About The Show:

"We're not here just to show up, we're here to make a difference in people's lives."

- Dennis Hanley

Welcome to a fresh and invigorating episode of Ozark Natural Foods, The Co-Op Podcast, where we dive into the heart of Northwest Arkansas' food scene. In this episode, host Randy Wilburn is thrilled to welcome two pivotal figures steering the course of the largest food Co-Op in Arkansas—Dennis Hanley, the interim General Manager, and Alicia Powell, the Operations Manager.

Dennis brings with him a wealth of global retail experience, spanning 48 years and various formats, including his latest foray into the natural and organic space with Ozark Natural Foods. Alicia, a seasoned Co-Op veteran, shares her journey through different roles and her vision for the Co-Op's operational excellence. Together, they're writing the next chapter in the Co-Op's storied history, infusing the space with a vibrant and empowering culture that resonates with both staff and customers alike.

What you will learn in this episode:

• The transformative leadership of Dennis Hanley and his approach to revitalizing the Co-Op with a focus on empowerment and fun.
• Alicia Powell's insights into the operational shifts that are bringing back the Co-Op's roots and creating a happier, more positive shopping experience.
• The unique challenges grocery stores face in providing healthy food options and how the Co-Op addresses these issues with its local-first ethos.
• The importance of community and member-owner engagement in shaping the Co-Op's offerings and driving its growth.
• The exciting future of Ozark Natural Foods as it continues to evolve and serve as a beacon of local, fresh, and sustainable food in Arkansas.

All this and more on this episode of Ozark Natural Foods The Co-Op Podcast. 

What You Will Learn In This Episode:

• The transformative leadership of Dennis Hanley and his approach to revitalizing the Co-Op with a focus on empowerment and fun.
• Alicia Powell's insights into the operational shifts that are bringing back the Co-Op's roots and creating a happier, more positive shopping experience.
• The unique challenges grocery stores face in providing healthy food options and how the Co-Op addresses these issues with its local-first ethos.
• The importance of community and member-owner engagement in shaping the Co-Op's offerings and driving its growth.
• The exciting future of Ozark Natural Foods as it continues to evolve and serve as a beacon of local, fresh, and sustainable food in Arkansas.

All this and more on this episode of Ozark Natural Foods The Co-Op Podcast. 

Important Links and Mentions In This Episode:

• Visit Ozark Natural Foods: The Co-Op website to learn more about their history, standards of quality, and the importance of being locally focused.
• Listen to Ozark Natural Foods: The Co-Op podcast to hear stories and information about the largest food Co-Op in Arkansas.
• Check out Modus Studio's website to learn more about its architecture and prototyping services.
• Explore the Co-Op's new location at the corner of Lafayette and College Avenue in Fayetteville, Arkansas.
• Visit the Co-Op in person to experience the unique design and atmosphere created by Modus Studio.
• Become a member of the Co-Op to support their mission of providing healthy food and community support.
• Follow Ozark Natural Foods: The Co-Op on social media for updates and news about their products and events.

This Episode is Sponsored By:

Ozark Natural Foods

Connect More With Ozark Natural Foods:

• Grab our Newsletter 
• Email Us at Info@ONF.Coop
• Connect With Our Facebook Page 
• Join The Facebook Group
• Connect With Our Instagram 
• Connect With Our LinkedIn Page
• Learn more about the History of Food Coops

We get by with a little help from our Co-Op Members and Friends!

Please consider rating and reviewing our podcast on Apple Podcasts or your Podcast player of choice. A little Love goes a long way. 

ONF - Co-Op - The Next Chapter

So welcome to Ozark Natural Foods, the Co-Op podcast featuring stories and information about the largest food Co-Op in Arkansas based in Fayetteville and serving all of Northwest Arkansas. The Co-Op has been around for 50-plus years, providing community and encouraging a love of food that is good for us and our planet. Learn our history and standards of quality. Meet our Co-Op members, employees, and vendors and understand why being locally focused is vital to our food, products, and economy. The Co-Op has leveraged Co-Operative economics here in Northwest Arkansas to bring the freshest and the best food to our whole community. Listen to Ozark Natural Foods Co-Op podcast today to learn why.

