Good Food Junction closes
- EFN Staff | January 15, 2016
Low sales and a challenging market environment are forcing the Good Food Junction to shut its door
The Good Food Junction Co-operative Board of Directors announced they will be closing the core neighbourhood grocery store January 27, 2015. The decision was made after three years of insufficient sales to support the store, and despite the efforts of the co-op's board, management and staff to profitably operate a grocery store within a challenging industry and highly competitive marketplace.
"It was important to the board and core members of the co-op that teh store provide exemplary service and offer a wide variety of high-quality fresh foods at an accessible price," says Board Vice Chair Audra Krueger. "Unfortunately, the co-op was not able to meet our customers' expectations with respect to product offerings and prices. The co-op's low sales reflect this. Our inability to overcome the complex challenges of running an independent grocery store in an underserved community made the decision to close the store necessary.
The Good Food Junction opened in September 2012. The co-op is a community-led initiative responding to a lack of affordable fresh food in Saskatoon's west side core neighbourhoods after the community's last remaining grocery store closed in the 1990's. Operating with a focus on addressing food security in the community, the co-op has grown to over 1,800 members in its 3 years of operations.
"Despite strong member growth and unwavering core support, the store could not generate sufficient sales in the highy competitive, low-margin, grocery industry to sustain itself."
The store's closing wil be preceded by a liquation sale starting January 15th.