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Outpost Announces Ray Simpkins as New General Manager
Outpost Natural Foods Cooperative announced today that its board of directors has selected Ray Simpkins as its next general manager. Simpkins, 45, succeeds outgoing general manager Pam Mehnert, who retires next month following a 42-year-career with the co-op. Simpkins brings more than 20 years of retail store management experience, including serving in leadership roles at several national grocery chain locations.
He joins Outpost May 22, 2023, from the Greater Columbus, OH area where he was most recently District Manager for Dollar General, responsible for a network of locations. Previously, Simpkins was a Store Manager for The Home Depot and a Club Manager for Sam’s Club. He also served as Store Director for Fresh Thyme Farmers Market, where he helped lead that store’s construction and local market launch. Simpkins has an MBA from Strayer University and received his bachelor’s degree from Wright State University, both of which are in Ohio.
“After a nationwide search, we are thrilled to have found a general manager who brings such a rich background and extensive experience in grocery retail,” said Ashley Fisher, president, Outpost’s board of directors. “Ray’s an energetic team leader with a passion for customer service. We’re excited to watch him excel at Outpost.”
May | |
| 05/4/23 | Outpost Natural Foods Announces Ray Simpkins as New General Manager Outpost Natural Foods Cooperative announced today that its board of directors has selected Ray Simpkins as its next general manager. Simpkins, 45, succeeds outgoing general manager Pam Mehnert, who retires next month following a 42-year-career with the co-op. Simpkins brings more than 20 years of retail store management experience, including serving in leadership roles at several national grocery chain locations. |
June | |
| 06/13/22 | Outpost Urges Shoppers "Don't Buy thisWater Bottle!" Outpost Natural Foods Cooperative is urging shoppers, “Don’t Buy this Water Bottle. Buy this Bottle Instead.” as part of a new in-store and online education program aimed at reducing the purchase and use of single-use plastic.
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May | |
| 05/19/22 | Outpost and Hunger Task Force Launch Produce to the People Discount Program In just a little more than a month, FoodShare Wisconsin participants have purchased more than $20,000 in fresh produce at a 50% savings as part of a new program launched by Outpost Natural Foods Cooperative and long-time community partner Hunger Task Force. Funded by a USDA GusNIP (Nutrition Incentive Program) grant, Produce to the People provides a 50% discount to FoodShare participants on a wide variety of fresh and mostly organic fruits and vegetables, including sale items, at Outpost’s four Milwaukee-area locations. FoodShare helps people with low incomes buy the food they need for good health. The program has nearly 700,000 members statewide with more than 240,000 participating in Milwaukee County. “With grocery prices on the rise, affordable produce is extremely important in maintaining monthly food budgets,” said Outpost’s Margaret Mittlestadt, Director of Community Relations. “With Produce to the People and our partnership with Hunger Task Force, we make it even more accessible for those who are food insecure to get the wholesome food they need for themselves and their families.” |
April | |
| 04/13/20 | Outpost Receives National Honors for Bold Actions on Climate Change The Climate Collaborative has honored Outpost Natural Foods with a 2020 Outstanding Company Award which identifies and celebrates trailblazers in the natural products industry demonstrating strong, inspiring climate leadership. “We believe climate change is real and plastic convenience is poisoning our planet with a waste stream that’s close to irreversible - like we’ve never seen before. It’s having a negative impact on our community, our food supply, and the livelihood of all of us,” said Outpost General Manager Pam Mehnert. “We’re committed to reversing that impact and to lead by example. Our mission to create healthy, diverse, and sustainable communities is stronger than the competitive forces around us. We’re here to change the world, just like our founders did 50 years ago when they opened our co-op as part of the country’s first Earth Day celebration.”