Hey, folks, and welcome back to another episode of Ozark Natural Foods, the Co-Op podcast. I'm your host, Randy Wilburn and I'm excited to be with you today. This is the first episode that we've recorded in 2024. We had recorded a number of episodes a while back. And so if you're listening to this in any order, this is the latest greatest episode. The reason why we decided to do this episode is that there have been a number of changes at the Co-Op—- good changes right and change is good. But we have seen the retirement of the former General Manager, Mike Anzaloni who was featured on an episode of these podcasts. And we have a new director of operations. And we also have a new general manager, who's technically an interim General Manager. But we're calling him GM. That's the name we're giving him and he's a very special individual. And I think by the end of this episode, you'll realize why but without further ado, I want to welcome Dennis Hanley and Alicia Powell to the Ozark Natural Foods, the Co-Op podcast. How are you guys doing today?

Doing great.

Doing good. Thanks, Randy.

Well, listen, I appreciate both of you guys coming to sit down with me. Let's talk a little Co-Op, and so, I want to introduce the audience to both of you. Alicia, you've been with the Co-Op for a while. Dennis is kind of like the new kid on the block but he's really not. He's been around the block if you will, when it comes to Co-Ops and when it comes to retail grocery stores but he's new to us. And so, Dennis, I'd love for you to introduce yourself. Give us your origin story and how you ended up here in Fayetteville.

That sounds great. Well, first of all, this is year 48 for me in food retailing. I have been employed in 50 of the 51 states. I include Puerto Rico. I've had 16 International assignments and I have done everything from pushing a cart to being a CEO. I've been involved in 39 turnaround situations, single store and change. Small, mid, and large-sized companies. My background is primarily in merchandising, marketing, operations, and HR. And what I would say is, this is the 13 different formats, retail format so this would be a natural organic space. And how can I say this? I love the business. I've been trained by the best mentors in the business. Ozark Natural Food is I'd say our turnaround has begun.

It really has. It's funny that you say that. And what I find interesting for somebody is that theoretically, you are an outsider, right? You're an outsider looking in, and you're looking in a way that most people wouldn't be given the opportunity to look in because you have all the books. You see everything. And so when Mike Anzaloni left, and you took over to kind of help steer the ship to a new direction, a new chapter, if you will, in the book, what is your normal expectation when you come into a new Co-Op?

Yeah, you know, I think every Co-Op is different. Some folks that have the experience, like you're talking Randy, what they do is they have a checklist. And I think my different views around the world. I don't have a checklist, I guess what did I get myself into? And I think, what's the beauty of Ozark Natural Foods, is there are secrets of success here when you have a turnaround. So let's just start. Randy, our Board President and our Board of Directors have allowed me just to do my thing. And one of the things I highly believe in is to never criticize the past. And Randy gets quoted all the time by myself in the next chapter. And, you know, we’ve got to appreciate all the people who have put in all the work and service for this Co-O because it's got some strong components. We'll probably get into some of those I'm sure, but I think the most important thing is my experience has taught me to assess and every situation is different. This is the first Co-Op I've ever experienced like this.

Alicia, you are the Director of Operations and that's a newer title for you. Is it Director of Operations or Operations Manager?

It’s Operations Manager.

And I think it sounds just perfect.

So tell us a little bit about yourself and your background.

So, this is the third time I've been back to Ozark Natural Foods. It was my first job. [cross-talking]. So it was my first job when I was 16. I was a cashier. Left for a couple of years. Came back. I worked in the fridge frozen then left and came back and worked at a different Co-Op in California for a little while. Raised my son and then decided I was ready to go back to work and the Co-Op is just where I want to be.

