Goss+ 4/20
Welcome to another Goss+, your source for juicy co-op lore
Have a little Goss+ of your own? Stock our shelves; email us your stories at [email protected] and we'll anonymize them
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Five Steps to Resolving Conflicts
How to Keep Your Side on Your Side or Five Steps to Resolving Conflicts
Pretend you’re the leader of a group. You all know what the mission is. You may even have specific plans to accomplish specific things. And then conflict breaks out. People are arguing. Others are taking
CCMA Is Coming. Take Care of Yourself While You’re There.
As you get ready to head to Tacoma for CCMA, let’s name something that happens at every good conference: there’s a lot of good stuff. Thoughtful sessions, meaningful conversations and people you’ve been wanting to connect with. It’s a full experience in the best way, and
CCMA Playlist
Garlic and Roses in-house record freak Tyler here! Prepping to head way out West to Tacoma, WA and I’ve handpicked a slim 30 minute playlist of what I’m sure is merely a tiny sampling of local talent.
Neko Case has lived many places in her life, and she’
Garlic and Roses CCMA 2026 Coverage
Garlic and Roses is thrilled to provide coverage before, during and after this year's CCMA Conference in Tacoma, WA. CCMA is the premier annual gathering of food co-ops. We'll be setting up some of the sessions with companion articles, and providing daily recaps live from Tacoma
Socialism Has a Branding Problem. Co-ops Can Help
“Congress denounces socialism in all its forms, and opposes the implementation of socialist policies in the United States.” -House Resolution 58, November 2025
The term ‘socialism’ has always been fraught in America. For older generations, there are links to the former Soviet Union and lingering tensions from the Cold War.
INFRA Co-op Profile: Prairie Food Co-op
The National Co+op Grocers (NCG) is a business services cooperative with over 160 member co-ops that it supports. Not every co-op however is a member of NCG. The Independent Natural Foods Retailers Association (INFRA) is also a cooperative that supports 300 independent grocers with over 520 storefronts. Co-ops such
Expo West Recap
Expo West has been described as the 'Super Bowl' of the natural foods industry. The comparison may be apt in a number of ways. 70,000 attended the 2026 Super Bowl at Levi Stadium in Santa Clara, while 66,000 vendors, buyers and industry professionals gathered at the
Board Committee Finally Finishes Charter. Now What?
After eight years of work and seventeen different committee members, the Membership Outreach, Baking, & Laser Tag Committee at Progress Co-op in Tulsa announced they have finally agreed on their committee charter. The 96-page document is expected to be sent to the full board for ratification at next month’s
Co-op News Round-Up 3/25
All the co-op news that's fit to print, March edition
🌹The Food Co-op Initiative (FCI) announced in a press release that the 2026 Up & Coming conference would be put on pause in favor of a 2027 gathering hosted by the Detroit People's Food Co-op. “Detroit
Goss+ 3/16
Welcome to another Goss+, your source for juicy co-op lore
Have a little Goss+ of your own? Stock our shelves; email us your stories at [email protected] and we'll anonymize them
Co-ops Can Lead on Worker Dignity
“The best way to find out if you can trust somebody is to trust them.” ― Ernest Hemingway
An article caught my eye this week. It was about AI-powered headsets that are currently being tested by Burger King. Among other functions of the AI-assistant, it’s ability to monitor whether employees
Survey: Help Tell the Real Story of General Manager Sustainability in Food Co-ops
For this text, ‘GM’ will be the term used when speaking of co-op GMs, CEOs and any top staff position that reports directly to the co-op board.
If you have ever been a General Manager (GM) or worked closely with one, you know the role carries a lot. It is
Beyond Black History Month
Black History Month is often marked by celebration honoring cultural contributions, historic leaders and resilience in the face of systemic harm. For food cooperatives, especially those serving predominantly white communities, this month also presents an opportunity to reflect on how our values show up in practice.
Co-ops often describe themselves