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November | |
| 11/21/19 | Outpost to relocate HQ, Warehouse Outpost Natural Foods is moving its central co-op support operations and warehouse to 3200 S. 3rd Street in Milwaukee. The move will relocate 40 staff working in accounting, human resources, marketing, purchasing, graphics, community relations, food service and store operations. About 6 warehouse staff will report to the new location. The chosen site is a building that dates back to 1936 and was originally used as an icehouse. Warehouse and office space were added to the property in 1980. Outpost will occupy approximately 8,000 sq. ft. of office and 4,000 sq. ft. of warehouse space. Finding an ideal site that combined the opportunity for both central office and warehouse capacity as well as easy freeway access, on-site parking and a bus line took over a year of research and planning. |
June | |
| 06/19/19 | Outpost Tosa Undergoes 1.2 Million Dollar Remodel & Expansion Outpost Natural Foods Co-op has begun an extensive remodel and expansion of its store at 7000 W. State Street in the Wauwatosa Village as part of a ramp up to its 50th Anniversary Celebration in 2020. The co-op has enlisted the design build firm MSI General of Oconomowoc as general contractor, and Retailworks of Milwaukee for store décor. Work is scheduled to begin in June 2019 and will be phased in so as not to impact or impede shopping. The remodel should complete by fall of 2019. The store will remain open during the project. |
April | |
| 04/19/19 | Outpost Challenges Other Grocers - Pledges to Purge Plastics by 2022 On the eve of Earth Day 2019, Outpost Natural Foods announces its commitment to eliminate petroleum-based plastic co-op packaging and consumables by 2022 and has organized a comprehensive internal committee to tackle the wide-ranging issue. The co-op has tasked itself with this challenging goal as the environmental problems associated with single-use plastic continue to ratchet up, both locally and globally. |
October | |
| 10/1/17 | Outpost and Benedict Center: Community Partners in 2017 Outpost has chosen Benedict Center (www.benedictcenter.org) to be their Community Partner for the months of October - December, 2017. Because of their dedication and commitment to providing a holistic approach to the health and wellness of women in the justice system, their organization will receive a $3,000 donation in addition to other fundraising opportunities from Outpost. |
September | |
| 09/20/17 | Outpost challenges area businesses to make a pledge toward a sustainable future In the wake of two catastrophic hurricanes, and another on the way, and one of the worst forest fire seasons in US history, Outpost Natural Foods reaffirms its commitment to implementing methods to reduce the co-op’s carbon footprint and work with co-op owners and the community to do the same. ..... Outpost has taken a strong stand for sustainability since the early 1990s. The 47-year-old co-op’s sustainability vision focuses their efforts in leadership, climate impact, triple bottom line and community impact. Management and staff embrace the challenge to move their operations and actions toward sustainable models, addressing present needs while also being respectful of the natural resources required for future generations. “It not only makes good business sense, it’s exactly the right thing to do. If we don’t take additional steps now to reduce our footprint, we aren’t holding ourselves accountable to higher standards. Our community expects the co-op to hold itself to higher standards. We hope other grocery stores see it the same way we do,” says Pam Mehnert, general manager. |
July | |
| 07/17/17 | Outpost pledges commitment to Climate Collaborative Outpost Natural Foods is one of more than 80 different companies who have made the commitment and taken the global challenge to fight climate change by signing onto Climate Collaborative. Climate Collaborative is an initiative of the natural food industry. Their mission is to work collaboratively to catalyze bold action, amplify the voice of business and promote sound policy to reverse climate change.
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| 07/10/17 | Outpost and Teens Grow Greens: Community Partners in 2017 Outpost has chosen Teens Grow Greens (www.teensgrowgreens.org) to be their Community Partner for the months of July - September, 2017. Because of their dedication and commitment to using urban agriculture as a vehicle to develop leadership and entrepreneurial skills in local teens, their organization will receive a $3,000 donation in addition to other fundraising opportunities from Outpost. Outpost chooses four local non-profit organizations to partner with each year. Each receives a $3,000 donation from Outpost, an opportunity to participate in a fundraising event and one-fourth of the earned interest from Outpost’s Co-op Community Fund, an endowment arm of the Twin Pines Cooperative Foundation that supports co-op development across the United States. |
May | |
| 05/10/17 | Outpost wins Sustainability Star Award Outpost Natural Foods Co-op has been named a Sustainability Star by National Co+op Grocers (NCG) for excellence in sustainability efforts. The award recognizes food co-ops that demonstrate outstanding leadership by making a positive impact on social, environmental and local economic issues. At its annual meeting in April, NCG honored Outpost for engaging staff in sustainability though store green teams and through an online employee engagement game called Cool Choices, where the co-op recognized over $60,000 and 632,000 pounds of carbon dioxide (C02) in savings! READ MORE |
April | |
| 04/6/17 | Outpost releases 5th Anniversary Sustainability Report Sustainability has been a part of the Outpost mission since 1970. The 47-year-old co-op is busy practicing what it preaches and recently disclosed the results of a 5-year reporting cycle on sustainability initiatives and practices. Outpost sustainability manager, Jessy Servi Ortiz, is the unifying and driving force behind the co-op’s 5-year sustainability initiatives. “These reports contain the narrative and metrics that make up our sustainability reporting and programs. Its format is the same as the last five reports.”
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| 04/1/17 | Outpost partners with SEWISC for spring quarter Outpost has chosen Southeastern Wisconsin Invasive Species Consortium (www.sewisc.org) to be their Community Partner for the months of April - June, 2017. Because of their efforts and commitment to controlling the devastating impact of invasive species in Southeastern Wisconsin, their organization will receive a $3,000 donation in addition to other fundraising opportunities from Outpost. |
December | |
| 12/19/16 | Outpost achieves Green Master status For the second year in a row, Outpost Natural Foods has been awarded Green Master status with the WI Sustainable Business Council. The award is given to Wisconsin-based businesses participating in the Green Masters Program. The Green Masters Program is geared toward Wisconsin businesses looking to achieve high operating results in sustainability practices and management, with a goal of improving an overall Tripe Bottom Line that takes into account all stakeholders in relation to profit, people and planet. Each company sets their own green business benchmarks to work toward, comparing their performance with other companies. Points are given based on a scoring system.