That's awesome. Well, we're certainly glad you're here. And certainly, what's cool for you is that you've had a chance to experience other Co-Ops, right? Because I mean for us here and for anybody listening to this, if you're new to the Co-Op, and somebody shared with you a QR code to listen to an episode of the podcast, and this happens to be the one you landed on, well, we are the only food Co-Op in the State of Arkansas at the time of recording this and, you know, Arkansas is a State of about 3.1, 3.2 million people, but we are an agrarian State. There are a lot of products that we export all over the world. And one of the surefire ways to be successful is to identify what we make really well. And that's one of the things that the Co-Op has done over the years is identify those local farmers and identify those local providers that can bring things in that are sometimes extremely unique to Northwest Arkansas that you just can't find anywhere else. And so, that to me is one in its essence, what makes the Co-Op so special. And to have both of you guys here, kind of championing the next generation, if you will, of Co-Op leadership, the next generation of retail offerings here at the Co-Op, it's gotta be exciting.

Oh, yes, I think what’s very exciting… one of the strengths of this Co-Op, you know, we're past 50 years in existence. The history of this Co-Op is so strong and like a magnet. Why did people leave and come back? Alicia! They leave and they come back because of the roots of this Club. It's rooted in the community. It's a group of individuals that are so special. You know, products, very important. Services, very important. But the people with the vibe that this group of staff members have, that's the difference. And then some of them have left and guess what, they have come back and just recently.

I know. It's the boomerang crew, it’s like folks that have left and have come back. You introduced me to some people the other day, and I was like, I actually remember this guy from before and so I think that's really cool. That's a testament to your leadership, both of your leadership and in terms of creating an inviting place where people feel comfortable coming back, right, regardless of maybe what happened in the past. And, again, what is past is past, and as you said, we're writing a new chapter now. And so that chapter has to be exciting for you guys. What are you most hopeful about when it comes to the Co-Op given that you have seen so many versions of a Co-Op around the world, for that matter, but specifically, especially here in the United States? What are you most excited about with this Co-Op right here?

Yeah, boy, I'm chomping at the bit here wanting to talk about this subject. It's my inner belief that people make a difference. And, you know, I think Michelle Obama says it right. We're not here just to show up, we're here to make a difference in people's lives. And my hope is that of the 85 staff members, they're empowered. And I look at it, I see. I have two sons in their 30s. And what I see across the country, US, and in the Co-Ops as well. They don't empower the people. I see this a lot. That's what we're working on. So obviously, it takes a lot of self-confidence. It takes a lot of training. But what's so exciting is they're loving it. This staff is loving it, and people continue to keep asking permission, and it's nothing. It's no negative to the past. And we wouldn't be in this place if it wasn't for the people in the past. But if you go to different retail organizations, it could be food or otherwise, they don't have empowerment. They have a particular, this is checklist. And so, Alicia and I have a very inviting job description. It's three letters fun, F-U-N. We don't like all the policies and procedures. You cannot lead an organization in my view, and we're not leading this organization, in my view, Alecia and I, without empowering and making sure that you can't use the old ways. You have to use new ways. You got to have people not ask for permission and it scares you because you don't know what they're going to do. But this group here, it's so cool to watch somebody tell you, can I put the picture on a wall this way? Can I buy these frames? And the Alicia and Dennis style is, what do you want to do? And for them to say it, you could see the pride as soon as they asked the question. And they tell you exactly how they're going to do it. And that creates ownership. And that's what Alicia and I have seen, the sales equal positive culture and empowerment. And that's what we're seeing here. It’s early days. We're just beginning.

Well, that's exciting. I mean, in short order, from the time that we're recording this to the time that you started, Dennis. It's been about six months and it's been exciting to see how much has changed in just six months. And I would imagine, Alicia, with your perspectives, knowing what you know, and seeing what you've seen in the past and where we are now, would you have ever imagined that we would be where we are in a six-month period?

No. I definitely didn't think it would be that fast but it's really reminding me a lot of what the Co-Op was like before and that's honestly, I think, what's driving a lot of the people that have been at the Co-Op for a long time. Even membership that have been around for a long time, they're seeing the resemblance of how staff used to be happier, more positive, and just wanting to do better for the business and for the Co-Op. I think that's been the most exciting change kind of going back to what it used to be like.

Going back to its roots?

Yes.

