by Joe Wade, Board Member, Provender Alliance If you talk to a dozen people around the Provender Alliance community, you’re liable to hear that many different stories about what they’ve learned, or experienced, or what they enjoy about being a part of the community. I think back on numerous conversations that I’ve had that happened first at the many Conferences that I’ve attended. Those Conferences have always been a central part of the Provender experience for many of us including [Read More]
Provender News
Board President Announcement about Provender’s Search for a New Executive Director
(A LETTER FROM PROVENDER’S BOARD PRESIDENT): Dear Provender Alliance Members and Community, It is with a heavy heart that I write to inform you that our steadfast Executive Director, Abigail Harris–who has served this organization for the past three years–has recently given notice due to increasing family responsibilities. Abigail’s tenure has been characterized by a close-knit collaboration with the board of directors and in this environment she has led [Read More]
January Community Conversations: Mission Driven Businesses Part II – Sustaining Success with Core Principles
Key Contributors: Annie Hoy NW Coop Dev. Center & Ashland Food Coop Board Seth Tibbott Founder. The Tofurky Co/Turtle Island Foods Jyoti Stephens VP Mission and Strategy, Nature’s Path Foods Tuesday, January 11th @ noon – 1:00 pm (Pacific) Join us for Tuesday’s Community Conversation as part of our continued learning together how to build towards a more sustainable future by putting today’s opportunities to the best use. Often it’s the companies [Read More]
Provender Offers January Workshop Series on Kind & Effective Communication
Kind & Effective Communication: Leading Essential Workplace Conversations A four-part Thursday workshop series in January @ 1:00 – 2:30 PM (Pacific) 01/06 – Being Centered and Present 01/13 – Listening Intently, Because They Matter 0/20 – Communicating Your Needs, Because You Matter 01/27 Preparing Effectively Presenter: Justin Freeman – Owner, Bagel Sphere & Oregon Copacking Free to all Provender Members Location: Zoom Online This workshop series aims to help equip you to get [Read More]
Provender Alliance December Board of Directors Meeting
Provender Board of Directors Upcoming MeetingThe next Board meeting happens on Monday, December 13th, at 4:00-6:00 pm PT. If you would like to join us, please email for the link and more information here. Attendance is open to all Provender members.
December Community Conversations: Mission Driven Businesses – Sustaining Success with Core Principles
Friday, December 14th @ noon – 1:00 pm PST This month’s Community Conversation will be part of our continued learning together how to build towards a more sustainable future by putting today’s opportunities to the best use. Over the past year we’ve had Community Conversations with thought leaders from across our community on topics having to do with E-Commerce, Financial Planning, Staff Recruiting and Retention, Supply Chains, and many others. We [Read More]
Melissa Minton: The Passing of a Provender Powerhouse and Beloved Friend
Provender lost a dear friend and long-time member last week. Melissa Minton, who we all knew as Mel, died on June 29th from metastasized breast cancer. Mel was a quiet powerhouse in the natural foods world. She was the General Manager of Community Market, a worker-run, not-for-profit natural food store, for over 25 years. With her servant leadership style and financial know-how, the Market grew to two stores that serve and support the community in Sonoma County, CA. Mel got [Read More]
Provender Members Happy Hour!
Thursday, 5/27 @ 4:30 PM (Pacific Time) Join us in welcoming new members, networking, and catching up with friends and others in our trade within the Provender community. Whether at your work desk or kicking back on your living room couch, come enjoy an easy-going social opportunity on Zoom for Provender members to get to know each other better. So bring your favorite drink and snacks, and give yourself the time to dive a little deeper. We’ll have the [Read More]
June 8th Community Conversations: Pivoting Customer Relationships To Build a New Future
UPCOMING COMMUNITY CONVERSATION: Tues. June 8th @ noon – 1:00 pm (PT) Pivoting Customer Relationships To Build a New Future Customer relationships are key to growing your business, and essential for building a better future. Come join us for an informative conversation on making this important shift in a meaningful way. Please register here to participate with us on June 8. How Community Conversations work: We meet on [Read More]
Is It Really Organic?
by Abigail Harris, Executive Director, Provender Alliance Recently, a lawsuit lost in court that had been filed against the USDA for certifying hydroponics as organic. The case was a group effort initiated by the Center for Food Safety* and includes Dave Chapman, an organic farmer and director of the Real Organic Project (ROP). [Read “I Fought the Law and the Law Won”] Ouch. And ouch again. This means the USDA will continue certifying over a billion [Read More]
April Message from the Board: Jackson Bagley-Bonner
Greetings fellow Provenderites, Spring has Sprung (at least in the southern Willamette valley) and a new period of transition is upon all of us, one way or another. These times of change and renewal often come with introspection and looking for the “why” both personally and professionally for me. When thinking about what I wanted to cover in my “message from the board” I went back and forth on topics and how many nuts and bolts to include about our [Read More]
Feb. 9th Event: What’s Next for Your Business – Anticipating Changing Conditions through 2021
UPCOMING COMMUNITY CONVERSATION: What’s Next for Your Business: Anticipating Changing Conditions through 2021 Tuesday, February 9th, 12:00 -1:00 pm (PT) Register here Things sure changed in 2020, and we all had to change along with them. The winds of change will continue to blow through 2021. Hear from and share with your peer group from across the Pacific Northwest as together we try to anticipate, as best we can, the developments that our Provender [Read More]
Feb 23rd Event: Introduction to De-Escalation for Natural Foods Staff
February 23rd (12:00 – 1:00 pm PT)Introduction to De-Escalation for Natural Foods Staff (Presented by Provender Alliance in collaboration with the Center for Dialog and Resolution) Are you feeling stressed? Even scared sometimes? You’re not alone. Please join us for a lunchtime presentation, facilitated by the Center for Dialog and Resolution, for natural foods staff who encounter and handle potentially volatile situations with customers, [Read More]
Community, Membership, and Being Part of a Network
“I can honestly say that I am very happy to have made the decision to join Provender. Already within a month’s time, it has provided me with tools and workshops – and makes me feel like although we are a small Co-op, we are a part of a network now.” Shake’ Yeriazarian – General Manager, San Juan Island Co-op, WA Receiving Shake’s email the other day was so affirming; the Provender Alliance [Read More]
A Message from Board of Directors member Stephen Ohl
by Stephen Ohl, Provender Board member, Bozeman Community Food Co-op After a tumultuous 2020 in nearly every way imaginable, Provender is refocusing this year on our membership community and our shared future. In focusing on the future, the Board is looking inward at our organization in our long-term plans and goals. We want to be around for at least another 40 years, and we recognize the need to adapt to the changing world we share. The Board [Read More]