Tom Eggert presents Green Masters award to Outpost Sustainability Manager, Jessy Servi Ortiz |
October | |
| 10/5/16 | Outpost transistions North Avenue pop-up store Outpost will soon be serving up some beneficial changes to their healthy food initiative at the Innovations & Wellness Commons at 17th and North Ave, owned and operated by Walnut Way Conservation Corp. Starting in November, the space will transition from a retail store to the Outpost Natural Foods Cooperative Learning Center, where opportunities for community building, local entrepreneurs and healthy living initiatives can continue. |
May | |
| 05/9/16 | 5/10 is National Shrimp Day: "Do you know where your shrimp come from?" Americans love shrimp. Each of us eats about 4 pounds annually—that adds up to more than 1.3 billion pounds. We eat more shrimp than any other seafood. Sourcing shrimp to meet those demands can be tricky. In light of investigations of slavery in the international fishing industry, Outpost Natural Foods management started looking at the cooperative’s own sources for whole fresh, frozen, and canned shrimp and seafood. They realized the only way to ensure customers that the fresh, frozen, and canned shrimp they are buying is ethically and sustainably raised and harvested is to only source it from the United States—Texas, Florida or Oregon—or from countries of the Gulf of Mexico. |
February | |
| 02/2/16 | Outpost receives LEED Silver Certification for Mequon store Outpost Natural Foods Co-op received a LEED Silver® Certification in Building Design & Construction from the U. S. Green Building Council for its newest store in Mequon. The Mequon store opened for business in May 2014. Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED®) is a building certification program that recognizes best-in-class building and strategies. Projects are subject to a rigorous rating system. LEED® credits address: Sustainable Sites Outpost applied for 61 credits out of a possible 110 and received a final score of 51. |
October | |
| 10/14/15 | Outpost opens The Market at Wellness Commons Outpost Natural Foods Co-op opened its fifth store location this morning in the Phase I development of the new Innovation & Wellness Commons, located at 1617 W. North Avenue in Milwaukee. The Market at Wellness Commons is a new concept for Outpost as the co-op builds on its long-term goals to increase healthy food access in underserved neighborhoods and communities. The 650 square foot pop up store is one of four tenants located in the Phase I development. Product selection represents all of the traditional departments found at a full-service Outpost retail store, including fresh produce, Outpost signature deli items, hot coffee and soups, grocery, personal care products, bulk food and spices, frozen foods, dairy and meat. Natural, organic and local favorites are included in the product sets. |
| 10/14/15 | Outpost welcomes farmer delegation from Japan Many of you may not know that Wisconsin has an international sister state in the Chiba prefecture of Japan. The Chiba-Wisconsin Association, started in 1990, was established after Japanese soy sauce giant Kikkoman relocated their headquarters to Wisconsin. The exchange was established to reinforce cultural understandings between the two states. Each year, the Chiba-Wisconsin Association organizes and hosts an annual delegation. For past three years, the Science Technology group of the delegation has focused on urban agriculture. On September 29, student farmers and alumni from the Chiba College of Agriculture came to Milwaukee to tour various urban agriculture sites and learn more about ag commerce in the region. On their Milwaukee itinerary was a stop at Outpost Natural Foods! |
| 10/8/15 | Outpost Natural Foods goes solar Outpost will begin installation this month on a solar panel system that will cover the rooftop of its one-year old Mequon store. The project is part of the 45-year old co-op’s ongoing efforts to decrease its overall carbon footprint. The full solar installation represents the first of its kind for Outpost. Construction is planned to begin mid October 2015 and will be completed and fully operational by December 31. Sunvest Solar Energy Solutions of Pewaukee is the project developer and installer. The 56.32 kWh system is anticipated to generate about 67,300 kWh of energy annually, or roughly 10% of the energy use at Outpost’s Mequon store location. Canadian Solar panels can each generate 320 watts of power. Total project cost is $152,054. A grant from Wisconsin Focus on Energy for $31,343 will help to offset the project costs. Energy cost savings on the system will average $7,458 annually in today’s energy market. |
April | |
| 04/23/15 | Outpost wins 2014 Well Workplace Gold On April 23, The Wellness Councils of America recognized over 20 Milwaukee area businesses for their well workplace initiatives. Outpost won its 2nd GOLD! By successfully integrating the Seven Benchmarks of results-oriented programs, Well Workplace Award winners have demonstrated that their programs are not only comprehensive, but effective. To date, more than 700 corporations, healthcare systems, public agencies, and educational institutions—employing over 2.25 million people—have met rigid work site wellness criteria and have been recognized as some of America’s Healthiest Companies. The City of Milwaukee has won back-to-back Well City USA designations, making it the first city in the nation to do so. Rock on! |