Randy Wilburn Speaking of which, I know this is always an interesting conversation when it comes to Co-Op and what they offer just in general, right? The expectancy that when you come to any Co-Op and this is for the uninitiated listener that has just discovered the Co-Op in the past few months and is now listening to this podcast, as well as, somebody that's been around for 50 plus years; 53 to be exact. But you know, this idea that you can create a retail outlet where you can offer more than what an individual can get normally, that you can get healthy food items, that you can get things that you can actually spell when you read the ingredients. So just give me an idea of the challenges that all grocery stores face right now when it comes to providing the healthiest food options available.

I think this is a really interesting conversation. I think I'm gonna let Alicia talk about some of the details of the nutrition. But I think that the biggest challenge for any retail food operator on the subject we're talking about is the team has to believe, the team or your staff, they have to understand the difference that they can make. And if they're going to be a difference maker in the success of the store or department, they're going to talk and you got to develop and train them. So what I would say, and most people will say, oh, yeah, that's right. But let me assure you, that Alicia and I were just talking about that this morning. It takes a lot of energy to do what I'm going to say next and that's talk less and listen more. And when you have somebody talking too much than the leader and the person doesn't want to take the ownership and they don't want to be empowered, because they know they're gonna get in trouble. We have a philosophy in our stores since Alecia and I began, if anybody makes a mistake in a store is this GM's fault? They've gravitated to this too much. Too much. Way too much. And I always share with them just to make sure I know what you didn't do right so that I know how my shoulders have to get larger, and they laugh. And to me, I think retail food is all about fun, creating the fun feeling the energy. And when you see someone who doesn't even barely talk, and now today is talking and laughing and they're engaging with the customer. It's so fun to watch.

I had somebody say hi to me the other day who had never spoken a word to me. I didn't even know what his voice sounded like, and he said hi to me. And I was like, wow, they are really reaching everyone. Nobody needs to say hi to me when I walk into the Co-Op, but I get it, but it is the environment has truly done a 180. And to the point where I have people tell me, everybody talks to you in there. Everybody's smiling. Everybody's happy. It's just a difference. I think the overhead system has been used more in the last six months than it was ever used before because I didn't even know that thing worked. And it's just nice to hear that, and it's being utilized. And people are like, okay, this is a real, living, breathing thing here.

And I think that's important with what you're saying for the listener that's listening to this. We're trying to create a culture inside the store where when you come into that store, we have customer engagement and connection. There are many retailers that you can go to in their stores, and you'll never talk to anybody until you check out, no matter if it's food or not. And it's a philosophy that Alicia and I have. We're getting there. We will get there because we're holding all of ourselves accountable. No one can come into that store without being connected to that customer. So you're filling up the display, for most retailers, that's their mantra. Ours is to talk to the customer. Engage with the customer, and they love it. Our staff is loving that. And you're seeing different components of that come out. And when they're laughing, and they're carrying on, I don't know how many retailers compliment that but we are into catching people doing it right and that's a great example of it.

You're absolutely right. Alicia, I'd be curious to know what your thoughts are about some of the challenges that the Co-Op faces, in terms of really trying to serve the whole community. And when I say the whole community, I mean, listen, I have a nice job and the Co-Op is expensive for me. So just real talk. I've heard from people who say, oh, the Co-Op is great but it's just so expensive. It's a challenge. And then one of the goals of the Co-Op is to reach everybody in the community, not just a select few who can afford it. It's like, hey, we want to reach everyone. And then, of course, you've got the food deserts that exist right in our backyard. So I mean, there are several challenges that are right in our faces. How do you as a person overseeing the operations, what keeps you up at night when it comes to this? And what are you hoping to accomplish with what you have?

Well, I think really, the biggest thing that we can do is differentiate ourselves for the things that the Co-Op does. I mean, everybody knows, you can go to pretty much any grocery store in Fayetteville and get the same kind of products that we sell at the Co-Op. Sometimes they're better priced, sometimes they are the same, and sometimes they're more. But really, I think the biggest challenge right now is showing the benefit of shopping at the Co-Op, even if the price might be a little bit higher on some items. The benefit of it is supporting a local business. It's supporting all of our staff. It's supporting the membership and hopefully increasing our membership. So there are just some benefits of it that I think outweigh the challenges. Obviously, there are always going to be challenges, and running any kind of business, a Co-Op is no different than that. But all we can do now is just change the culture, change the way that people feel when they're in there. I think that is going to help with the challenges going forward is just having a better feeling there.

