Jon Roesser, Weavers Way Co-op: Growing the cooperative community in Philadelphia

01/19/22 • 36 min

The Companies that Care podcast highlights companies and business leaders who are making a difference in the world, like Jon Roesser, general manager of Weavers Way Cooperative Association.

Founded in the early 1970s, Weavers Way is a consumer-owned food co-op in Philadelphia with three stores, two farms, a non-profit, and community newspaper. They have more than 10,500 member households representing over 25,000 individual member-owners.

Weavers Way is a critical link in the Philadelphia food shed, connecting local food growers and producers with values-driven consumers. Working with more than 300 vendors in the Philadelphia area, the co-op emphasizes the need to strengthen local food systems.

In addition to implementing sustainable measures throughout their business, Weavers Way is also taking steps to diversify the racial makeup of its vendors. The co-op also has a partnership with WB Saul Agricultural High School, with a farm on the site of the school where students can use the farmland as their classroom.

Do you remember after Trump was elected and many people said they were going to move to Canada? Next week on the Finding Fertile Ground podcast, I interview Mahlena-Rae Johnson, a Black woman and mom who really did it: she moved her family to Canada to pursue better opportunities there.

The Companies That Care podcast is brought to you by Fertile Ground Communications. I alternate the Companies That Care podcast with my original podcast, Finding Fertile Ground, which shares personal stories of grit and resilience. On both my podcasts I strive to highlight voices from historically excluded populations, people who don't always get a platform.

Marie Gettel-Gilmartin, founder and principal of Fertile Ground Communications LLC, is a writer and marketing communications consultant who loves to take the pain and stress out of writing for her clients. She specializes in making the complex clear, using dynamic, accessible language to explain and communicate important issues. She positions her clients as experts in their fields and helps them communicate about pressing issues. Writing communications that boost employee engagement and thought leadership, she also coaches leaders and executives on how to strengthen communications and leadership. She loves to connect people and resources or solve seemingly impossible problems.

Fertile Ground Communications LLC is a certified women-owned business enterprise, disadvantaged business enterprise, and emerging small business.

The Companies that Care podcast highlights companies and business leaders who are making a difference in the world, like Jon Roesser, general manager of Weavers Way Cooperative Association.

Fertile Ground Communications LLC is a certified women-owned business enterprise, disadvantaged business enterprise, and emerging small business.

Previous Episode

Aaliyah Nitoto, Free Range Flower Winery: Protecting the planet and giving back to her community by making wine with flowers

The Companies that Care podcast highlights companies and business leaders who are making a difference in the world, like Aaliyah Nitoto, the visionary founder of Free Range Flower Winery, an award-winning, winemaker-owned and -operated boutique winery in Oakland, California.

Aaliya handcrafts premium wine in small batches from locally sourced, organically grown flowers...not grapes. She has been hailed as an "innovative producer" (Wine Enthusiast) who is "revolutionizing the world of wine" (Kourtney Kardashian's POOSH).

Aaliyah updates ancient women's garden winemaking traditions for 21st century tastes. As Phil Long, winemaker/founder of Longevity Wines and president of the Association of African American Vintners, recently told NBC TV News, Aaliyah is "defying odds at every turn. She is not only a young Black woman getting into the wine world, which is not as diverse as it should be, but she’s also making a new category that doesn’t exist in this industry.'"

Free Range Flower Winery’s rare flower wines tend to sell out long before the next vintage is in the bottle. The winery’s mission is based on an organic, sustainable, local business model as well as creating a welcoming, inclusive space for everyone to enjoy its wine. Aaliyah deeply believes in innovation in winemaking and the power of magnifying diverse voices in the industry.

When she’s not making wine, Aaliyah is a health and nutrition educator for an advocacy and education nonprofit called Healthy Black Families.

Free Range Flower Winery is committed to using organic ingredients, sustainable business practices, and local vendors. They are dedicated to uplifting the community and donate a percentage of sales to nonprofits that share their values.

Next week on the Finding Fertile Ground podcast, I interview Julie Allen, who I interviewed for Companies That Care earlier this year. Julie and I dive into her experiences battling eating disorders for much of her life. Julie shares how she has now found her fertile ground by sharing her story, writing a book, and starting a sustainable, body-positive clothing boutique.

Fertile Ground Communications LLC is a certified women-owned business enterprise, disadvantaged business enterprise, and emerging small business.

Next Episode

Kim Sundy of Kellogg Company: Living proof you can get paid to change the world

The Companies that Care podcast highlights companies and business leaders who are making a difference in the world, like Kim Sundy, senior director of sustainability at the Kellogg Company.

Driven by the legacy of its founder, W.K. Kellogg, the Kellogg Company is the world’s leading producer of cereal and snacks.

But did you know Kellogg’s vision is a good and just world, where people are not just fed but fulfilled? This cereal and snack company is serious about living out its mission and has set some ambitious goals. These are just a few examples:

Providing Better Days for 3 billion people by the end of 2030 through:

Nourishing 1 billion people by delivering nutrition foods that address common shortfall nutrients and addressing hidden hunger
Feeding 375 million people in need
Supporting 1 million farmers and workers while conserving natural resources
Engaging 1.5 billion people in the issue of global food security

Aspiring to achieve gender equity of 50/50 by the end of 2025
Working toward 100 percent reusable, recyclable, or compostable packaging by the end of 2025
Honoring Black history every month as a call for food justice in Black communities
Committing to source 100% cage-free eggs by 2025, even though most of their products do not contain eggs
Supporting equity for women by identifying parts of their supply chain with the highest prevalence of women and assessing the risks and opportunities they face
Aiming to achieve over 50% renewable energy by the end of 2022
Supporting historically excluded employees through highly active employee networks, mentoring programs, and a Black Chef in Residency program
Expanding paid parental leave for both mothers and fathers to 12 weeks; increasing fertility benefits to $30K for assisted reproductive procedures; and increasing adoption benefits to $10K per eligible adoption.

Kim and I talked about having careers in sustainability and the importance of communications. She also shared her perspective as a Black woman executive and how Kellogg does a better job than many companies at nurturing equity & inclusion among its workforce.

I alternate the Companies That Care podcast with my original podcast, Finding Fertile Ground, which shares personal stories of grit and resilience. On both my podcasts I strive to highlight voices from historically excluded populations, people who don't always get a platform. Find out more on my website and social media.

The Companies That Care podcast is brought to you by Fertile Ground Communications. If you like what you hear or read, wander through my website to find out more about my work.

Can you use some help with your writing, editing, communications, or marketing? Contact me for a free 30-minute consultation.

With 30 years of experience in the environmental consulting industry, I am passionate about sustainability and corporate citizenship, equity & inclusion, businesses that use their power for good, and doing everything I can to create a kinder, more sustainable, and just world. We help organizations and people discover what makes them special and help them share that with the world.

As a podcaster for justice, I stand with my sisters from the Women of Color Podcasters Community. We are podcasters united to condemn the tragic murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor and many others at the hands of police. This is a continuation of the systemic racism pervasive in our country since its inception and we are committed to standing against racism in all its forms.