| 04/16/15 | Outpost celebrates 45 years of cooperation and sustainability At a time when Metro Milwaukee grocery retailers are experiencing increased pressure from new national grocery and Big Box chains, Outpost Natural Foods Cooperative will celebrate its forty-fifth year of business on April 17. A similar scene was unfolding in late 1960’s when large supermarkets of the time were changing the food retail landscape, forcing many local Mom & Pop retailers who could not compete out of business. Outpost’s founders combined efforts and started a food co-op as an alternative way to meet the needs of a diverse community with a limited access to food. The early store offered wholesome items that included bulk foods, natural body care and organically grown fruits and vegetables. Some of Outpost’s early vendors are still selling their products at the co-op’s four store locations including The Simple Soyman, Tipi Produce, Kallas Honey and Barthel’s Fruit Farm of Mequon. |
March | |
| 03/26/15 | Whole Soy Yogurt update We are sorry to announce that Whole Soy Yogurt brand has gone out of business so we can no longer offer their line. We will add replacements (like Nancy's Soy Yogurt and Tempt Hemp Yogurt), meanwhile please try another dairy-free yogurt like Dream Almond yogurt or So Delicious Coconut yogurt. From their website blog: "It is with very heavy hearts that we announce WholeSoy & Co. will be closing all operations this month. WholeSoy was founded in 1999. By 2013 soy yogurt sales were soaring and WholeSoy was the number one brand of soy yogurt on the market! Our unique Non-GMO verified, Organic, Vegan, Gluten-free, non-dairy yogurt had become a staple favorite in households across the country." READ MORE. |
| 03/13/15 | Outpost on Capitol Drive to undergo remodel Outpost Natural Foods Co-op will begin remodeling its flagship store at 100 E. Capitol Drive in Milwaukee as part of its 45th Anniversary celebration. The co-op will be working with 360 Degrees LLC for the custom built units and finishes, recreating the signature look found at their other three retail store locations. Work is scheduled to begin later in March and will be phased in so as not to impact or impede shopping. The remodel should complete by the end of April 2015. The store will remain open during the project. READ MORE |
January | |
| 01/2/15 | Outpost announces 2015 Community Partners Outpost Natural Foods Cooperative announces the four recipients of its 2015 Community Partners give back program: Milwaukee Homeless Veterans Initiative (January - March), Wellspring (April - June), Schlitz Audubon Nature Center (July - September) and Progressive Community Health Centers (October - December). Community Partners is part of an overall ten year success strategy that includes building strong community partnerships with local like-minded organizations. READ MORE. |
December | |
| 12/12/14 | Outpost to open pilot store on Milwaukee's north side Outpost Natural Foods Co-op will be a retail tenant at the proposed Innovation & Wellness Commons, a new development that will be located along the commercial corridor on North Ave. between 16th and 17th streets in Milwaukee. The new ‘pop-up’ store is a pilot project intended to increase healthy food access in the Lindsay Heights community and gauge the interest of neighborhood residents for further expansion if feasible. “Outpost is looking to not only be a tenant but a retail partner in the Innovation & Wellness Commons project. Our intention is to complement existing healthy food options in the community, bringing in a unique blend of organic and natural foods familiar to Outpost owners and customers as well as exploring other healthy food options,” says Outpost general manager Pam Mehnert. “We want to engage with neighbors to really connect and determine their needs. That is what being a co-op is all about. That is cooperative values in action.” READ MORE |
October | |
| 10/15/14 | Outpost Natural Foods grants $20,000 to HOME GR/OWN Milwaukee Outpost Natural Foods, a consumer-owned co-op of over 20,500 individuals in the metro Milwaukee area, today granted the City of Milwaukee Office of Sustainability’s “HOME GR/OWN Milwaukee” with a check for $20,000 to be earmarked for neighborhood initiatives that transform vacant or abandoned city lots and spark economic development and entrepreneurship around local, healthy food production. The move is part of an overall 10 year success strategy for the co-op that envisions five main objectives: lively neighborhood markets, dynamic local food systems, sustainable solutions, strong community partners and amazing places to work. Read more.
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| 10/6/14 | Outpost wins cooperation prize Outpost Natural Foods and the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 1473 were recognized recently for their cooperative bargaining work. Representatives from Outpost and the union, which represents most of Outpost’s 500 employees, were on hand September 22 to accept the Melvin Lurie Labor-Management Cooperation Prize from the UW-Milwaukee. The union and Outpost received the prize as recognition of their work using Interest-Based Bargaining.