One thing I think it's really important to kind of tag on top of what you're talking about is what's so special about Ozark Natural Foods is the member-owners.

Almost 14,000.

I like what you said about what are the challenges. First of all, Alicia knows this and so as a store, I don't understand the word no and I don’t understand the word challenge. And the member-owners talk less and listen more, and I’m trying to figure out what they're trying to get at. We're having a blast with our member-owners right now and we're not doing anything. We're just listening and we're seeing where we've gone wrong and the communication and I'm talking currently, even the last 30 days. We really can do a lot better job [inaudible] as an example and member-owners aren’t helping us. We didn't have a community board. Now we have a community board. That wasn't because we were so smart. That was because we had a member-owner say that would be a good idea. And then you throw in items like health, our Wellness Department, our Bulk Food Department, and our 72-hour sales. We're now showing the creativity that the Co-Op has and if you look at the big box operators, they all are very good in Arkansas. But do they have the ability to be this creative? It's harder. And that's one thing I see as one of the strengths of Ozark Natural Foods. And like Alicia said, shop local. Shop Ozark Natural Foods. If you do that, watch what the living wage looks like. And this Co-Op, I think, has a special opportunity to beat whatever that living wage is. But you can't see things as a challenge. You can't listen to the NOs. You have to listen to the noise. I think President Obama did that good. He heard the noise and he delivered the result. And that's really what Alicia and I are trying to do, and get the staff to believe that same. And that is what's really fun to watch. When you look at the produce department growing in sales like it's doing right now. It's because the Produce Department believes they're like a Marketing Department at the front door. And it just shows you FUN works. And, you know, no pressure, and no challenges. It doesn't work. It's not 2024 and so we're trying to change that dynamic.

I love that. I mean, that kind of captures what you're facing and what you're up against. It's kind of like just meeting the challenges head-on. So are you surprised by how quickly things have advanced just in your time here? Because I know we've had some offline conversations which are just about you sharing what some of your experiences have been at other Co-Ops. What do you think is so special about this Co-Op that things have been able to……the ship was righted very quickly, comparatively speaking this?

You know, again, I think we're in the next chapter. And, you know, certain components are more important than others. That's my experience. And so I would say that I'm very appreciative and I'm very positive about what has happened in the last 53 years. In other words, there would be no way for this to turn this quickly if Alicia Powell wasn't at the helm of operations. This person knows the people. This person, the people knows how much she cares. And so for me to walk into this was one secret of success. The other secret of success is just factual. When you go in and you try to turn something around, the Board usually has their ideas. The Board’s President usually has their ideas. This Board President, Randy, and this Board are not doing that. They're letting me play. How do you say it, Randy? He's brewing something in the kitchen. I don't even know what I'm doing. And some leaders work better than others at that. I work best on that. And so what's happening is, you're finding that in this particular Co-Op, it usually takes six months for you to see results. We're at the fifth month mark and we're just into the sixth. We're on our way. And what's the surprise to me? This is the number one food retailer in the world that we're competing with in Fayetteville, and everybody knows who they are. And to me, it's a challenge. No. We're going to Super Bowl and we're going to win. And you gotta win with particular differentiation. And like Alicia said, we can't share that differentiation, because then we’d be giving our secrets out. You got to come to our store and feel the difference and I promise you will feel the difference in Fayetteville at Ozark Natural Foods.

So speaking of that difference, Alicia, since you're on the floor all the time. What would you say is one of the biggest differences of experience that a shopper will have at the Co-Op now in this day and age in 2024?

Honestly, the biggest thing I hear from people is that it seems happier. Every member-owner and every customer that's come in and said something about the difference of just the feeling when they walk in. I had a couple of people say that when they were shopping, you know, last year at one point, it just felt sad when they went inside. And now the main thing I hear is just it feels happy when I come in. It feels awake when I come in. And that's I think that's the difference is that we were maybe we're asleep, and now we're awake.

