March Newsletter

Letter from our General Manager

After 10 years of effort, January 31st marked the launch of grocery shopping at your community-owned store. Over 700 people came through the doors in the first half of opening day and we exceeded our sales projections for our first week. We’ve been able to continue to meet projections since that day. As a result, I am proud to offer 10% off a single shopping trip to owners during the three remaining quarters of this year along with an active duty discount.

Opening the doors was an important goal and keeping them open will be the continued objective. We hope that as we bring in new items each week, SunCoast becomes your go-to store. When you buy your groceries at your co-op you keep money in your community, pay for your neighbors to have high-quality jobs, support dozens of local farms and businesses, and ensure a healthy financial future for SunCoast. If you haven’t yet switched your shopping to the co-op, I’d like to invite you to consider coming back to see how we’ve grown in just 6 weeks!

Since opening, we’ve added:

• A full bulk selection full of organic items and spices
• Expanded dairy selections
• More gluten free items (including beer and bread)
• Several local farms to our produce area
• Dozens of nutritious grocery items
• Beer and sustainable, organic wines
• Baby and kid-friendly items
• EBT acceptance

Friday marked the arrival of our local beer selection (including gluten free) and non-alcoholic mocktails! In the coming weeks our new grocery team will be adding more meats, groceries, summer-ready items and more. We value your feedback and have been implementing your suggestions every week.

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It should come as no surprise that FRESH PRODUCE is the big hit at SunCoast Market! Blueberries, avocados, bananas, limes, and onions top the list!

Permanent General Manager Hiring

I’ve held a role as a consulting General Manager in the co-op community for many years. I joined SunCoast last September as an interim General Manager to support a successful launch. It has been a privilege to help bring the community’s vision to life and to see Suncoast Market open its doors to serve the IB community. I am proud of the progress we have made in establishing operations and building a strong foundation for the Co-op’s future. I will be working with the Board to now find a permanent manager that can continue this work. In the coming months, I will remain committed to supporting a smooth and responsible transition for my team, the Board, and the co-op. If you, or someone you know, has the experience and interest in becoming the permanent General Manager, please reach out to the board at info@suncoastmarket.coop.

With love, respect, and appreciation, Andre Chavez General Manager

Your Grocery Dollars Make a Difference

Every time you choose to shop at SunCoast Market Co-op, you’re doing more than filling your cart—you’re investing in the future of a community-owned store that we all care about. Your grocery dollars help keep our doors open today and ensure that SunCoast can continue serving our community for decades to come. As SunCoast supporters, we all play an important role in spreading the word that our store is open and thriving. From our amazing hot food and salad bar to a wide range of fresh, daily deli items, there’s always something delicious waiting in store. Our shelves are also filling up with fresh produce arriving weekly from local farms, along with new products that keep our aisles exciting and full of discovery. Every dollar spent at SunCoast keeps us moving forward. Thank you for choosing to shop local, support your co-op, and help build a vibrant food community for years to come.

Board Elections Start March 30

SunCoast Market Co-op is executively managed by an elected Board of Directors. The primary responsibilities of the Board of Directors are to provide overall direction and ensure the long-range security and viability of the Co-op and to develop policies necessary to carry out the duties of the board and the functions of the cooperative! The directors are elected from and by our owner-members. Applications (suncoastmarket.coop/election) from interested candidates opened March 2, 2025 and closed March 15, 2025. Current election voting opens March 30 and closes April 17.

Volunteer Opportunities

The Board and volunteer committee will be seeking ways to continue to let people know that we are open for business. This includes walking our neighborhoods to share a coupon for shopping, serving at in store sampling events, and setting up tables at local events. If you can help, please respond to this email. We can use additional support in the coming months!

Grand Opening Recap

The excitement and pride was palapable and the Event Committee did an amazing job providing a wonderful line up of speakers, entertainment, samples, and showcasing the history of our store. Thank you to our event and store sponsors: Wyyerd Fiber, American Heart Association, Ashley Ortega/CMG Mortgage, Mary Ann Beyster, Silver Strand Kitchen donors, and North Island Credit Union.

Thank you to everyone who joined our Grand Opening celebration! Community, owners, Board members, staff, and elected officials all joined together to cut the ribbon and open our doors! San Diego County Supervisor Paloma Aguirre presented SunCoast with a Proclamation recognizing the years of service of the board and a declaration that January 31st is SunCoast Market Co-op Day.

🌟 Opening Day Sponsor Spotlight 🌟

A heartfelt thank you to Ashley Ortega with CMG Home Loans, a $5,000 Opening Day Sponsor of SunCoast Market Co-op! As a local mortgage lender with CMG Home Loans, Ashley helps individuals and families achieve the dream of homeownership while building long-term stability in the communities they call home. Ashley chose to personally sponsor SunCoast’s Grand Opening—demonstrating her deep commitment to community, connection, and local investment. We’re grateful for Ashley’s generosity and leadership in supporting a store that’s by the people, for the people. Please join us in thanking Ashley Ortega with CMG Home Loans for investing in the future of Imperial Beach!

New Owner Perk!

In addition to a 10% off coupon for a single trip each quarter this year, owners can pick up a Sammy’s Restaurant 10% discount card at the register next time they shop at the co-op. Each time they use their 10% discount at Sammy’s, Sammy’s will also donate 10% of their purchase to the co-op!