Hot Bar Menu

Hot bar Menu

Monday, March 18, 2024

Breakfast 8:00AM-10:45AM:
Vegan Biscuits
Buttermilk Biscuits
Vegan Sausage Gravy
Scrambled Eggs
Roasted Potatoes & Poblanos
Chilaquiles
Vegan Sausage Sandwich on Flour Head Bakery Cuban Roll
Chicken & Red Pepper Sauce Burrito
Tofu Scramble Santa Fe Burrito
Lunch 10:45AM-6PM:
Vegan 3 Bean Chili
Grilled Buffalo Chicken
Macaroni & Cheese
Roasted Broccoli
Roasted Green Beans
**Rotating Vegetable Sides**
Soups:
Tomato Garden Vegetable
Broccoli & Cheddar
Sausage & Shrimp Gumbo

Board News

The Board of Directors is pleased to convene five committees this year, with participation of both Directors and members of the cooperative. We appreciate the willingness of members to contribute their knowledge, experience, and enthusiasm for Three Rivers Market to our committees’ work. We would like to share the mission and purpose of each committee with members: 

The Board Perpetuation Committee will represent the interest of the Board of Directors in organizing, coordinating, and monitoring the election for Board Director seats during the year in which the term of those seats expire. The committee will further be responsible for taking action to recruit enough suitable candidates to provide a contested election, and certify that only candidates that meet eligibility requirements may be able to participate in the election.

The Building Committee is tasked with researching, advising, and making recommendations on the maintenance and improvement of the physical structure of Three Rivers Market to the Board of Directors and the General Manager. The Committee’s purpose is to ensure the Cooperative’s physical structure supports the mission, values, and strategic objectives through informed recommendations for its maintenance and improvement.

The Audit Committee will provide the Board informed observations and recommendations for monitoring of financial condition, as well as offer suggestions for the content, format, and distribution of the FY23-24 Annual Report.

The Member Linkage Committee will represent the interest of the Board of Directors in advancing the linkage between members, the co-op, and the Board of Directors. To advance this objective, the Member Linkage Committee will organize or sponsor at least one member linkage event each quarter. Additionally, the Member Linkage Committee, with the cooperation of the General Manager, will organize and coordinate a physical presence in the co-op dedicated to educating members about the governance process, members rights, and the ongoing work of the Board. The Member Linkage Committee will also coordinate, with Board consent, the monthly Board News posts, and other linkage communications with members. 

The Staff Involvement in Governance Committee will research models of staff involvement in the cooperative governance process at different markets and prepare a report for Board consideration on possible models of staff involvement in Three Rivers Market governance. 

Members who would like to get involved with these committees are welcome to send us an email at board@threeriversmarket.coop. Please include the name of the committee(s) in which you are interested, and information about the relevant skills and experience you can offer that committee.

Board News

We are pleased to share the appointment of Jackie Kittrell to seat 7 of the Board of Directors, which became vacant with the passing of Helen de Haven last summer. Jackie is the Executive Director of the Community Mediation Center (CMC), a nonprofit that provides mediation services to our community in Knox and surrounding counties, regardless of ability to pay, and with a focus on vulnerable populations in need of mediation services and training services. She is also a licensed TN attorney, practicing employment law, civil rights law, and family law for over 35 years.

Jackie recently attended Cooperative Board Leadership 101 along with newly elected Directors Alhen Drillich and Adam Hughes. This training, a benefit of Board service, is provided by Columinate, a consulting cooperative serving mission-driven organizations. Here are some reflections on this learning experience: 

 

Alhen Drillich:In my recent CBL 101 course from Columinate, we explored cooperative economics, governance, and financial management, starting with the history of African American cooperative development. We discussed examples like the Southern Tenant Farmers Union, highlighting how communities built economic support systems during segregation.

