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Local food store in Sudbury closes

Eat Local Sudbury Co-operative cited 2016 financial crisis for decision
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Eat Local Sudbury Co-operative announced on Jan. 26 it would close indefinitely due to financial uncertainty.

Eat Local Sudbury, a grocery store and co-op organization that sells products grown within a 150-mile radius of Sudbury, will close indefinitely.

The store issued a Jan. 26 statement saying the decision comes after members voted on a recommendation from the board of directors to close the store and dissolve the Eat Local Sudbury Co-operative.

“Over the past few years we have strived to make changes to make our co-op financially sustainable, but we have not managed to recover from the financial crisis in which we found ourselves in 2016,” the co-op said.

“With the help of our dedicated members and customers, we have managed to pay off our debts to our farmers and producers. However, the steady decline in membership and sales over the last two years has led us to make the difficult decision to close our operations.”

After reviewing the co-op’s finances at the end of the 2017 fiscal year, the co-op said it was unsure it could meet its commitments to farmers and members, calling closure the “wisest course of action.”

“It has been an honour and a privilege to work with our local farmers and community members over the last 10 years,” the statement read.

“We are proud of the work that we have done in bringing local food to the people of Sudbury and we believe in the community that has rallied around us. Although this is the end of our journey, we hope that it will be the beginning of something new for the local food movement in Sudbury.”

The store will close on March 1.