149,050 from January 2020 – December 2024), and that amount continues to grow each year.

Owner Rewards programs are common at food co-ops, and many have seen increased membership and sales as a result of offering loyalty programs. We were hopeful for similar growth here at Chico Natural Foods Co-op, however, after five years of operation, our membership and sales numbers have remained relatively flat since the program’s launch. Unfortunately, this program, rather than supporting growth, has become a financial challenge, impacting our ability to cover rising expenses.

After careful review, and with the long-term sustainability of the Co-op in mind, we have made the difficult decision to discontinue the Owner Rewards Loyalty Points program, effective February 1, 2025. This decision was not made lightly, but it is necessary for the future health of our Co-op as we explore new ways to bring value to your membership.

We recognize that this is a significant change, so we’re providing plenty of time to use any accumulated points before they expire on April 30, 2025.

The good news? While we’re discontinuing the Owner Rewards Loyalty Points program, we are committed to offering sales and promotions that deliver meaningful savings and help attract new members. Our goal is to strengthen our Co-op community with sustainable initiatives that support long-term success and growth.

As we continue to navigate our financial journey, the Co-op remains a beloved community market. We want to reassure you that, as always, our commitment to providing high-quality products at fair prices remains unchanged. We’ve recently remodeled our store to make it more welcoming and accessible for all of our owners and shoppers. With the retail grocery landscape evolving rapidly, shopping at the Co-op for your groceries, local produce, and fresh foods is the best way to support Chico’s only community-owned grocery store.

We are so grateful to our 2,500+ Co-op Owners who continue to make the Co-op a cherished community hub for all things local, natural, and organic. Your ongoing support helps ensure the Co-op’s place as a vital resource in our community.

Yours Co-operatively,

Liza Tedesco
General Manager

Customer Advisory: Recall Notice!

Customer Advisory: Potential E. coli Contamination in Organic Carrots

At the Co-op, ensuring the safety and well-being of our shoppers is our foremost priority. With this commitment in mind, we feel obligated to inform you about a potential food safety concern related to organic carrots under investigation for potential E. coli contamination. Here's what you need to know:

• Affected Product: The products in question are organic retail-packaged organic whole carrots sold in stores from August 14th, 2024 and September 11th, 2024 and Organic Baby Carrots with best-if-used-by-dates ranging from September 11th, 2024 and November 12, 2024.  The recalled carrots are no longer in stores, but may be in customers’ refrigerators or freezers.  The affected farms are no longer in production.

• Action Required:  We urge customers to act in an abundance of caution: Please discard any carrots purchased at our Co-op during the dates above. We will provide a full refund for these products. Additionally, as recommended by the CDC, please ensure to sanitize any containers used to store said carrots.

• Confirmed Cases: As of now, there have been no reported cases of E. coli infections linked to any products sold at the Co-op. However, we believe in transparency and wish to keep our customers informed about our proactive measures. 

• Our Commitment: Rest assured, we adhere to stringent food safety protocols to guarantee that the products we offer are safe, fresh, and of the highest quality. Your trust in us is invaluable, and we take every precaution to maintain it.

If you have any concerns or queries regarding this matter, please do not hesitate to contact the Co-op. Your safety and satisfaction remain our utmost priority.

Transition For The Ages...

What a great transition we have all witnessed for our store these many long months. We witnessed it first hand while we shopped. There was no closure behind big plywood covered windows with us not knowing what they were doing. No secrets here.  We got to continue our shopping and could see very well behind those plastic curtains what was going on, since it was very easy to peek! We could see when the changes seemed to come fast and when they seemed to stall out for long periods of time, as most construction projects do. We got to see shelves move and grow taller and products disappear only to appear somewhere else. We got to see our little store grow bigger in the same footprint.  How DID they do that?

We also get to see what most shoppers really want because that is what the store is based on. It has to be in order to survive. I miss bulk black currants that have been gone for a year or so. It is a food staple for me. I actually special ordered a case last year and got a few people to take a pound or two, but mostly I filled gallon jars and enjoyed a surplus of black currants for a year. But it appears I am alone in my consumption of black currants and I can't expect the co-op to use a bulk bin just so I can have them on my morning cereal.

Thank goodness for special orders. What a great service to offer us member-owners so we can still get products that might not be as popular with other shoppers. If you are unsure how special orders work, be sure to check in with a staff member. Be patient because, just like the layout of the store, the staff and in fact all of us members and shoppers are in transition too as we move into a new age of the Co-op.

We all know that things are changing, but what has stayed the same? The Co-op is still rooted, designed and committed to the principles agreed upon by the international cooperative community. We are a member-owned grocery store operating for the benefit of our owners and wider community. Yes, we need to make a profit to continue to exist, but it is not profit for absentee investors making money off the labor of the employees. The “fee” you pay to become a member is not the same as a fee you pay to shop at a corporate club. The Co-op “fee” is actually an equity investment in the store. There’s no risk in investing; your shares are fully refundable. There is a minimum investment of $20.00 for 1 year and a maximum of $300.00 to be fully invested.

Continue choosing your local community over corporate businesses whenever you can, and if you are not a member-owner of the co-op yet, please join up soon and invest in this community-owned gem of a grocery store. 

Enjoy the benefits!

Kathy Faith
Board of Directors