The course emphasized the active role of cooperatives in economic and social resilience, recognizing contributions labor unions in establishing co-ops. We debated the balance between cooperative values and market competition, stressing the importance of member engagement and education.

In break-out groups, we shared experiences from our co-ops, discussing challenges like member engagement, trust-building, and balancing sustainability with accessibility. The course concluded with a focus on the responsibilities of Board members, including fiduciary duties and the importance of transparency and accountability in decision-making.

Overall, the course provided a comprehensive insight into cooperative principles and their practical application in today’s cooperative landscape.”

 

Adam Hughes:I’ve been thrilled and honored to join the Board of Three Rivers Market – I’d be lying, however, if I didn’t admit to sometimes feeling overwhelmed.  After taking Columinate’s CBL 101 training, I was struck by the feeling of how bold and difficult a task we as members and staff have taken on by trying to run a principled, successful market.  Markets like ours run on a razor’s edge; the typical cooperative market needs to sell $5 million worth of goods in order to turn a mere $50,000 profit. Some of the largest companies in the world are working to “disrupt” our industry and take our market space. New entrants in the market, expanding options in big-box stores, the rise of online ordering…all of these threaten to peel off our customer base and force us to respond.

The advantage we’ll always have, however, is community. It’s the amazing community of Three Rivers member-owners that provides our competitive advantage, and it’s there we need to look to maintain our distinctiveness. When you shop at Three Rivers, you’re building equity in a store you own with your neighbors; as a Board, we need to uplift the power of that shared model.  When you have thoughts on how Three Rivers can be even better, you’re invited to participate in the governance process; as a Board, we need to welcome in a variety of members, and provide opportunities for participation that meet everyone’s schedule. When you purchase food at Three Rivers, you can buy products sourced as locally and ethically as possible; as a Board, we need to show off our amazing farmers and providers and situate ourselves in a thriving East Tennessee food economy.

I hope you’re proud every time you shop at Three Rivers or encourage your friends to become members. In that pride, we find our greatest strength. As a Board member, this is the challenge that will motivate me in my work: am I helping to build a cooperative that we can all be proud of?”

 

New Directors’ next training is the four-part series Finance Training for Directors, which will enable them to better understand their role in financial oversight and evaluating risk. All Directors have the opportunity to attend additional educational and interactive sessions throughout the year on a variety of topics of interest to those involved in cooperative leadership. We look forward to continually furthering our learning in service to Three Rivers Market.

ATTENTION MEMBERS AND PATRONS

Good Morning! We hope you’re having a cozy Snow Day!
We are currently open, but there is a strong chance we will be closing early. Hurry in and grab your last minute items.
And, keep an eye out for more updates!

Board News

With the calendar year winding down, the Three Rivers Market Board spent its December meeting planning which committees would be chartered to achieve all the work planned for 2024, and the Board is asking for member participation on these committees. If you have an interest in serving on one of the committees, please click the link at the bottom of this post and complete a short questionnaire indicating your interest prior to the deadline of January 10th.

To go with the New Year and new committees, the Board is also welcoming two new members who recently won election to the board: Adam Hughes and Alhen Drillich.

Get to know our new Board members, Adam and Alhen:

ADAM HUGHES

As a community organizer, Adam Hughes brings a wealth of experience in building coalitions to the TRM board. Much of Adam’s work has been in East Tennessee, and focused on issues that impact community health, and he is no stranger to board service, having previously been on the boards for the Birdhouse Neighborhood Center, the Southern Connected Communities Project, and the Alliance for Appalachia Steering Committee.

Adam’s first job was in a supermarket, which now gives him a new appreciation for the product standards and commitment to strong employment benefits offered at Three Rivers. Adam moved to Knoxville in 2014 after graduating from Brandeis University with a B.A. in Economics (2012) and has been a regular TRM shopper since. He hopes his background as a community organizer, his prior experience working in a grocery store and his longtime love of TRM will inform his service as a board member.