Between that aspect and then just the lack of awareness that people had about the Co-Op in general. I mean, here we are in a building and I'm going to frame this for you and I want to hear both of you comment on this. First of all, this building has had several iterations of retail outlets. It was a safe way. It was a Marvin's IGA. I was around when it was a Marvins IGA but I was told by somebody else on this podcast that long, long time ago that this was a safe way and that person who was the General Manager at the time, this was way back in the 70s said, I can remember coming up here and saying, it would be great if the Co-Op could be based in this space right here. True story. That was Dan Kelly and Dan told that story on the ONF Podcast. And so I would encourage you to listen to that. But the bottom line is we've seen a lot of changes and I'm interested to see what you think about how things are going to continue to evolve. And, the other thing is simply, the building itself has been redesigned. They reimagined it. Modus Studio did an amazing job. They did such a great job that the building came in number two in an international design competition. There's just a lot that makes that space special. Yet. and still, we are still one of the best-kept secrets in Northwest Arkansas. And I always try to reconcile that in my head, right? How do we overcome that? Again, that would keep me up at night. If I were the Operations Manager or the General Manager that would keep me up at night. How do people get to know that this place is really special, that we have fresh popcorn, that we've got just an abundance? It's almost like you're in a European market when you enter the store because there are all kinds of fruits and vegetables outside. You walk in, the place is well-lit. So what do you say to that?

To me, I always want to have word of mouth from people. Our 72-hour sales, I think, are creating word of mouth. They've been huge. And I think just being fun, has created a good word of mouth. People are seeing some of our social media stuff. They're seeing the people in the store and that's helping us kind of get the word out. We're still Ozark Natural Foods, but we're trying to change to a more fun, more current kind of place. We might never be able to get a whole bunch of people from Bentonville to come down here just to see us but maybe with some of the 72-hour sales, we will, right?

I think too, it's so good to be a secret. And to me, I enjoy it. We're painting Picasso here. This is a deal when we get a little bit further down the track here, the [inaudible] is not going to get weaker, it's going to get stronger, stronger, and the team will be more and more empowered. And I have to say the difference from September to February, I have people come to my office every night to tell me when they go home. And they know that I wanted to do that because I want to thank them for what they did today. And so, I guess what I'm saying is, that there are different components of this whole style, right? Servant leadership is the next step in my view. And secret, I love it because a lot of people don't like that. They have to live in a box where you do one and you go to two and I just challenge everyone. Look at all of the kids that are in high school. Look at the junior high kids, they're not interested in a checklist. So you need to move to the next slide. They need to know how much fun they're going to have. This is a trendy little spot to be working at now. There are a lot of retailers in the city of Fayetteville. There's no other place to work than Ozark Natural Foods, none. And we’re creating that but we're not there yet. And guess what, we'll never be there because the secret will keep getting stronger and stronger in terms of what that secret sauce is. And the secret sauce to me is people. People make the difference. Alicia,

Do you have anything you want to add to that, Alicia?

Just that, you know, maybe someday down the line we'll be a household name. Who knows? We'll just have to wait and see what happens.

I mean, I think you know, when you walk in now, if you walk into the main entrance, which is at an angle, right, who does that detail, which is cool, by the way. You walk in and you see what I think are some of the main reasons why you want to support the Co-Op. And that's because now if you walk in and you look up, just raise your eyes above where the produce is, you'll see pictures of all the different farmers that are here locally. One of the ways that I explain or articulate what I think is the value-add that Ozark Natural Foods adds to our community is that there are very few places that you can go where I can draw a circle of 100 miles around this Co-Op and just start connecting the dots of where all the farms are that are supporting this outlet. And there's not another store that can do that, even the big one up the street. Because, again, it's just because of the way that the logistics and the way that they work with things. It's just the way that it is. But when you walk into Ozark Natural Foods, and a lot of the stuff that you put your hands on, that stuff has been packaged and brought to the Co-Op within the last 24, 48, 72 hours and they are as fresh as can be. Shout out to Mark from Dripping Springs and the beautiful items that he blesses the Co-Op with. I mean, there are just so many farmers, the lines. I can't mention all the names. And hopefully, we'll get those guys on the podcast at some point in time. But there are so many great stories to be told. And to me, I always look at, when I work with a business, or if I do business with a business, they have to have a big enough why for me to want to give them my money. I think the why that the Co-Op has is huge. It really is when you think of it, and you guys are starting to double down on that why by just making it abundantly clear that this is who we support. Without these folks, we wouldn't be anything.

