2010: a very good year

2010 has been a good year for the PCC community, in spite of the weak economy.
We didn’t open any new stores this year but we continued to reinvest steadily in all our stores, especially West Seattle, which we remodeled extensively.

We continued to focus on strengthening our core business in fresh foods and improving our systems and the shopping experience. We scrutinized product quality standards and introduced new body care products with cleaner, safer ingredients, such as Acure and Lavera.

We brought more small Washington producers to market, such as grass-fed beef from Thundering Hooves and grass-fed organic milk from Pure Eire, and we introduced several brands of sustainably caught, canned tuna from the Pacific Northwest. We even found maraschino cherries that are local and “clean.”

We ramped up PCC’s bakery program, introducing a new line of fresh cakes, and PCC became the first retailer to be endorsed by the Gluten Intolerance Group of North America.

We continued to submit public comments on issues affecting food and agriculture, and celebrated implementation of pasturing rules for organic ruminants.

Member discount shopping rebates totaled nearly $3 million and, still, we managed to give back generously to our neighborhoods through our Scrip program and our community relations programs.

We partnered with Seattle’s Parks and Recreation Department to promote healthy exercise, and we hosted two Healthy Living Fairs to celebrate good, local foods.

We joined Seattle Children’s Hospital in raising funds for local families, and once again, PCC staff and members volunteered with vendor Alaffia in collecting nearly 200 more bicycles for children in Togo to get to school. A year ago, PCC gave $25,000 to help the victims of the earthquake in Haiti.

For a locally owned and operated grocery company, we think it was a very good year indeed during a trying time. And none of it would have been possible without you. Thank you!