Dear SCCM owners and community members,
Thank you for your faith and patience in supporting this project.
In reflecting back to our beginning in 2010, much has changed. Organics were once scarce – now they’re everywhere. Local organic farmers were unknown in Orange County – now stores and restaurants celebrate them. Unproven genetically-modified (GMO) foods were quietly taking over our grocery store shelves – now, with the help of your advocacy, consumers are mobilizing to question their safety.
For the past five years, SCCM supporters have volunteered thousands of hours. We’ve done a great service to our community in the process and can be proud that 132 visionaries became equity-owners of the San Clemente Community Market. However, it was not our time.
With conventional grocers now carrying a wider variety of organics at very competitive pricing – most advertising locally grown, and with outlets such as Target, 99 Cent Store, Walmart, Trader Joe’s, Costco, and Sprouts opening soon, it is increasingly difficult for people to comprehend the benefits that a Co-op grocery store provides.
While the economy has improved since 2010, community interest and enthusiasm for a Co-op grocery store in San Clemente has waned, and with that the volunteer lifeblood needed for the Co-op’s growth. As current, nearly half of our Board seats are vacant, a condition that we cannot foresee changing in the coming years.
For these reasons and more, the Board has decided to dissolve our cooperative corporation effective April 30, 2016, in order to best serve the current shareholders.
Thank you again for you support.
Fondly,
Sam, Raul, Devon, Mary, Lisa
SCCM Board of Directors
San Clemente Community Market 