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| 10/1/14 | Outpost's summer food drive for kids a success From June 1 – August 31, 2014 Outpost store locations collected a grand total of 1,481 pounds of donated food from their customers and $7,854 in cash at the store registers. One hundred percent of all the food and cash donations are given directly to Hunger Task Force, a Milwaukee-based non-profit organization whose mission it is “to prevent hunger and malnutrition by providing food to people in need today and by promoting social policies to achieve a hunger free community tomorrow.” READ MORE.
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| 10/1/14 | Outpost partners with local environmental school “Concern for Community” is one of The Seven International Cooperative Principles. So, it makes sense that building strong community partnerships is a key part of what Outpost Natural Foods does as a cooperative business. Every year Outpost partners with four locally based non-profit organizations as part of the co-op’s Community Partners annual give back program. Outpost has chosen Milwaukee Environmental Sciences Charter School to be their Community Partner for the months of October - December, 2014. READ MORE. |
May | |
| 05/8/14 | Outpost stays ahead of minimum wage debate As part of the vision to create an Amazing Place To Work, Outpost Natural Foods announced changes to their contract with the United Food and Commercial Workers Union (UFCW) Local 1473 – raising the bar on pay, number of full-time positions and healthcare – all part of a livable wage and benefit model agreed upon by the co-op and union. The contract went into effect May 1, 2014 Under the new agreement all full-time positions at Outpost will begin at a minimum of $10.00 per hour, while entry-level wages for part-time positions begin above minimum wage at $8.50 per hour. Read more. |
April | |
| 04/29/14 | Outpost Mequon store set to open May 12 Outpost Natural Foods Cooperative, the fourth largest natural foods co-op by sales in the United States, is excited to announce the birth of its new Mequon store on Monday, May 12 at 11:00 a.m. with a ribbon cutting ceremony. The new store occupies land purchased by the co-op in 2013 and is the first location outside of Milwaukee County. The building phase began in July 2013. The overall project is estimated to cost $5.6 million dollars. The project was 100% funded by local investments and bank loans, with some of Outpost’s owners providing over $500K dollars in preferred stock purchases.
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| 04/1/14 | Outpost partners with Victory Garden Initiative Every year Outpost Natural Foods partners with four locally based non-profit organizations as part of the co-op’s Community Partners annual give back program. Outpost has chosen Victory Garden Initiative to be their Community Partner for the months of April - June, 2014. “Outpost offers the community a place where local and organic food producers can sell their products that will enhance and build a vibrant local economy, promote food security and protect the environment. Victory Garden Initiative offers all of the same core benefits to the Milwaukee community by helping neighborhoods grow their own food,” says Gretchen Mead, Executive Director at Victory Garden Initiative. |
January | |
| 01/3/14 | Outpost partners with Gerald L. Ignace Indian Health Center Every year Outpost Natural Foods partners with four locally based non-profit organizations as part of the co-op’s Community Partners annual give back program. Outpost has chosen the Gerald L. Ignace Indian Health Center to be their Community Partner for the months of January – March, 2014. “As the coordinator of the Gerald L. Ignace Indian Health Center’s Diabetes & Community Health programs, I feel our agency is a natural fit for the program. Our mission is to improve the health, peace and welfare of Milwaukee’s urban Indian Community and by partnering with Outpost we’re helping our community members make healthier food choices,” says Jennifer Casey Corbett, Diabetes & REACH Program Coordinator at GLIIHC. |
December | |
| 12/17/13 | Outpost 1st WI Retailer to Offer Kombucha on Tap In an exclusive agreement with Outpost Natural Foods and Tapuat Kombucha of Door County, WI, Outpost is now offering chilled kombucha on tap at its Wauwatosa store location, making the co-op the first retailer in the state to offer a full-service, fresh dispensed kombucha. Two flavors will be available: original and a rotating flavor of the season. |
November | |
| 11/14/13 | Outpost funds Mequon store with local dollars In keeping with the commitment to create a vibrant community through strong local partnerships, Outpost Natural Foods Cooperative announced today that 72% of the funds secured for their Mequon store project would be from local sources. To date funds secured include a $500,000 loan from seven investor members in the local investment group Fund Milwaukee, and a $2.1M loan from American Family Insurance, a mutual company headquartered in Madison, WI. Outpost owners are expected to round out the remaining portion of localfinancing through the sale of Class 2 Stock, new owner equity and loans, and retained patronage from previous profits totaling $1.4M when completed. A separate loan for store equipment for the project will be secured through conventional financing options, and is the only money for the project that is not locally sourced. |
August | |
| 08/19/13 | Outpost outlines a plan for increased wages Moving forward with their 2022 Vision, today Outpost Natural Foods Co-op released a phase-one plan of a new overall increased wage structure for union employees. The change will increase all existing union employee’s wages by an average of .70¢ per hour, and new starting wages will increase $1.00/hour for all classifications over the previous wage structure. These changes come at a cost to the Co-op of approximately $300,000 annually. Plans are also in process to evaluate competitive rates of pay for all hourly at-will positions working in Outpost’s administrative offices. Additional objectives of the Co-op’s multi-year plan include increasing the number of full-time positions to 50% of all union jobs, and increasing the number of opportunities for promotion through the Outpost Mentor Program.
