The Big Carrot through 40 years: strong values, unique products, passionate staff power
By Bruce W. Cole
The Big Carrot, Toronto, Ontario, turned 40 last year. Started in 1983 by nine founders as a worker’s co-op, The Big Carrot is one of the city’s longest established traditional health food stores.
Over time, it has grown to a staff of 150, with 44 active (still working) shareholders. It has expanded from a small storefront to being at the heart of a busy natural health hub called The Carrot Common. The Big Carrot is a fixture in its east-end neighbourhood, deeply connected to its community. It has old-time values, but a progressive eye to the future. It feels like the biggest “little” health food store you may ever find.
Kate McMurray is Big Carrot’s community engagement manager and a trained nutritionist. In these days of online ordering and overwhelming product availability through multiple channels, she says the store’s people and its products continue to be its foundation, as it has been for over four decades.
“One big reason we’ve stayed in business is because we’ve held true to our product purchasing standards. They have always been extremely high. Our produce is always 100 percent certified organic or wild, regardless of rising prices or availability. We are committed to that. We are very well known for our certified organic produce, and I can’t see that ever changing.”
When it comes to items the store puts on its shelves, Kate says customers know the staff has scrutinized the ingredient list of every product. “They trust what we put on the shelf.”
Unique, ‘funky’ products
Kate says many come to the store because they can find unique and ‘funky’ products, things they can only find at The Big Carrot. “Our mission is to constantly innovate when it comes to products, so we try to connect with small, local, and innovative smaller producers. We are often the first store to carry them. We give them a launch pad, and we’re happy to see them to grow, and get a foothold in the market and other stores. We are very well known for that.”
Clean and unique products are a hallmark of The Big Carrot, says Kate, particularly in the supplement and wellness department. “We’ve become known as the place to go to discover hard-to-find and new products. It’s not an easy job for our purchasers. They push the edge to source very small and new brands. It means something to customers. We’ve become known as the quirky store that has almost everything.”
The Big Carrot lays claim to a couple major firsts: it was a founding partner of the Non-GMO Project. And it was also the first store in Ontario to be certified organic. Each and every product in the store and every ingredient in the kitchen had to be certified. Kate recalls how intensive this standard was to maintain. “It was huge amount of work. It was a huge commitment.”
The Big Carrot is no longer officially certified organic as a retailer, but it still follows the same stringent practices. “Our standards are the same and we still follow the same procedures.”
On the rare occasion when organic ingredients are not available or too expensive and conventional ingredients must be used in the kitchen, customers are made aware. “We are always transparent about this. It’s also about keeping prices fair for customers.”
Communicating and connecting
Keeping customers top-of-mind is vital to the store’s success, says Kate. “You need to communicate and connect however you can with your customers. Whatever moment you have to educate the customer, use it. Even a brief exchange in the aisle helps empower them, explaining, ‘here’s why we carry certified organic, and non-GMO.’ This will make people feel good about the choices they are making.”
Kate says it’s hard to maintain a high level of communication these days because everyone is so inundated with information. “Go back to basics,” she suggests. “Educate staff so they can educate customers when they have an exchange. Explain details about the producers, who they are and where they are. Get staff excited. They can share that in an ‘organic’ way, not in a hard sales way. Share all the good and right things you’re doing. You have to trust that this will come across.”
Customer education
The Big Carrot team enhances its knowledge by being involved with organizations, including the Canada Organic Trade Association and the Organic Council of Ontario. “Having our board members involved with these groups and maintaining these relationships helps us stay on top of trends, regulations, and other things. We can, in turn, update customers on the changes. We make them aware of lobbying efforts with the government. In the end, the information continues to help customers make the best decisions about what goes in their cart.”
Caring, passionate staff
Kate says she can’t emphasise enough what the staff contributes to The Big Carrot culture. “Our staff members have committed their careers and lives to this industry and community. Their passion is next level. They are engaging [and] they care.”
If you work in the store’s dispensary or wellness department, you need a professional accreditation: homeopath, naturopath, herbalist, or nutritionist. “This is an expensive commitment, but customers know they are getting very educated advice,” explains Kate. “Those things set us apart.”
Kate smiles as she relates that The Big Carrot is a character in and of itself, says Kate, and the staff are all characters. “That’s what makes this place ‘the place.’ Maybe it’s a funny conversation between a cashier and a customer. We are quirky. We’re going to stick with that and not lose that.”
And it’s not limited to team members, it extends to the community. “It’s not just the staff; it’s also the customers. They help foster the environment, too.”
Community minded [SUBHEAD]
Community outreach is a very important function of The Big Carrot. “Our intention to stay connected is always there, so we run community events and interact as much as we can with the community.”
Kate runs The Big Carrot donation fund, which serves both the community and initiatives beyond. It could be sponsoring a sports team, a school fair, or a pride movie, or helping fund a community space or Christmas concert.
“We always prioritise our partnerships. If funds get tighter, we get more creative, with support and food donations (maybe cookies or muffins) to stay connected. We consider ourselves part of the neighbourhood, not just a store. We always want The Big Carrot to play a part in the community. They want to know you care.”
The store also helps fund groups and organizations that promote co-operative development, organic agriculture, community projects, environmental preservation, and healthy food programs.
What’s next
What’s on the horizon for The Big Carrot? Board co-chair and store co-manager Xheni Llogori says to expect an increase in customer surveys, training, and community engagements. “We will also continue to improve staff working conditions to create a healthier and productive workplace.”
Board co-chair and store co-manager Kevin Wilkinson says, “we are focusing on finding more and better ways to remain authentic and build trust with our customers. We'll continue to resist the strong pressures to downgrade quality we see affecting other brands. We’re striving to find a balance between having the selection and value all shoppers are looking for more than ever. We plan on making the company sustainable long into the future.”
“In the end,” summarizes Kate, “it comes down to sticking to your strengths, and being good at what we’re good at. It’s about doing the right thing, even when it’s not easy. We have strong values and we have stuck to them for over 40 years. And I think that is why our community has stuck with us.”