Over the past two months we in the Wellness Department have been working simultaneously on several projects.  We believe that effort has resulted in a well-organized department that offers new and exciting benefits for Co-op shoppers.  

First, we took down the center-shelving unit that split the department.  This opened up the department, making it both easier to shop and visually more appealing.  Many customers have commented on how light and open the department feels and find shopping in the Wellness Department more enjoyable now.

Next, we decided to create an easier shopping experience for our customers by creating better organization within our shelving locations.  For example, we moved all the baby products from Non-Foods, Mercantile, and Supplements and grouped them together in one location.  No longer do customers need to shop four separate departments to find the baby product they are looking for.  We also expanded shelving units in the Supplement Department, creating better organization for several body systems.  An example of this is the placement of all the cough drops and Emergency packets on an end cap making them more accessible.   We also included the First Aid section in the Supplement Department creating a better flow between medical aids and medicinal products.

Another part of our project was to reset the entire Health and Beauty Aids (HABA) Department.  We needed to clean and organize the shelves, as well as make room for both new products and products being relocated from the removal of the central shelf.  We spent weeks looking at sales for all the products in the HABA Department, and finally decided that products with very slow movements over several months were to be discontinued and put on sale.  

I know some of you have been concerned about losing your favorite products, and we understand your concerns.   Many of the products we discontinued can still be special ordered through UNFI, which means we can usually get the product for you the same week you request it.  We know it’s hard to have your favorite product disappear, but we will always do our best to find a way to get that product for you!! 

The final change we’ve made in our department is the reduction of bulk body care.  This change has not been an easy one and a great deal of thought and reflection went into this process.  A concern was brought to our attention that bacteria and other microbial contaminants could potentially be introduced into the bulk containers during both stocking and extracting.  This became a larger concern for us when we realized that many of the bulk products we stock moved quite slowly and the potential for contamination in these products was much greater than we originally thought.  With this in mind we ran the sales figures on all our bulk products, and found that only a small handful of products were purchased on a regular basis. 

To reduce potential hazards we discontinued all bulk lotions and conditioners, since they are more likely to have bacterial issues, and limited the bulk soaps and households cleaners to our top sellers.   To help with this change we now stock selected bulk products in gallon sizes, and offer a 10% discount to all Co-op members at the time of purchase. 

If you find that we no longer stock your favorite bulk product, let us know and we would be more than happy to special order that item for you.  In order to help you with all your customer service needs we will soon be staffing the small desk in the Wellness Department throughout the day.  It is our hope this will make it easier to find a staff member to answer your questions, as well as assist you with all your special order needs. 

All of us in the Wellness Department are very excited about the alterations we’ve made, and feel that these changes will allow us to serve you better.