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| 08/7/13 | Outpost Kitchen Partners with Fondy Farm Project
[Milwaukee, WI] Outpost Natural Foods Cooperative has begun purchasing produce that was grown locally by farmers in the Fondy Farm Project, a growing cooperative for small-scale, local immigrant and limited resource farmers located in Ozaukee County. The produce will be used at the co-op’s central kitchen to be incorporated into the many fresh Outpost-made salads, soups and other baked goods that are sold at all Outpost retail locations.
The partnership with Fondy Farm Project has been in development over the past two years, as Outpost worked with project manager, Steven Petro, and the farmers to identify the kinds of crops and yields farmers will need to grow in order to supply the co-op’s main kitchen. “I’m thrilled because it’s been a dream of ours to be a supplier to Outpost and to help our small and limited resource family farmers stay viable,” says Fondy Executive Director, Young Kim. “This is a huge first step for the Fondy Farm Project.” Produce from the farm will supplement the co-op’s overall central kitchen’s needs. |
July | |
| 07/10/13 | Outpost Natural Foods grants $30K to local food access development projects As part of the co-op’s ten year strategic plan that further fulfills their board’s mission of creating a healthy, diverse and sustainable community, Outpost Natural Foods announced that it will grant $30K to three Wisconsin organizations whose mission it is to create greater access to healthy, local food and in a sustainable manner. The 2022 plan incorporates five value propositions: dynamic local food systems, lively neighborhood markets, sustainable solutions, strong community partnerships and amazing places to work. In delivering on these propositions over the next 10 years, not only will the co-op and it’s owners benefit, but also so will the community.
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June | |
| 06/3/13 | Outpost releases results of Sustainability Report Outpost Natural Foods’ sustainability manager, Jessy Servi, has released the results of the cooperative’s first annual Sustainability Report. The 35-page document highlights the co-op’s vision and principles on corporate sustainability and includes findings on eleven metrics ranging from organic and land use practices to governance and community engagement. The Sustainability Report is administered and compiled through the Sustainable Food Trade Association (SFTA).
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February | |
| 02/26/13 | Outpost awards Kim 2013 Owner of the Year Outpost Natural Foods has awarded Young Kim, executive director for Fondy Food Center, as its 2013 Owner of the Year. The award recognizes Kim for his tireless service and good will in bringing fresh food options to Milwaukee’s central city through the Fondy Food Center. From farm to fork, Kim’s dedication to the resurgence of urban and local agriculture and his positive influence in developing an integrated local food network truly exemplify Outpost’s cooperative vision of a healthy, diverse and sustainable community.
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| 02/14/13 | Outpost to open second Market Cafe at Healthy Lifestyle Village in Brown Deer Building on the success of its first stand alone Market Café, Outpost Natural Foods has announced plans to open a second café at the Rite-Hite Family YMCA (the Y) located in Brown Deer. The Y, along with Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare and the Walter Schroeder Aquatic Center form a single shared campus at 9250 N. Green Bay Road in Brown Deer. The cafe will be located in the central lobby. This Healthy Lifestyle Village has a strong focus on family and community. This partnership is unique within the YMCA system.
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November | |
| 11/12/12 | Outpost Eyes Mequon for Fourth Store Location MILWAUKEE, WI (November 12, 2012) – Outpost Natural Foods Cooperative is looking to expand into Ozaukee County for its fourth retail store location. Property has been secured in the city of Mequon at the northeast corner of Mequon Road (State highway 167) and Wauwatosa Road (State highway 181). The proposed location would primarily serve the city of Mequon and the town of Thiensville, and is expected to draw owners and shoppers from neighboring communities like Germantown, Menomonee Falls, Cedarburg and Grafton.
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| 11/2/12 | Outpost Announces $1.1 Million Expansion of Bay View Store and Central Kitchen MILWAUKEE, WI (November 1, 2012) – After only seven years, Outpost Natural Foods Cooperative, Wisconsin’s largest cooperatively owned natural food grocer, is embarking on a $1.1 million remodel of their Bay View store and Central Kitchen location located at 2826 S. Kinnickinnic Avenue in Milwaukee.
