PCC 2006 Annual Report

Opening message from the CEO.

With your support, our cooperative achieved another very successful year in 2006. Among the highlights were opening our new store in Redmond; crossing the $100 million mark in sales; returning over $1.8 million to you, our owners, through the Member Bonus Days program; and adding another $1.8 million to our bottom line to reinvest in the future of our co-op.

The new Redmond store opened in May to excellent reviews from the surrounding neighborhoods. The store was constructed using environmentally sound options at every opportunity, resulting in what we expect will be a gold LEED certification, a very prestigious award in “green” construction and one not previously earned by a grocery store.

Our 2006 sales of nearly $106 million were responsible for the strong benefits returned to members as well as the healthy bottom line that will support future investment in our stores and neighborhoods. While passing the $100 million threshold is a notable financial achievement, it is not nearly as important as the trust of our members and neighbors, or the quality of products, service, and employment that our co-op has come to represent within our communities.

Fair trade and fair labor are core values at PCC. We continued to offer a very strong compensation and benefits package to our staff members, as they are at the heart of all that our stores deliver. PCC is now in its third year of being a certified organic retailer. In 2006, over 90% of our produce sales were organically grown products. PCC also continued to be a leader in offering fair trade products, including bananas, coffees, teas, chocolates and, more recently, sugar and rice.

In our community outreach programs, we expanded our outstanding PCC Kid Picks program this past year. PCC Kid Picks acquired and retrofitted an RV that now enables PCC to introduce more kids to top-quality foods at schools and community events throughout Puget Sound. Our continued support, both through direct contributions and lending, aided the PCC Farmland Trust in a major property acquisition in 2006, preserving more acreage for organic farming for decades to come.

Thank you all for making 2006 another very successful year for this outstanding locally owned and community-focused cooperative.

Tracy Wolpert
CEO, PCC Natural Markets