Write Us!
We welcome your comments and give each one attention and serious consideration. Send them to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or fill out a Customer Comment form in the Owner Resources area. Each month a small selection is printed in the Reader; publication does not necessarily indicate an endorsement of views stated in a customer’s original comment. Many more comments can be found in the commons or in the binder near Customer Service. Thank you!
NOT FEELING GRUNGY
Q: Piped in music currently - quite distressing sound has great impact on people. Recently I find music over PA systems unpleasant. Grunge music? Not only does it affect my inner experience, it impacts my experience of being in this place. I perceive “grunge” music more suitable for young people. Older people I suspect like myself are negatively impacted by “dissonant” sound. Also I notice what for me is unpleasant music much more frequently of late, now at this time I am hearing PA system music far more compatible, but I had to put up with a very long period of distressing noise and I can still feel that distress inside me- it takes some time to clear it out of my “system.”
A: Thanks for sharing your feedback about the music. We use a wide variety of music styles in our playlist, and we recognize every customer will eventually encounter a song or song style they dislike. We keep track of all comments about our music and that helps us in determining how and when to make adjustments—we will take this feedback into account when we next update our playlist. Thanks again! -Brendon Smith, Marketing & Communications Director
SOMETHING FISHY
Q: I would like more information about the fish oil products available in the stores. Oxidation (going rancid) is an issue in the fish oil supplement market, as described in The Guardian in 2022. Carlson’s, which is carried at the Co-op, was specifically name-checked in the article as having high levels of oxidation. What information does each brand share about their oxidation testing? It would be interesting to test the a sample of the products after they arrive at the store, especially in summer, because heat increases oxidation. Which products are kept refrigerated throughout shipping? I am interested in taking a fish oil supplement, but only if I can trust it. Thank you! Here’s the Guardian article: theguardian.com/environment/2022/jan/17/revealed-many-common-omega-3-fish-oil-supplements-are-rancid.
A: Thanks for contacting us regarding your question about fish oil oxidation. I read the Guardian article that you sent and searched for some additional articles on the topic. I did notice the Guardian article, along with others, mention the testing of fish oil capsules. The Carlson Labs fish oil that we carry is in liquid form, which we store in the refrigerator (along with probiotics).
That being said, here is what Carlson Labs says about their fish oil products: “We source the highest quality Arctic cod off the coast of Norway using traditional, sustainable methods. The same day they’re caught, our cod are transported to a highly regulated Norwegian facility for processing and purification. Carlson Cod Liver Oil is bottled with a touch of vitamin E and is given a nitrogen flush to remove oxygen and to prevent oxidation. And like all Carlson omega-3s, it’s tested by an FDA-registered laboratory for freshness, potency, and purity.”
The brand that dominates our fish oil sales, for both capsules and liquid, is Nordic Naturals.
They have an extremely helpful FAQ section on their website with lots of information about their products. Here is the link to the “Fish Oil Manufacturing Process”: nordic.com/faq-process. I hope this information is helpful! Be well. -Sara Berg, General Merchandise Category Manager
GOLD RIBBON FOR WILLY NORTH
Q: I think Willy Street North has reached the point of being the best of the 3 stores. It is superior in hot bar selection at any time. It has the friendliest and most thoughtful staff that is trustworthy. It has the superior friendly and comfortable eating lounge always with friendly customers, it has big plastic glasses for water too.
A: Thank you so much for taking the time to share your thoughts about Willy North! It is wonderful to hear how much you enjoy the store and our staff. I will be sure to share your compliments with everyone on the team. Thanks again! -Jenny Skowronek,
Willy North Store Director
WISHES FOR FISHES
Q: I buy the local Superior salmon and the sea trout (I think it’s the North Rd/Norwegian) in your seafood dept. Just wondering what are their farm-raising practices.
- Are any of the fishes’ red coloring comes from the food they feed the fish?
- Any antibiotics used?
- With the Norwegian sea trout farm, is it a big or small fish farm?
- Do both farms feed their fish food containing Omega-6?
A: Thank you for your recent questions regarding seafood products you purchase from us. The Superior Fresh Wisconsin Farm-Raised salmon is Atlantic salmon. These salmon are fed a certified organic, non-GMO diet. This feed includes a natural source of astaxanthin, which is the primary carotenoid that provides the red pigmentation in the fish. You can read more about astaxanthin on this blog post from Superior Fresh’s website, www.superiorfresh.com/blog-reference/you-are-what-you-eat. The fish does not contain omega-6s. As far as farming practices, I recommend watching the video from Wisconsin Foodie on PBS about Superior Fresh on You Tube, as it goes in-depth and provides some great information.
As for the sea-trout, I was able to get information from our primary seafood vendor regarding its farming practices and location, leroyseafood.com/en/fjord-trout/journey. The primary source for this fish is Leroy seafood in Norway.