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August | |
| 08/10/12 | Outpost Donates to Forests for the Future We like trees. We love trees, in fact. That's why we encourage our shoppers to reuse shopping bags. We've given away or sold thousands of reusable shopping bags to reduce the amount of paper shopping bags we go through at our stores. And we've also donated money for the past two years to Forests for the Future, a reforestation project undertaken by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. |
May | |
| 05/23/12 | Outpost's Magazine Wins Top Prize for Design A food magazine produced in-house by the marketing and communications staff of Outpost Natural Foods Cooperative has been awarded a Gold Award for Best Overall Magazine Design. The recognition comes from the Milwaukee Press Club, which announced the winners of its Excellence in Journalism awards for 2011 at a banquet May 18. |
| 05/23/12 | Outpost Named a Top 100 Workplace Outpost Natural Foods Cooperative was named a 2012 Top 100 Workplace in Southeastern Wisconsin by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Over 960 companies were invited to participate in the survey. Of those, 195 companies chose to participate. Ultimately, over 85,000 employees received the survey and 55,000 responded, either on paper or online. Three business categories defined the awards: Large (500 plus employees), Midsize (150 – 499 employees) and Small (149 employees or less). |
| 05/21/12 | Outpost Opens Market Cafe at Aurora Sinai Outpost Natural Foods and Aurora Sinai Medical Center are excited to announce that the new 225 square foot Outpost Market Café has opened for business on Monday, May 21. The kiosk is located in the main lobby at Aurora Sinai Medical Center, across from Patient Registration. It is the first of its kind for the co-op, which has been serving the metro Milwaukee community since 1970 |
February | |
| 02/23/12 | Outpost annual meeting marks growth in sales, jobs and charitable giving Outpost Natural Foods, one of the nations largest food co-ops by sales volume, held its annual owners meeting on Sunday, February 19, with an enthusiastic crowd of more than 240 owners. Following on the heels of a successful 2010, the past year was a profitable and powerful one for Outpost, with an 8% jump in revenue and sales of $31 million. |
January | |
| 01/30/12 | Outpost to open retail kiosk at Aurora Sinai Medical Center Outpost Natural Foods, one of the largest natural foods cooperatives in the United States, announces that it will open a new 225 square foot retail space in the lobby at Aurora Sinai Medical Center at 945 N. 12th Street in Milwaukee. Outpost Market Cafe will offer a variety of signature made-from-scratch Outpost prepared food items including bakery, sandwiches, soups, salads and entrees. The kiosk will also offer hot coffee and tea, juices, a limited selection of local, fresh and non-perishable staple grocery items like milk and dairy, eggs, produce, bread, bulk items, convenient center aisle foods and bagged coffee. |
November | |
| 11/15/11 | Outpost grants $55K to local organizations Acting on their vision for a healthy, diverse and sustainable community, Outpost Natural Foods Cooperative recognized three local organizations with grants totaling $55K. |
September | |
| 09/29/11 | Outpost presents $30K grant to Walnut Way Outpost Natural Foods is excited to announce a $30,000 grant to the Walnut Way Conservation Corp. The presentation of this grant will take place Saturday, October 1, between noon and 1:00, during Walnut Way’s Harvest Day. The event, an annual celebration of the summer’s harvest, will run from noon to 4 p.m. in the 2200 block of North 17th Street. |
| 09/16/11 | Outpost Natural Foods GM honored by Community Shares The “Celebrate Champions of Change” banquet honored five Milwaukee business pioneers for their leadership in social justice, animal welfare and the environment. Outpost Natural Foods Co-op General Manager Pam Mehnert was among the group of honored recipients. |
August | |
| 08/23/11 | Take the Outpost Eat Local Challenge The Outpost Eat Local Challenge is a two-week quest to source meals from the local foodshed. Today, Outpost stocks products from nearly 200 different local and regional farmers and producers. |
| 08/17/11 | REMINDER: Gear up for the Eat Local Milwaukee Challenge Wrap up a summer filled with farmers markets and local food flair by participating in the 5th Annual Milwaukee Eat Local Challenge, September 1 –15. |
July | |
| 07/26/11 | 2011 Ukulele by Bicycle tour makes a stop at Outpost Ukulele singer/songwriter Aaron Lee is back on the road this summer touring on his bicycle to promote the values of sustainability, community and local action through ukulele music combined with an amazing journey. |
| 07/19/11 | Outpost offers ice-cream social fundraiser - benefits Hunger Task Force Buy A Scoop for the Hungry is a part of Outpost’s annual Think Outside the Lunchbox summer food drive, which runs from June 1 through August 31. |
| 07/14/11 | Outpost to donate three trees to Hart Park
Outpost Natural Foods will begin the remodel of its Wauwatosa store at 7000 West State Street |
| 07/12/11 | Outpost summer GRAZE hits the stands After a great response to its inaugural issue published in spring, Outpost Natural Foods’ magazine, GRAZE, is ready to bring it on with the Summer 2011 issue. |