 ALHEN DRILLICH

A commitment to cooperative principles and a wealth of experience supporting sustainable, community-centered local food businesses motivated Alhen Drillich to serve on the TRM Board. As the kitchen manager at Real Good Kitchen, Alhen plays a key role in promoting local food entrepreneurs, and much of his professional experience has involved helping small businesses grow and encouraging community well-being.

Accompanying Alhen’s passion for and belief in TRM is a love of the great outdoors. Alhen is a Volunteer National Park Ranger and enjoys finding perfect trails as much as discovering new flavors. He is very interested in diverse culinary experiences, especially fermented foods and beverages.

The cooperative value of Education, Training and Information particularly resonates with Alhen, and will help him raise awareness and advocate for the future of TRM.

Participate in the governance of TRM by registering for our January Board meeting, and by signing up to serve on a Board committee here by January 10th.

Board News

Governance Updates 

Our 2023 Election concluded on Saturday, December 2nd. We are pleased to announce the election of Alhen Drillich, Adam Hughes, and Kimberly Lomonaco. 17.1% of 3788 eligible electors voted in the election.

We are actively seeking to appoint a former employee who is eligible for Board service to complete the remainder of a term ending in December 2024, which became vacant by the passing of Secretary/Treasurer Helen de Haven last summer. Another seat recently became vacant with the resignation of Erin O’Tool. Those interested in being considered for appointment to these vacant seats can fill out this application, and the Board welcomes recommendations for members to appoint via email at board@threeriversmarket.coop.

In early 2024, new Directors will complete a training program that will familiarize them with the history of cooperatives, policy governance, understanding financial reports, among other topics that will prepare them to serve in their roles. These trainings are a benefit of Board service, and a significant part of our governance budget, the total of which was 0.26% of total sales in FY 22-23.

As we shared at our annual meeting on December 2nd, there were no bylaws changes during Fiscal Year 22-23. For the remainder of the current fiscal year (through June 2024), we have voted to designate Staff Involvement in Governance as our Study & Engagement topic. Options to consider include a staff liaison or ombudsperson, or a bylaws change that would result in a complete restructure of our Board to include seats for employees. We plan to seek input from members and employees, and will inform members about our ongoing research into this topic including, of course, any decisions that are made.

We will continue to build on the momentum of our member linkage efforts in 2023. These included the 2nd annual member picnic in June, a flower arranging educational and social event at the store in September, and several listening sessions in the dining area of the store this past month. We made efforts to increase readership of our Board News posts via links in the monthly “Updates from your Co-op” email and social media posts. We directly respond to members via email at board@threeriversmarket.coop, an account we exclusively manage, and provided the opportunity for members to speak at forums at our monthly meetings and our recent annual meeting. An invitation to participate on our 2024 Board committees will be forthcoming in the new year.

We are grateful for the increased interest in governance in the past few months and look forward to continued engagement with our members. We trust that, with your support, Three Rivers Market will continue serving as an example of how cooperative businesses can thrive.

Board News

Annual Report and Annual Meeting Recap

On Saturday, December 2nd, we held our Annual Meeting to share information about the financial condition of Three Rivers Market for Fiscal Year 2022-2023, which ran from July 1, 2022, through June 30, 2023. This message contains a summary of our presentation as well as our Annual Report, which can be found here.

We saw positive sales growth this past fiscal year, along with low debt (with 0.5 debt to equity); a high current ratio (2.6), meaning Three Rivers Market is able to pay off short-term liability satisfactorily; and a high quick ratio (2.1), which means our co-op has short-term paying ability without needing to sell inventory.

Each year the Board has the responsibility to decide whether to issue a patronage dividend after careful consideration of the cooperative’s financial condition. A patronage dividend is an allocation to members of a proportional value of the cooperative’s net taxable income. We will not issue a patronage dividend for FY 22-23, as a result of a negative net income, meaning expenses exceeded income.

