Menomonie Market Food Co-op — Attraction in Menomonie

Once I would have raved about how passionate, uplifting, and wonderful the Menomonie Market Food Co-op is. Last November, when I first started here this place revived my spirit. It helped remind me how beautiful life can be. It gave me a sense of community. Unfortunately, times change, and I now look at the place with disgust. Change is good when executed correctly, but there was no support for staff which caused major distress. The first controversy was the pay cut they made look like a raise. We had paid breaks which was removed. In its place, we received a raise to even it out. However, the math was not adding up and everyone got very upset. I composed an anonymous letter on the behalf of six staff members because most were too afraid of being reprimanded for questioning the GM. I noticed the next morning the general manager was more concerned with discovering who wrote the letter instead of the fact that their staff members were extremely upset. So, we had something management called, “listening sessions” where we could voice our concerns. They did listen to what we had to say, but it was basically said that something else upsetting will happen in the future that will make us forget how hurt we are. That we can be upset, but the general manager is the one in control. One of the staff members has been at the co-op during the roughest patches of the Covid-19 lockdown and still was voicing this is the worst the morale has been, ever. Ever since then I have questioned the intentions of the Co-op. I thought back to my initial interview in which I asked why the turnover was so bad, how instead of expanding so fast the co-op could instead give their staff an affordable living wage, how staff who have been there for countless years were quitting, I thought about the breakroom wall looks with all the anonymous notes screaming for reform. One of the questions on the wall asks, “how is management going to fix morale – staff are going home in tears every day – this needs to get fixed.” The solution from the general manager and the store manager is to utilize our free EAP and “through them the co-op offers real counseling.” At this point it is a toxic relationship: we are screaming for help and instead of higher management being our advocate and changing the work culture for the sake of their loyal staff, they tell us to get therapy. I have not even worked there a whole year, and I felt like a senior staff member there. Everyone else left. The Menomonie Market Food Co-op looks good, is all sunshine's on the outside, but do not be fooled by its thin sugar coating. Enough tears landing on it dissolved the weak façade. It is quite easy to see the staff members are not happy; the energy just gets sucked out of you the moment you step in there. I miss what we used to stand for. It is clear the Menomonie Market Food Co-op, at least from the very top of the ladder, strives for artificial harmony. Behind closed doors, the majority are unhappy but do not feel safe communicating how they feel. Without the safety of anonymity, staff feels like there would be a target placed on their backs. All I can say is, I tried. I saw the co-op’s potential, how it could be something truly great, but it is not. I have given up. I do not recommend working at the Menomonie Market Food Co-op, unless you are very good at keeping your head down, staying in line, and not questioning authority. If you just focus on the things that you can control, you could find success there. But do not recommend wasting time at a place that wants to keep their staff in a box. The most devastating part about quitting the co-op is losing my connection to the people. The customers are an absolute dream to interact with and are the nicest, most genuine group of people I have ever happened upon. I hold them all close to my heart. They are the only reason I stuck around for as long as I did. I am genuinely sorry to disappoint anyone who reads this, but this is real, this is happening, and this is the Menomonie...

Place has gone down hill with the new management. Ever since they announced a new store manager employees have been vocally unhappy about their employment. Was good for a time. Even took the leap and became an owner. Very disappointed in the downward spiral this place seems to be in currently. No good soups available these days and are all the same kinds. Asked someone in the deli why and when I could see things like the loaded potato soup my husband and I loved so much and they said they were using FROZEN SOUPS! If I wanted prepackaged and premade food I wouldn’t be shopping here I would go somewhere cheaper like Walmart. At least they don’t try to lie to you about the quality of food you are receiving and hide it behind a huge price tag! Try to charge me a ridiculous price for a soup you guys just heated up? Not only that, but the shelf has been inconsistent the last few months. I remember being able to go just back even in March and get to have a variety of items, but now I have the option of maybe 4 things each time I go in. Plenty of cheeses though. Alcohol selection is good at least. Might stop in for some local brews and the delicious hot bar items (thank god the deli is at least getting that right still!), but that’s just about the only reason I see to stop in this place anymore. Always loved the from scratch style to deli had, but frozen soup doesn’t fit that description and truly has made me lose the trust I had in the co-op and it’s healthy, “made...

Under seasoned, under cooked, and over priced. I went in today to purchase some lunch from their deli and was extremely disappointed after getting him to eat my meal. All together I paid $23 for 3 items which is outrageous when those items were an artichoke wrap and two half pound containers of their pre made salads. I figured that the food would make up for it in flavor, but that was not the case. Being that I went to culinary school and that I have worked in kitchens my whole life I was appalled at the poor quality of the food. The artichoke wrap had little to no seasoning to speak of, and raw cabbage which is normally fine, but it was cut so large that it made it uncomfortable to eat (especially when it was $10 for a 1/2 pound item). The potatoes in the Mediterranean salad were essentially raw, under seasoned, and $7 for a half pound. Then last but not least I had the wild rice salad which was, you guessed it, under cooked and had little to no seasoning and was priced at $6.50. I’ve had good experiences from buying produce from here before, but they need to get someone in the deli who has a palate and knows how to properly prepare food if they are goinng to continue to charge an...