Red River Co-op is built on the vision of being truly local — and a promise to stay that way.

More than 312,000 members in Winnipeg and neighbouring communities wholly own Red River Co-op, which operates on the values of integrity, teamwork and respect.

“We are owned by our members who live in our trading areas, we hire locally, and we support local growers and producers by partnering with them to sell their product and help grow their business,” said CEO Doug Wiebe.

“In 2019, Red River Co-op did over $10 million in sales of locally made product, putting massive dollars into the pockets of Manitoba farmers and entrepreneurs. Furthermore, our profits don’t line the pockets of rich shareholders in faraway places; they are returned to our local members. Last year, we distributed $37.8 million in equity and cash to our membership.”

Not only do profits stay local, Red River Co-op provides further support through its community investment program, which awarded more than $180,000 in donations to charities and non-profits in 2019. The co-operative runs additional annual programs to further support the community, including Fuel Good Day which saw a $50,000 donation go to the Bear Clan this fall, and Community Spaces where the Selkirk Curling Rink was awarded with $70,000 for their roof renovation project.

The retail co-operative operates 35 full-service gas bar locations with convenience stores, and many with car washes.

“We are proud to have exceptional customer service at the core of everything we do and are one of the few fuel companies left that still employ people to pump your gas and wash your windows,” Wiebe said. “We also provide bulk fuel delivery to commercial and farm accounts, and operate five commercial cardlocks.”

In July 2019, the co-operative also opened its seventh food store, located in Gimli.
“We are currently in the process of building two additional food stores in Winnipeg and look forward to serving new communities and expanding our employee family into those neighbourhoods,” Wiebe said. “Our St. Norbert store should be opening sometime around Christmas, and our new build in Seasons of Tuxedo, near the Outlet Collection Winnipeg mall is scheduled to open next summer.”

The pandemic has been challenging with decreased business at gas bars combined with increased business at food stores.

“Where we can, we have shifted the stocking of our stores to evening hours in an effort to reduce possible interactions and enhance social distancing for customers shopping at our stores,” Wiebe said.

Other safety measures include increased cleaning and sanitizing, more personal protective equipment and barriers, restricted customer volume in stores, a seniors’ hour shopping, and a new “Click & Collect” e-commerce program for curbside pickup.

Murray Dehn, Vice-President, Human Resources, expressed pride in Red River Co-op’s recognition as a Top Employer.

“This is the first time we have been officially designated as one of Manitoba’s top employers,” he said. “However, it confirms what we have long believed — that Red River Co-op is an awesome place to work.”

Although its revenues make Red River Co-op stand out as a large organization, its values reflect the fact it remains rooted as a local business.

“Our employees have access to, and form personal relationships with, our management team at all levels. Our CEO is a presence in all our locations, not just when conducting official business but as a shopper as well, and he enjoys conversing with and listening to our frontline staff. He is recognized by most of our employees and they address him on a first-name basis,” Dehn said.

“We know our employees on a personal level and genuinely care about them as individuals, which helps us to make the right business decisions with their needs in mind. We provide our employees with opportunities to advance, not only within our own Co-op but also through other Co-ops across Western Canada. We provide employees with great careers and a grow from within culture — you can literally start in a frontline position with our Co-op and retire in a senior management role.”

Employee perks include health, dental and pension benefits, training and workshops, competitive wages, tuition reimbursement, and an employee and family assistance program. Other initiatives include employee purchase rebates, service milestone recognition, volunteer and team-building activities, flexible schedules and work-from-home opportunities where possible.

“As a co-operative, we believe strongly in the principle of co-operation. It’s ingrained into everything we do. We operate in two highly competitive, customer-focused industries. If you don’t have happy employees at every level, it’s impossible to engage with our customers, and ultimately to meet their needs,” Dehn said. “We will not rest on our laurels. To elevate our employee experience, we are always coming up with imaginative ways to retain and impress our talent and we are continually on the hunt for top talent in the industries we serve. Our benefits are customized to the needs of each business unit. We try to be as responsive to our employees’ needs as we can.”

By Jennifer McFee
As seen in the Winnipeg Free Press