We are delighted to introduce Debra Smith as the newest member of Deep Roots’ Board of Directors. Pictured in the center and surrounded by the other members of the Board, Debra has hit the ground running with her vast experience in financial matters and keen attention to detail. A Deep Roots owner since 2018, Debra attests to the value of healthy, organic foods for changing her life for the better. Read more about Debra Smith here.

Debra will be completing the term originally held by Eric Smith (no relation) who regrettably stepped down from the Board to attend to health and wellness matters. Eric’s service to Deep Roots most recently culminated with his involvement in the new General Manager (GM) search, a time-intensive commitment that required his insights and wisdom. We wish Eric, a professional Santa Claus, all the best and will miss his wit at our monthly meetings.

Speaking of monthly meetings, you may be wondering what is in store for Debra now that she’s become a Board Member as well as an owner. Here’s a glimpse of what the Board does. At our last Board Meeting, we reviewed monthly financials as we always do with General Manager Matt Davis and received a report from our Owner Engagement Committee of owner responses to questions about what makes Deep Roots Market special to you and the community. The data will inform a new, concise statement of what distinguishes Deep Roots Market today from other markets and co-ops (one of the Board’s three goals for this year).

What else, you ask? Recently, the Board’s Finance Committee researched, crunched the numbers, and with our General Manager, developed a multi-year plan to retire outstanding owner loans that supported Deep Roots’ operations in challenging times and move to the downtown location (another of the Board’s goals for the year). The Board approved the plan which will begin in 2024, asking our GM to distribute $80,000 in debt repayment by the end of the year, an ambitious step that clearly demonstrates strong commitment to this goal on the part of the Board and the new management team. As one aspect of the ambitious loan repayment plan, the Board will launch a year-end fundraising campaign, asking customers, owners and Deep Roots supporters to consider year-end contributions to help Deep Roots cover costs that extend beyond store sales and ownership shares. More on this soon!

Finally, our Board Development Committee is already preparing candidate packets for owners interested in running for a three-year Board position at our May 2025 Annual Meeting. We intentionally hold elections annually to re-elect or replace at least three Board Members and we hope you will consider running for one of the positions so you can work with an amazing, dedicated group of people to deepen Deep Roots’ place and impact in our community!

Savor the flavors of fall with these moist, deep orange pancakes. Perfect for breakfast or dinner, topped with crunchy walnuts and a drizzle of maple syrup.

Ingredients

Syrup

• 1/2 cup walnut pieces
• 1/2 cup maple syrup

Pancakes

• 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
• 1/2 cup unbleached flour
• 4 tablespoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup squash (on sale for $1.49/lb)
• 1 cup 1% low-fat milk
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 large eggs
• Vegetable oil spray

Preparation

• In a 1-quart pot, combine walnuts and maple syrup; heat over low while making pancakes.
• Preheat oven to 200°F to keep pancakes warm.
• In a large bowl, mix whole wheat flour, unbleached flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. In a medium bowl, whisk together squash, milk, oil, and egg. Combine mixtures until smooth.
• Preheat a griddle over high heat and spray with vegetable oil. Pour 1/4 cup batter, spreading into a 4-inch round. When bubbles form, reduce heat to medium. Cook until edges are dry (about 3 minutes), flip, and cook 1-2 minutes more. Repeat with the remaining batter.
• Serve 3 pancakes per plate, topped with 1 tablespoon of syrup each.

*Squash Puree*

• Preheat the oven to 400 F.
• Using your favorite fall butternut, halve the squash, scoop out the seeds, and place it cut-side down on an oiled sheet pan.
• Roast at 400 F until tender when pierced with a paring knife.
• With a metal spoon, scrape out the cooked flesh and puree in a blender until smooth.

At the end of August, your Board of Directors spent a full day together to establish goals and a work plan for 2024-2025. What distinguished the day was the flow of positive energy, show of strong commitment, and affirmation of the collective dedication to serve the community.

We established three goals which you’ll be hearing more about in the months ahead. We hope you, as owners, will join us in developing these goals through our many Board committees that involve smart, fun people working together to enhance our experience and engagement with Deep Roots!

✅ Goal #1: Develop a strong statement of what distinguishes Deep Roots Market today from other markets and co-ops so that we can communicate that clearly and consistently in all messaging. This task, one that will build upon our roots while also recognizing the changing community landscape, will involve soliciting input from our owners in the coming weeks and months. This goal is designed to directly and positively impact our other goals and the overall operations of Deep Roots Market.

✅ Goal #2: Achieve robust financial health and increase Deep Roots’ vibrancy to be able to initiate new programming, store changes, and pay off all outstanding owner loans by 2027. We will release plans later this fall about new programming, fundraising, and details about an ambitious owner loan repayment schedule (and we’ll communicate directly as well with the owners who graciously provided loans to make Deep Roots what it is today!). We know many of you who loaned us funds have been patient and we thank you for that. We are committed to paying off all owner loans and promise to communicate in the next 90 days our specific plans for how to do that. You can expect significant loan repayment to start in 2024. In the meantime, we ask that you please refrain from asking our market staff about this...we will keep you updated as soon as our plans and projections are solid. Keep in mind that you can always write to the Board President with questions at boardofdirectors@deeprootsmarket.com.

✅ Goal #3: Support the onboarding of our new General Manager. As announced previously, we are thrilled that Matt Davis has taken over as Deep Roots’ new General Manager, effective July 1, 2024, a job that requires him to wear many hats and take on new tasks and responsibilities. Our core values of equity, democracy at work and in the community, care for others, sustainability, and social responsibility will guide our effort to work with Matt to ensure Deep Roots continues to grow and serve the people of Greater Greensboro.

Many thanks to you, our owners and shoppers, for supporting Deep Roots Market.

Greensboro, NC — Long-time Deep Roots Market employee Matt Davis has been named the store’s new General Manager, effective July 1, 2024. Davis was promoted to the co-op’s top position to ensure Greensboro’s only downtown market continues to serve the surrounding community. With more than 10,000 engaged owners, Greensboro’s residents actively support the co-op’s mission of promoting local, natural, and organic foods and products for a healthy, equitable, and sustainable future.

Davis brings a wealth of experience in the natural foods sector, with previous diverse roles in front-end operations, finance, and human resources. Davis is highly respected within the organization and in the community, owing to his commitment to behind-the-scenes responsibilities, his aptitude for resolving everyday and unexpected crises, and making sound decisions in consideration of the impact on all of Deep Roots’ stakeholders.

According to Davis, “Deep Roots is poised to excel in the coming years as it serves Greensboro’s residents and importantly, a growing number of tourists who are taking full advantage of the downtown’s cultural offerings.”

Deep Roots began in the 1960s as a small vegetarian buying club at Guilford College. By 1976, it opened its first storefront. Just prior to moving to the expanded, current downtown location in 2013, it operated for more than 20 years on Spring Garden Street.

Deep Roots features fresh foods from local farmers as well as health and wellness products. Most recently, it has prioritized sustainability initiatives including drop-off composting, community glass recycling, and a station for electric car charging.

Deep Roots is open daily from 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. As a co-op, Deep Roots demonstrates how people working together can successfully address one another’s needs and implement desired solutions. As such, Deep Roots serves as a living example of an economic, social, and political alternative to corporate-owned businesses. While anyone can shop at the co-op, Deep Roots’ owners invest $100 for a lifetime membership allowing them to vote in co-op elections, run for a seat on the voluntary board, and receive discounts on products throughout the year.