To Co-op members and supporters, 

 

As 2024 is coming to a close, we’d like to take a moment to reflect on this insightful year at Lost River Co-op & Cafe. At the beginning of this year, co-op doors were closed for remodeling and reassessing business priorities. A lot has happened in those 3 months. The space was divided up and rehabbed, new paint, new flooring, new counters, new coffee station, efficient freezers and a new payment system (see video below). 

 

One reason for the remodel was to dedicate more productive space to the cafe. Now you can gather with friends, enjoy live music on the newly-built stage and enjoy a made-from-scratch meal. Since reopening in April, more customers are enjoying the seating space and staying longer to gather with others. The kitchen prep space is larger, allowing Gabe and team to put out hot meals, a salad bar and made-to-order sandwiches. More space will also help in building the catering business. 

 

The grocery section is smaller, but streamlined. It is still stocked with your favorites: local meats and produce, bulk items, ice cream, and spices. And if you don’t see something you’d like, you can special order through us. 

 

There is a new middle room. This room serves many purposes, usually multiple within the same day. It is a meeting room for local organizations, an event space available for rent, and an art gallery. This room also serves as a work space for the newly formed organization, Orange County Food Trust, a 501(c)(3) food hub. This organization was created to handle the non-profit activities and explore new opportunities to bring local food to the community. Currently, the OC Food Trust manages the Food as Medicine mealkit programs, farm stands and helps promote Bag of Basics donations which allows Lost River to feed local hungry people, no questions asked.

 

This has been Lost River Co-op & Cafe’s 17th year in operation. This year the co-op served over 32 households with the Community Supported Agriculture boxes. Over 1,000 meal kits were packaged and delivered with Purdue Extension partners, and local produce was offered via farm stands in neighboring counties. 

 

This restructuring was done to explore the most viable options for the store's sustainability. Progress is being made towards increasing revenue in certain key areas. The co-op is now open on Tuesdays which has helped increase sales without additional labor costs. But there is still work to do. In the coming year, the co-op will be promoting the CSA, hosting more events like canning and baking classes, adding more local artisan vendors, applying for various grants,  evaluating prices based on cost of goods, reducing labor costs and researching new vendor options. Follow the co-op on Facebook and the website for news and event info. And, of course, partnering with organizations will continue - with Purdue Extension, Hoosier Uplands, Orange County Community Garden, Orange County Economic Development Partnership, Possibilities for Paoli, Orange County Community Foundation and more. 

 

Staff news - Jeannette Schultz, co-manager, who has worked here for 10  years will be retiring! A retirement party will be planned for mid-January to celebrate her tenure. Amanda Young will be stepping up as co-manager, to lead the co-op with Gabe Plimpton. We are so thankful for an amazing staff and we look forward to adding a new member to the team in 2025. 

 

Your continued support of the co-op does not go unnoticed! Your investment and shopping support means that grocery dollars stay here in Orange County. It is because of you and for you that we remain steadfast in our mission to provide local, healthy food to the community. 

 

Respectfully yours,

 

Lost River Co-Op & Cafe Board of Directors

Katarina Koch

Rebeka Alvarez-Heck

Janet Kennedy

Debbie Turner

Bob Turner

Larry Hollan

Sherry Schmidt

Rhonda Orr​​​​