Factors that impacted our financial condition included several extraordinary, new, or increased expenses, many of which reflect our values.

We value being a good employer. Increases in labor related expenses are the result of internal promotions, increases in wages and benefits to all staff, a higher number and a higher percentage of full-time staff, a higher percentage of employees receiving insurance benefits, and discounts on purchases for staff members. Labor costs also included severances paid to former upper level management during FY 22-23.

We value rigorous monitoring of the policies that outline our expectations for the General Manager’s performance, and have committed to soliciting more third-party sources to inform us. To this end, we retained auditing and accounting services, and also contracted with a third party to administer a staff survey.

Also notable was a $33,939 increase in credit card fees from the previous year, and a total $20,396 in new equipment purchases and repairs. To address the credit card fees, the GM has renegotiated as of October 2023, so fees have decreased since the end of the last fiscal year.

Another factor that has contributed to the absence of a patronage dividend is the amount issued in monthly 10% discounts to members. This discount can be considered an advance on the patronage dividend, so members who took advantage of this program did receive a financial benefit as a result of membership.

A total of $215,087 was issued in discounts to members in FY 22-23. We’d like to note that this number is significantly higher than the discounts issued by our peers in National Cooperative Grocers, a cooperative of cooperatives to which we belong. Typical performers in our sales category issued an average of $54,789 in discounts, as they structure their discount programs more restrictively than we do.

We have had ongoing discussions about the differential between Three Rivers Market and peers in member discounting, and the effect of our generous discount program on the opportunity to issue a patronage dividend at the end of the year. We plan to seek member input in the coming year about how member discounts impact net income, and how to best ensure equitable distribution of profits eligible for allocation to members, proportional to their purchases.

Members with further questions about Three Rivers Market’s financial performance in FY 22-23 are welcome to contact the General Manager (gm@threeriversmarket.coop) and/or Board of Directors (board@threeriversmarket.coop). Also, members with particular interest in the co-op’s financial performance are invited to register for our December monthly meeting, at which we will be monitoring Policy #B4, Financial Condition, for the first quarter of the current fiscal year.

Board News

At our November Board meeting, we welcomed many members who came to speak during our Member Forum and to observe our proceedings. We appreciate members’ participation in governance, which is crucial for our cooperative model to function as intended.  

Several questions raised by speakers at the forum center on suspicion of new leadership flouting product standards, enacting unethical measures to increase profit, and disregarding loss of institutional knowledge. These seem to stem from a particular view of the General Manager, which we believe does not fairly reflect his actual performance.

Public accounts of mishandling of a mis-delivered pallet to Three Rivers Market this summer have been thoroughly evaluated by the Board, including follow-up with the vendor in question, and accounts from both current and former employees. No wrongdoing has been discovered. The procedures being implemented at Three Rivers Market have been reviewed and affirmed by the vendor.

We do not have evidence that there is a pervasive and sustained erosion of product standards. Any individual incidents of errors have been swiftly corrected upon discovery. If any members or customers have concerns about a particular product, please first share them with a staff member, department manager, or the General Manager. 

A recent breakdown in a relationship with a local produce vendor, Spencer Mountain Farms, was quickly and successfully repaired through the efforts of our General Manager. Their products are currently available in the store.

In early 2022, a national search for a new General Manager involved establishment of criteria by a search committee composed of current and former Board members. While previous cooperative experience was not a requirement, strong indication of willingness and ability to embrace a cooperative mindset was an absolute priority. 

Three Rivers Market’s current General Manager, Fadi Aboush, was hired from a pool of candidates because of his relevant professional and educational experience, and for his clear personal alignment with the purpose and vision of a cooperative grocery store. 

Before coming to Three Rivers Market, Fadi independently owned and operated a beloved market in the Fort Sanders area. He worked in management at Earth Fare, a lead competitor in the natural grocery sector. He holds degrees in psychology and business, and has past experience serving as a social worker.  

