Spotlight on the Bulk Team
The Bulk foods department has been an integral part of the Brattleboro Food co-op since the beginning. Bulk foods have always been popular with shoppers at the BFC because it gives them the ability to purchase only the amount they need, reduces packaging waste, often has better pricing, and because of the availability of products not found in other areas of the store.
As an alternative to the “Company Store,” the pooling of resources to purchase larger amounts of food to be divided up among members who contribute money, was the beginning of the buying club-style cooperative model. As buying clubs matured into retail co-ops, this dividing of large quantities of product among members was the inception of the modern-day bulk department, where the retailer is the buyer of the items in large quantities and customers can dispense the amount they needed and save money.
Through the years in the BFC’s old locations, the bulk department, with the rest of the store, grew steadily in sales and size, adding many new products, a dedicated group of shareholder workers, and a state-of-the-art nitrogen charged dispensing system for liquid bulk items like maple syrup and olive oil. Bulk food sales at the BFC, as well as nationally, were rapidly growing during this period, increasing as much as 15% higher than the previous year. In fact, sales in all departments at the BFC were growing, and the need for a larger retail space to help facilitate that growth, including a bulk section with more space for the addition of new products, more storage, and more employee workspace, became the dream of our wonderful new building.
As the new and larger Bulk section began to develop a life in its new space, dire news was arriving to us from our fellow West Coast food co-ops, of a multiyear downturn in bulk sales. The much-spoken-of downturn did eventually reach the East, and we started realizing flattening sales in the Bulk department. A tried-and-true method of raising bulk sales is to increase the number of items we offer; to accomplish this, a series of resets in the Bulk department took place. In conjunction with this, in-depth research into new products, industry trends, and product movement at other food co-ops (a practice referred to as category management) was also happening, with the hopes of bolstering the sagging bulk sales. Much work was put into this ongoing process, with limited results. Compounding the bulk shopping malaise, distributors were also realizing declining bulk sales, and began offering fewer bulk selections.
The hallmark of a bulk department is the ability of customers to hand-pack and dispense the desired amount of product to suit their pantry and budget needs. A crucial task in any bulk area is department maintenance and the cleaning of bins, dispensing equipment, and all necessary surfaces. As Covid-19 became relevant in everyday life, frequent cleaning became essential. “Social distancing” also became an everyday necessity, and for safety reasons, Bulk moved away from the self-serve model to an almost entirely employee-packed and -dispensed model. This was a very low point in the rich bulk foods history at the BFC with the department barely resembling a retail bulk space.
As Covid-19 restrictions loosened, we once again reset the department. This iteration featured a long run mainly consisting of the gravity-style bins, considering them more hygienic to utilize than scoop-style bins. With a recognizable bulk layout back in place and shoppers still choosing to prepare food at home, we once again saw an uptick in Bulk sales. However, due to restaurants reopening, a proliferation of online retailers selling prepacked bulk items, and the above-mentioned distribution problems, the uptick in sales was short lived.
With the advent of a new Merchandiser position at the BFC, another reset, resulting in the existing layout, was executed in August of 2024. This reset added more bins in the areas showing growth: snacks and mixes. We also consolidated bodycare products from the Wellness department as well as household cleaning products from the Grocery department, creating more shopping convenience. This reset also allowed us to turn the bin rows to mirror the center store aisles, allowing better natural lighting. With a push towards more sustainability, our Bulk section now features compostable bags and a new drop off area for clean glass containers brought in by customers available for anyone to use.
Where does this leave us now? The need for a reduction in plastic packaging, and packaging of all types, is greater than ever. One takeaway from this Bulk department history is how supply follows demand: if you want there to be increased options in Bulk, or even just to see this department, and what it represents, thrive, make sure to include it in your shopping trips. Without the expertly-designed alluring packaging that clads many products, it can be easy to miss the high-quality, low-cost, unusual, sophisticated options available in this department. Delicious and unusual whole grains like ryeberries and kamut, nutritional powerhouses like chia seeds and nutritional yeast, fresh nuts and seeds like pistachios, almonds, cashews, not to mention the chocolate-covered berries, seeds, and nuts, plus maple syrup, oils, coffees, teas, and an incredible array of herbs and spices…there are a lot of unique and enticing options. For many, the Bulk department is their number one favorite part of our Co-op. Come explore what we have on offer, feel good about your choices, and look out for monthly sales and special promotional events.
By Rob Levengood, Grocery Manager