Please let me know if you have any other questions, and have a great week! -Nick Heitman, Meat, Seafood, Beer, Wine & Spirits Category Manager
NEED FOR SEEDS
Q: The seed bombs from Big River Organics are labeled “wildflower seeds” but contain zinnias, cosmos, and perhaps other seeds that are NOT WILDFLOWERS. These are not invasive species but nonetheless should not be advertised as “wild” unless totally native to this region.
A: Hello! I’m Abigail, the General Merchandise Manager here at Willy North. I have received your comment about the Big River Organics seed bombs we sell. Thank you for the information about the seeds in the product. I have reached out to the vendor and to pass along your concern, and here is her response:
“It is my pleasure to provide seed bombs to the Co-op community!
“Each orb is handmade in Cassville, Wisconsin, using a mix of my vermicompost (worm poop), red clay and Pitt Moss from Pittsburgh PA - a sustainable recycled paper alternative to peat moss.
“I use native wildflower seeds sourced from Prairie Nursery in Westfield Wisconsin - a beloved nursery providing pure live seed and plants since 1972.
“I put several of these seeds in each seed bomb as well as several varieties of annuals: zinnias, cosmos, sunflowers as they are also beneficial for pollinators, especially butterflies. Although not native to Wisconsin, they are not invasive and are long blooming providers of nectar and pollen.
“I collect annuals seed from my gardens but if necessary I also purchase USA grown, non GMO seed to supplement my seed collection.
“Thank you for supporting a woman owned business in rural Wisconsin! Keep those questions and gardens coming! Sue Krause, Big River Organics”
-Abigail Schmick, Willy North General Merchandise Manager
CHEESE PLEASE!
Q: Is the Cheese Bracket just gone forever? This is my saddest pandemic loss--which makes me pretty lucky I know but WE WANT CHEESE IN CONTEST FORM! It’s fun and it encouraged me to try and buy so many new cheese. Thanks for all you guys do!
A: Thanks for emailing us! We certainly hope that it’s NOT gone forever. We had discussed possibly bringing it back this year, but couldn’t quite work out all of the pieces to our satisfaction—we didn’t want to bring it back and have it go poorly. We hope to bring it back next year. I’ll share your request with other decision-makers to let them know. Have a nice weekend! -Brendon Smith, Marketing & Communications Director
LEAD IN SPICES
Q: I’m wondering if your powdered cinnamon and ginger are tested for lead and other dangerous substances. I’ve heard that organic labeling doesn’t mean it’s safe. Thank you.
A: I hope your week is going well!!
Thank you for your question and comments!! I reached out to our major spice provider, Frontier Co-op and asked them about the testing they do and here is what they said:
“Thank you for your inquiry. At Frontier, we strive to ensure that our products meet all regulatory requirements as well as our high internal quality specifications and, of course, the expectations that our customers have come to expect from Frontier products. All ginger and cinnamon is tested for heavy metals, including lead. Additionally, we also assess the sensory profile, microbiological status and chemical analysis to confirm quality and authenticity.
“Although there is no specific FDA standard for lead in food, based on the FDA’s guidance documents, we require all food ingredients to contain less than 1 part per million (ppm) lead. Lead is a ubiquitous compound that occurs widely in the environment and consequently can be found at some level in almost all food products. Frontier conducts its own independent sampling and testing of products we receive from our suppliers. Please let us know if you have any further questions.”
I hope this helps answer your question and addresses your concerns. Frontier is an awesome company and we are proud to be working with them! Have a great week! -Dean Kallas, Grocery Category Manager
SETTING THE BARS TOO HIGH
Q: I raised the issue “Hazardous Inaccessible Protein Bars Display” in December. I was delighted to see you’ve improved the display when I shopped last Thursday.
A: Thank you for your original comment about the Protein Bar display at East. Our merchandising team was able to take another look at the set and make improvements. I’m glad to hear that you found it to be a positive change! We appreciate you writing in and bringing it to our attention! -Kristin Esselstrom, Willy East Store Director
RECEIPTS AT SELF-CHECKOUTS
Q: Love the self check outs when I don’t have any bulk items. Will we be able to refuse a printed receipt at the self check out one day? I appreciate being able to refuse receipts when checking out with an employee!
A: I am happy to hear that overall you enjoy our new self-checkout options! I agree with you, it would be nice to have this option, however, currently the cost to create this system function is prohibitive. Our IT team is looking into ways to potentially provide this option in the future because it is something in time we would like to add to our self-checkout shopper offerings.
Thanks for bringing it to our attention! Have a great day. -Kristina Kuhaupt, Customer Experience Manager
NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION ON CO-OP BAKERY ITEMS
Q: I have always loved the coop bakery “fresh” baked goods, however I can no longer buy these items without a printed daily value label on them. I am sure that I’m not the only owner that feels this way and hope that you will consider adding a printed nutrition label to these items, or at least make it available to owners online.
A: Hello, I received your comment about getting nutritional information added to our bakery items. This is definitely something we’d like to be able to offer at some point. I will look into this and see what it will take to be able to do this. Thanks for writing in! -Nicholas OConnor, Prepared Foods & Cheese Category Manager