One compelling demonstration of his alignment with cooperative values was revealed in the hiring process and relates to his care for the community he served in Seymour, where he was most recently the manager of a Dollar General Market. Under his leadership, the store increased access to fresh meat and produce for their customers, with special attention to serving the elderly population. He maintains close relationships with some of his former employees and customers to this day.

The Board required Fadi to complete a rigorous cooperative General Manager Development Program as a condition of his hire. This included mentorship and courses taught by experienced cooperative grocery General Managers, and was tailored to areas for needed development. Fadi receives ongoing support and continuing education through Three Rivers Market’s membership in National Cooperative Grocers, which includes attending two meetings per year for all General Managers in that cooperative.

Several of Fadi’s and staff’s accomplishments during his employment at Three Rivers Market demonstrate his commitment to cooperative values. These include: internal promotions and increased diversity represented among staff; phasing in compostable disposables; reinstatement of mixed recycling services; direct outreach to vendors; and innovation in prepared foods in response to shopper input via a formalized survey. 

Fadi has overseen an increase in community engagement initiatives in the store, such as cookouts on holidays, special classes led by community members, monthly local art displays, and increased representation for Nourishing Change recipients in efforts to amplify their missions and boost member contributions

We are troubled by the appearance of a concentrated few deeming an “outsider” unworthy of a leadership role within our cooperative – despite his professional credentials and personal values. Further, we have been disappointed in the dissemination of allegations via methods which bypass existing procedures, impede productive dialogue, and imperil Three Rivers Market’s hard-earned and well-deserved positive reputation in the community. 

The Board is actively considering ways to recruit additional input from former and current employees to increase employee participation in governance. At our meeting, we voted to establish Staff Participation in Governance as the focus of the Board’s study and engagement beginning in early 2024, so that further action steps can be formulated.  

If you weren’t able to attend the meeting but have ideas for governance that you would like to share with members of the Board of Directors, please stop by the dining area of the store during one of the times listed below. A couple Board members will be available at these times to collect your ideas and bring them back to the rest of the Board for discussion. 

Thursday, November 16th, 10 AM-12 PM

Friday, November 17th, 2-4 PM

Wednesday, November 29th, 5:30-6:30 PM

Friday, December 1st, 12-1 PM

We encourage members to remain active in governance by attending meetings, speaking at the member forum, reading our Board News posts, sending us emails, and voting in our election, which is active until 5 PM on December 2nd. The electronic ballot was emailed to all members whose membership was active as of September 30th, 2023 on Tuesday, November 7th. Email boosts will be sent to members eligible to vote (who have not yet done so) on November 14th, 21st, and 28th.

Our annual meeting will be held at Cansler YMCA on December 2nd from 3:30-5:30pm. A registration form has been emailed to members. 

Board News

Anyone can shop, anyone can join – this idea is a foundational value of Three Rivers Market, and this inclusive approach is an integral part of our identity. As is democratic member control.

Cooperatives are democratic organizations controlled by their members, who can have a voice in setting policies and in making decisions, and Directors serving as elected representatives are accountable to the membership. Members have equal voting rights (one member, one vote), and at Three Rivers it’s time to exercise your franchise.

Our annual Board election is upon us, and we have five candidates running to fill three Board seats. As members, we have more than a right to participate – we have a responsibility to engage in this democratic process. When everyone participates, everyone wins. We learn about each other, about cooperation, and we learn how we can all do better.

In the next few weeks, member-owners who were active members as of September 30, 2023, will receive emails about the election. When you see that email in your inbox, please remember our cooperative’s shared values and principles, as well as your right and responsibility to participate. You can read each candidate’s bio and responses to a variety of questions, and then make an informed decision before voting.

Decisions get made by those who show up, and now is the time! Thank you for participating in this important process.

We will be closed on Thanksgiving Day

Three Rivers Market will be closed on Thanksgiving Day, 2023