And I think what's really cool is that local farmers, local producers, right, and I’m just thinking of a couple right now, Amanda and Becky, and they know exactly who they are. I try getting a greeting card that has that kind of artistry in some of the retailers, let's just say that. It's not going to happen. And I guess what I would say is, you know it's special. And if you have somebody that is special, or you have a producer or farmers special or a staff member special, well then don't treat them like the masses. And I think that's the difference of what we're trying to create. So we're trying to treat people special. And guess what, if you treat people special, I believe that you'll get that back. And I think Kobe Bryant said it perfectly. You got to be accountable for your reputation so when it's done, you created it. And I think every single person can do that. But they gotta be inspired. They gotta be motivated, and they gotta want to do it. And you can't tell them to do it that's why the checklists don't work. That's why the job descriptions. What happens if something comes up in retail that’s not on the job description? Well, at Ozark Natural Foods, you're gonna do it because we don't care about the job description as much as we care about the fun. I think that's 2024. You have to be different if you want different. And I think that's what I'm seeing. It's so exciting to see this store turn around this quickly. As you said, Randy, the facility, I think it's top style Co-Op in the country. It's got the staff. This is just growing. This is nowhere close to where it's gonna go. But one thing about that stuff that's really good, is our bipoc numbers are up. They're up 20% since September, and I think what you would see from a diversity and inclusion culture, this stuff is by far the best Co-Op I've been in. And it's not even close. And so some people would say, oh, that sounds good. You're missing it. The reason it's really good is the question, why is it so good, because you're getting everyone's ideas, and you're bringing all those ideas to the front. And that's what we're seeing. We're seeing Indian food products. I've lived in India for a few months. I've never even seen this food in India, but we have staff members from India who have the Indian culture. We have staff members from Africa. We have staff members from Paris, and they're bringing those traits into the store. And so that's going to be different, especially if you're allowed to do that and that’s the empowering part.

I love that. Do you want to add anything to that, Alicia?

No. It's really hard for me to [cross-talking].

Sometimes it is hard to follow him. He'll drop a bomb and that's it.

And do you know, and I think I love what you just said, Randy. That's the power. And Alicia knows that Dennis cares so much about Alicia. But Dennis doesn't just care about Alicia, Dennis cares about Alecia's son. And I think that's the difference of leaders in 2024. This is not just about business. This is about understanding who you're talking to, who you’re leading, who you're working next to. And let me tell you, I've never had an Operations Director this good. Never This is the first and the reason is not so much the product knowledge because she's really good there. And she's good at IT. Thank God for Dennis. But she's really good about caring about people. That's the component I like. That's the differentiator.

I love that. Well, you know, and I guess it is kind of bittersweet at the same time, because, you know, unfortunately, your time here will only be for a season. And that's the one challenge that I think we all have but if nothing else, I think between the work that you're doing and the work that Alicia is doing, well she's not going anywhere, but we are set up for success for the future, and also putting us on what I would call a firm retail platform foundation where we're kind of doing things a little differently. We're trying some stuff. I mean, there's stuff that you guys are trying now that I've never seen happen at the Co-Op. And so I'm excited for what the future holds. I've got my popcorn, no pun intended. But I will be right at the front door. I'll be rooting for both of you guys and watching as the play unfolds. So I mean, that's exciting.

I think that's one of the things, how could I say, my mentors have taught. And I would say, one thing I will never forget, some lady taught me, my mom, is, you think you're good? You're not. You think you've known. You don't know anything. And so I always tell people, I'm 17 going on 18 and that's because I'm not gonna stop learning till I stop breathing. But what I would say is what's important, we are creating something special here. We are not going to create something special here that's going to fall. Many turnaround specialists or many interims come in, and it's all about them and it's not about me. And it's about having this stick. And you said it perfectly, Randy in the beginning. And no one's ever done that in 48 years. We're just working on the next chapter. And for someone like me, it's beautiful because it's a fresh canvas. And you said it, just giving you the kudos. And when you get the canvas and you get to create, and you're a retailer, that's creative, oh, watch out. Then it becomes fun and the whole team knows it. I don't even know if this is a job because I'm having too much fun at it.

