Yellowknife Co-op Brings Store Grown Greens To Their Shelves

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Project at a Glance

  • Installed March 2019 and located in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories.
  • Project goal: Increasing store traffic by offering a high-quality product not seen in other local stores.
  • Distribution model: Produce grown on site is sold in the store.
  • Impact: Increased produce quality, supply chain resilience, and employee and customer loyalty.
  • Operator: The farm is operated by Co-op store employees.
“One of the economic benefits of having Growcer at the store is loyalty. A lot of members and customers are coming to the store and shopping just for locally grown produce.”

— Justin Nelson, General Manager, Yellowknife Co-op

The Yellowknife Co-op saw the opportunity with a Growcer farm to serve their members with high quality products and differentiate themselves from the competition.

OPPORTUNITY TO OFFER A BETTER PRODUCT

Yellowknife has a reduced ability to grow food because of the region’s extreme winters and short growing season. As a result, the Yellowknife Co-op relied on imported produce from the south. The produce would usually spend weeks in warehouses and on trucks before arriving wilted for the store’s shelves.

The Yellowknife Co-op wanted to provide a better product for their members. With a Growcer farm, they saw an opportunity to serve their members with high quality products that would differentiate them from the local competition and increase their store traffic.

REDUCING TRANSPORTATION, PLASTIC AND MEMBER CHURN

The Yellowknife Co-op purchases a Growcer farm to provide members with fresh, locally grown greens all year round. The hydroponic container farm is located steps away from the store allowing the Co-op to:

  • Sell fresh produce harvested only hours before

  • Eliminate a large amount of plastic packaging for fresh produce

  • Improve supply chain resiliency of the one of the store’s critical revenue streams

By growing produce on site with a Growcer farm, the Yellowknife Co-op eliminated a large amount of plastic packaging.

RESPONSE FROM CUSTOMERS AND EMPLOYEES

Growing with Growcer has transformed the store for its customers and employees. Justin Nelson, general manager, shares how it’s made a difference internally: “Our employees love working in the Growcer unit. On a cold dark day in Yellowknife, there’s no better place to be than inside the Growcer unit . . . When you’re actually harvesting the product that you’re selling it’s a great feeling.”

“On a cold dark day in Yellowknife, there’s no better place to be than inside the Growcer unit . . . When you’re actually harvesting the product that you’re selling it’s a great feeling.”

— Justin Nelson, General Manager, Yellowknife Co-op

In addition, the store has seen an increase in foot traffic because of their willingness to innovate for their customers. “The response from the community has been exceptional. Everyone who knows we grow our own produce is happy that we’re growing it,” Nelson says.

The Growcer farm sits steps away from Yellowknife Co-op and is managed by grocery store employees.

Results

  • The Co-op’s farm produces 200 to 250 plants a week, including kale, spinach, bok choy, herbs, and lettuces. The store regularly sells out of everything they grow.

  • The store generates >50% margins on store-grown produce items.

  • Increased supply chain resiliency sees the Co-op’s produce department stocked with fresh, high-quality produce year-round.

  • Foot traffic in the store increased after adding the farm because customers wanted to support an innovative and sustainable business.

GOING OFFLINE? DOWNLOAD A PDF VERSION OF YELLOWKNIFE CO-OP’S CASE STUDY BELOW: