At Deep Roots Market, you — our Owners — are the foundation of everything we do. Your dedication, participation, and shared values have allowed us to serve the Greensboro community for 50 years with integrity, local ownership, and a strong cooperative spirit.

As many of you know, Deep Roots Market operates under a set Cooperative Principles which guide cooperatives around the world:

• Voluntary & Open Ownership
• Democratic Owner Control
• Owner Economic Participation
• Autonomy & Independence
• Education, Training & Information
• Cooperation Among Cooperatives
• Concern for Community
• Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

These principles ensure that we remain locally controlled, locally invested, and deeply connected to the well-being of our community. Every Owner share represents not just equity in a store, but a personal investment in the health of our local economy, sustainable food systems, and community development.

Why an Increase is Needed

Since the late 1980s, the cost of an ownership share at Deep Roots Market has remained steady at $100. If that share price had simply followed inflation, it would now be approximately $270. While we have managed to keep ownership accessible for decades, the costs of operating a thriving, community-owned business, from infrastructure and capital improvements to vendor support and staff development, have continued to rise.

In a recent Owner survey, 86% of respondents expressed support for increasing the ownership share price to better reflect today’s economic reality while maintaining the financial health and sustainability of the Co-op. After careful consideration, and with input from you, our Owners, the Board of Directors has approved an increase:

Effective January 1, 2026, the cost of a Deep Roots Owner Share will increase from $100 to $160.

Important Notes:

• This increase only applies to new Owner shares purchased on or after January 1, 2026.
• Current Owners who have already purchased a share remain fully vested at the original $100 share price.
• This decision allows us to maintain fiscal responsibility while continuing to provide the high-quality products, community programming, and cooperative values you expect from Deep Roots.

Staying True to Our Mission

This modest increase reflects our responsibility to maintain a viable business model while remaining accessible and inclusive. Unlike many businesses, Deep Roots Market is not owned by outside investors or distant corporations, we are owned entirely by our local community.

By strengthening our capital base through updated share pricing, we can continue to:

• Support local farmers, producers, and artisans.
• Maintain and improve our store facilities.
• Offer education and outreach programs.
• Preserve the unique cooperative model that makes Deep Roots special.
• Sustain long-term stability for future generations of Owners.

On behalf of the Board of Directors, thank you for your continued trust, engagement, and ownership. Together, we will continue building a strong, resilient, and community-centered Deep Roots Market.

If you have any questions or would like more information, please don’t hesitate to contact us or attend one of our upcoming Owner meetings.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Why is Deep Roots Market increasing the Owner Share price?

The cost of an ownership share has remained at $100 since the late 1980s. If the price had kept pace with inflation, it would be approximately $270 today. Increasing the share price to $160 helps ensure the Co-op has sufficient capital to maintain financial stability, make necessary store improvements, and continue supporting our local economy and community.

2. How was this decision made?

The Board of Directors carefully considered financial data, long-term sustainability, and feedback from our Owners. In a recent Owner survey, 86% of respondents supported the increase. After thorough review, the Board voted to approve the increase.

3. Who will this price increase affect?

Only new Owners joining the Co-op on or after January 1, 2026, will pay the new share price of $160. Current Owners who have already purchased a share at $100 remain fully vested and will not be asked to contribute additional funds.

4. Why not raise the price to match inflation?

The Board aims to balance financial responsibility with accessibility. While inflation suggests a much higher share price, $160 was selected as a moderate increase that supports financial stability while keeping ownership attainable for most community members.

5. What is the Owner Share used for?

Owner Shares provide essential capital for store operations, facility maintenance, upgrades, and special projects that support the Co-op's long-term sustainability. Owner capital is a cornerstone of our cooperative model and helps ensure our independence and community control.

6. Is this a one-time payment or an annual fee?

The Owner Share is a one-time equity investment. There are no annual fees to maintain ownership.

7. Will there be more increases in the future?

Any future increases would be carefully evaluated by the Board of Directors based on financial needs, business conditions, and Owner input.

8. Where can I get more information or ask questions?

Owners are always welcome to reach out to the Board of Directors or management with questions. You may also attend upcoming Owner meetings for open discussion.

For the past year, I have had the pleasure of serving as board president for Deep Roots Market. The experience was invigorating, challenging, and rewarding. I want to thank the board of directors and our owners for investing their trust in me. Our structure of nine owners as board members taking on different tasks, yields tremendous results. The board and the store ownership exude democratic action!

Each year, your voting in elections ensures that all Deep Roots’ owners have a say annually in who oversees operations and finances, establishes policies, and monitors the activities of the general manager.

Then, the board elects its own officers, annually — president, vice president, treasurer and secretary. This year, we had a very smooth transition with some new and returning faces holding officer positions.

Please welcome your new board president, Drew Dix, when you see him in the store. He has served faithfully on the board for years, most recently as vice president, and has deep knowledge of sales and food. More importantly, his interest in being inclusive and learning with others ensures that he puts democracy to work in his everyday actions.

Brittany Peters continues for a second year as secretary, Debra Smith El Al takes on a new role as treasurer, and we elected Mollie Blafer as co-vice president. Other board members were elected to officer positions as well: Lisa Hinton as assistant secretary, Khaila Daye continuing as assistant treasurer, and me, Spoma Jovanovic, serving as co-vice president.