And the thing I like speaking of that, specifically in your leadership style, which is rubbed off obviously, on Alicia and Marie, and Lisa, and everybody else that's part of the team is that everybody feels in franchised to do what they think is right to help grow the Co-Op. People are making decisions on their own. They're not waiting and saying, oh, what would Dennis do? It's like, no, I'm gonna do this, and then we'll figure out the rest of it later.

It's so fun to your point. And it's so fun because everybody's got a different personality. Alicia is so tough on me so she's a different case. But there's a lot of our team members, they're just so fun because they like to take a risk now because they know it's not going to be their fault. It's going to be my fault, which is not fair, Alicia but I will decide. I think it's so important, though, and you've hit something there also, Randy, I think it's so important. It's so important for all of us to remember this. If you're in a business, you're a professional, you're a leader, I think you have a responsibility to anyone that you're leading. Make sure they understand how much you love it. And I could talk on this podcast till three in the morning because I love it so much and I can go down by person by person. I can tell you all the personal things that they're running through or going through in their life. And what Alicia and I are trying to do to change that. And that's so fun to me to make that kind of impact on someone. I think that's the differentiator and that's why I talk so highly of Alicia, because she's got that secret sauce.

I love that. Well, listen, you guys, I'm excited to see you again as these chapters continue to unfold and the work that you guys do. And I can't wait to see what the next 72-hour sale looks like but I'm sure it's exciting.

So you gotta come on Friday to see it.

How about that? And that would be for anybody listening to this, I don't care when you're listening to this, there's always going to be something new happening at Ozark Natural Foods, the Co-Op. So certainly avail yourselves of that. Make sure you get on our email list. Make sure that you are listening to this podcast and sharing it with other people. And oh, by the way, if you're looking for if you want to work in a retail space, I can't think of a better retail space to work where you know, Dennis has already said it, it's a blank canvas for you. So please keep that in mind. Ozark Natural Foods is always looking for amazing teammates to add to the team. So I certainly want to encourage you if you've listened to this, and you're all fired up and ready to run through a brick wall, well, Dennis and Alicia and the rest of the team and Marie Lisa, would love to hear from you. And you can always come down to the Co-Op and fill out an application or go online and just throw your hand up and say hey, I'm interested in in being a part of this amazing story. Dennis, and Alicia, thank you guys so much for joining us on the Ozark Natural Foods, the Co-Op podcast. We really appreciate it. I'm so glad we were able to get this episode in and we'll continue to do these from time to time, but we don't have a particular cadence. The goal is just to get out cool information as it happens and you're kind of cool information Dennis so we wanted to get that information out. Especially what you and Alicia are doing. So thank you guys both very much for joining us.

And thank you Randy and shop local. Shop Ozark Natural Foods.

There you go. Well, folks, you've heard it here first. I want to encourage you to continue to support Ozark Natural Foods in any way that you can. Please listen to all the episodes of this podcast series. There'll be more to come in the future. I don't know when they will come, but they will come. And I certainly would love your feedback. You can rate and review this podcast on Apple podcast or wherever you listen to it. And just remember that we're just like you. So come on down and say hello, and be a part of something special. And if you're not a member, I encourage you to become a member today because membership does have its privileges. So I'm Randy Wilburn, the host of the Ozark Natural Foods Co-Op podcast and we will see you back here soon with another new episode. Peace

Thanks for tuning in to the Ozark Natural Foods the Co-Op podcast. Whether you are new to the area and looking for a healthy grocery store, or you've been here for ages but didn't know the whole story about Ozark Natural Foods the Co-Op, this podcast is one of the best places to start. For more information about the Co-Op please visit our website at ONF.coop to learn more. That's onf.com@ozarknaturalfoods the Co-Op. We mean it when we say keeping it local since 1971.