Independent Retailer Shared Services Cooperative continued to work with various food businesses (often 7 days a week) to navigate many challenges with respect to food security. We measure our joint successes and collaborations by the number of jobs supported and employees impacted by our work, and increased incomes / decreased expenses / strategic long-term investments as desirable partner outcomes from our projects.

In 2022-2023 several clients’ businesses increased their sales and profits. Additionally, the IRSSC was successful in helping our clients secure grant funding that exceeded $40,000 and over $13 million in financing; we saved one member over $100,000 in transitional costs with respect to selling their business.  As in past years, the IRSSC provided well over $30,000 worth of in-kind time, and that is consistent with the past 12 years; we have no debt and are for profit.

In Maine there are 154 independent grocery stores that represent over $304 million in direct economic impact (district one and two). Source: National Grocers Association.

2023-2024 Goals:
·  Refine our services at the Common Market. We will be testing innovative marketing and management concepts.
·  Work with EMDC, our advisory team, farmers and processing facilities in central Maine for the purpose of expanding the production and sale of authentic “Real Maine” Meat.
·  Work to expand the production and sale of horticultural products in support of the Back-to-School Garden Program.
·  Support ReTreeUS fundraising events.
·  Continue to Support the Independent Garden Centers with respect to marketing, vendor negotiations, and strategic planning of the IGCME.
·  Test innovative marketing concepts and services in support of local producers, grocers, garden centers, and local businesses; the goal is to improve sales for local producers.
·  We will continue to amend our Buy Local Loyalty Program Beta test.
·  Buy-Local Loyalty Program | Independent Retailers Co-op (independentretailerscoop.com)

Note:  LARGE MAJOR US SUPPLIERS HAVE FAR MORE REVENUE/ FUNDING TO HELP MARKET THEIR BRANDS; LOCAL PRODUCERS DO NOT HAVE THESE RESOURCES; TO HELP ADDRESS THIS ISSUE THE IRSSC CREATED THE BUY LOCAL LOYALTY PROGRAM; THE KEY FOR THIS PROGRAM IS THE WILLINGNESS OF OTHER GROCERS AND OTHER FORMS OF BUSINESSES TO ALSO INVEST IN PROMOTING LOCAL PRODUCERS.

Mark A. Sprackland

President/Executive Director

Independent Retailers Shared Services Cooperative