As I turn over presidential duties to Drew Dix, I do so with full confidence and appreciation for his friendship and leadership. My hope is that Drew will enjoy the role as much as I did, and that I will have a little more time for tennis (anyone want to play???) and family time Democracy…I love it because we all continue to be in this together—owners and board members in changing roles but always supportive of our co-op!!

We are happy to announce the results of Deep Roots Market’s first (ever!) runoff election for a Board of Directors seat. Lisa Hinton Donkor received the most votes though there were a lot of votes cast for Benjamin Free as well. Thank you to these fine candidates and to all the owners who voted for them.

The final list of the 2025-2026 Board Members (with their term expiration date) includes:

• Brittany Peters (2026)
• Debra Smith El (2026)
• Lisa Hinton Donkor (2026)
• Khaila Daye (2027)
• Drew Dix (2027)
• Mollie Blafer (2027)
• Cecelia Allen (2028)
• Spoma Jovanovic (2028)
• Andrea Li (2028)

A BIG thank you to the more than 200 Deep Roots Owners who attended our Annual Meeting and/or who voted in the recent election. The Annual Owners Meeting’s energy was boosted by our Benefit Concert that followed, with electric music all afternoon provided by the talented rock and Americana musicians of College Hill Kids. The band donated their services and attendees opened their wallets, raising money for our co-op. THANK YOU!!

The Annual Owners Meeting is a time when the co-op’s decision making is in our owners’ hands, and you spoke out! We are pleased to present here the election results for new board members and by-law changes.

2025 Board Members Elected: The top vote getters this year were incumbents Spoma Jovanovic and Cecelia Allen, so they have been re-elected to three-year terms. Andrea Li was also elected to a three-year term, her first on our Board of Directors. Congratulations to all three and welcome aboard to Andrea! And, for the first time in Deep Roots’ history, we will have a run-off ballot for the fourth board seat which will be for a one-year term (to fulfill an early vacated board seat). Benjamin Free and Lisa Hinton Donkor both received the same number of votes on the first ballot. Active owners (those who’ve made purchases in the last year), please look for the email soon providing instructions for how to cast your vote in the run-off election. Remember, you can read more about Ben and Lisa here.

Our deep appreciation goes to all the other candidates, all of whom were exceptional people with talents and interests that made voting difficult for us all. We hope to see them run again for a board seat—we have openings every year. Better yet, we hope they and all other owners will consider investing time on one of our board committees (or propose a new project or committee). Thanks again to the other candidates: Lisa Blakley, Hanna Garner, Brandon Martin, Jonathan Stephens, Rykiell Turner, and Pennington Vanstory.

By-Law Changes: All the proposed by-law changes passed with wide margins. Please see here for the proposed changes and rationale: Proposal #1: 197 for, 5 against; Proposal #2: 196 for, 3 against; Proposal #3: 192 for, 9 against; Proposal #4, 194 for, 8 against.

Thanks to the 2024-2025 Board Members: As we wind up the board’s working year, I want to extend my personal thanks to the 2024-2025 board members for their service this past year. They were exemplary in every way and continually put the interests of all owners at the front of the oversight and planning as directors.

Though all board members contribute to deliberations, planning, and decision making, they also take on special tasks. Brittany Peters and Mollie Blafer led our Board Development Committee which yielded a record 11 candidates this year for the Board of Directors. Their attention to the legal requirements of the process and needs of the candidates displayed care and kindness throughout. Cecelia Allen, Joel Landau, and Khaila Daye did the meticulous, thorough, and important work of updating policy governance and by-laws documents. Drew Dix and Mollie Blafer managed with staff members GM Matt Davis and Outreach Coordinator Genesis McCarty many new promotional videos, fundraising programs, and planning for our successful Annual Owners Meeting. Joel Landau, Debra Smith, and Khaila Daye spearheaded research and investigated options and discussions for among other financial issues, our LIMe program, owner equity, and the owner loan pay-back process. These matters are critical to the long-term financial well-being of the co-op. A big round of thanks as well to our board members who served Deep Roots for several years but had to step aside before their terms expired, Eric Smith and Suzanne Wilcox.

In addition to providing oversight and feedback to the General Manager and abiding by proper governance procedures, your Board of Directors moved $100,000 off the debt side of our balance sheet this year. We have more to do, but due to the generous support of owner-lenders, who forgave interest and/or portions of their original loans, we were able to pay back more owners than ever. We are committed to continuing an accelerated pay back schedule to owner-lenders, as store finances permit.

Want to shake things up a bit for a better future? Join us!

Here are some opportunities for all of us to consider:

1. Organize social actions at Deep Roots for wide community engagement (think of a postcard writing event, book talk, or rally that is open to the public, for example). Deep Roots is ideally situated to support small or large actions for owners and community members to participate in throughout the year.

2. Volunteer to set up, manage, and/or tear down our Annual Owners Meeting and Benefit Concert on Saturday, May 3rd. Shifts are available between noon and 5 pm.

3. Do you have an idea for a new committee to start at Deep Roots that fits with our mission? For example, a Sustainable Energy Committee to promote sustainable, solar, and other energy-saving practices. Let us know and let’s see how to make that happen!

Click here to deepen your involvement with Deep Roots in 2025!!