May | |
| 05/3/11 | Grow Local Milwaukee - Celebrate Urban Gardening What’s more local than the backyard? Get tips, get inspired, get growing! Visit with local groups to learn about what’s sprouting in your community! Brought to you by Outpost Natural Foods and Urban Ecology Center. |
April | |
| 04/7/11 | Outpost launches new food magazine - GRAZE At a time when digital media seems to have taken over the world of printed publications, Outpost Natural Foods Cooperative launched its new printed quarterly food magazine, GRAZE. |
January | |
| 01/10/11 | Outpost GM 36 weeks into A Year of Inconvenience Try this on for a New Year’s resolution. Take the pledge to make all of your own food for one whole year and share your experience with 285 of your closest friends. |
| 01/5/11 | Outpost shoppers purchase over $65K in food for hungry “It’s a record year for Buy A Bag sales. We had set a goal of 1,500 bags, which we shattered. It just goes to show the dedication of our shoppers and enthusiasm of store staff to provide food for those in our communities who are facing hardships.” |
November | |
| 11/17/10 | Give Local Buy Local - a holiday shopping event
Join Outpost and Our Milwaukee in supporting area non-profits and locally owned, independent businesses for |
September | |
| 09/1/10 | Outpost Eat Local Challenge Finally, some GOOD news about food! The Eat Local Challenge runs from September 1 - 15. |
August | |
| 08/30/10 | Final issue for Outpost Exchange magazine October 2010 Sadly, after 30 years of publishing the Outpost Exchange, the October 2010 issue will be the last. Read more about why this difficult decision was made and some new publications on the horizon. |
| 08/20/10 | Outpost eggs not involved in recall One of the largest egg recalls in US history does not inlcude eggs sold at Outpost, nor eggs used in any Outpost made-from-scratch prepared foods. Establishing lasting relationships with local farms is key to knowing where food comes from. |
July | |
| 07/1/10 | Outpost announces 2010 summer film fest Celebrate summer with friends and a FREE film . . . brought to you by your friendly neighborhood co-op. In partnership with the Times Cinema, 5906 West Vliet Street. |
May | |
| 05/26/10 | Outpost Introduces 100% Organic Beer Outpost teams up with local Lakefront Brewery to create the perfect 100% organic summer beer! |
April | |
| 04/12/10 | From fringe to 40 - it's fabulous if you're Outpost Natural Foods Co-op What were you doing forty years ago? If you were a small group of Milwaukee idealists, you’d be organizing final efforts that would bring natural foods to Milwaukee. The founders of Outpost Natural Foods Cooperative filed for articles of incorporation on April 17, 1970. |
| 04/12/10 | We're gonna party like it's 1979, 1989, 1999, 2009! Join Outpost Natural Foods "Fortieth Anniversray Fun!" |
December | |
| 12/18/09 | Outpost announces 2010 Operation Community recipients Since 1994, Outpost Natural Foods Cooperative has been donating a monthly contribution to local non-profit organizations through its Operation Community give back program. |
November | |
| 11/25/09 | Outpost member of WELCOA's "America's Healthiest Companies" The Wellness Councils of America (WELCOA) has presented Outpost Natural Foods with a 2009 Well Workplace Gold Award. Other 2009 Gold Well Workplace award winners in Wisconsin include Goodwill Industries of SE WI, Jewelers Mutual Insurance Company, Medical College of Wisconsin and Milwaukee Public Schools. |
| 11/5/09 | Two holiday shopping events under one roof - both to benefit local 4th Annual Exchange Alternative Gift Fair & 2nd Annual Our Milwaukee Buy Local Fair. Meet and mingle with over 40 different non-profit organizations and independent businesses. |
| 11/3/09 | Outpost answers needs of community during the holiday season Non-profit organizations are feeling the financial fallout from the recession more than ever. Charitable giving is considerably down, while needs continue to rise. Enter Outpost Natural Foods Co-op. |
September | |
| 09/28/09 | 48,000 US Co-ops Celebrate National Cooperative Month Outpost Natural Foods Cooperative will be encouraging their owners to have a voice in the running of their business by holding their annual board of directors election. |
August | |
| 08/13/09 | Eat Local Challenge returns for 2 weeks of local food fun! Join the fun, take the challenge! Eating locally is good for you, farmers, producers and the local economy! Sponsored by Eat Local Milwaukee, Fondy Market, Our Milwaukee, Slow Food Wisconsin Southeast and Urban Ecology Center. |
July | |
| 07/2/09 | Now at Outpost: 100% grass fed beef - a meal you can trust With national beef recalls sadly becoming the norm these days, it’s hard to feel good about the meat you buy at the supermarket. Who do you trust? |
April | |
| 04/1/09 | Outpost organic bulk pistachios are OK to eat! Outpost Natural Foods rises to meet customer’s needs by offering shelled and unshelled organic bulk pistachios from Braga Organic Farms, a small family farm located in the Central Valley of California. Braga is not indicated with the latest recall involving pistachios. |
March | |
| 03/16/09 | Being environmentally friendly is in the bag! Outpost has created such a high percentage of eco-minded shoppers, the cash rebates for using reusable shopping bags began costing the co-op more than what the program could support. |
