UPDATES ON CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) PREVENTION MEASURES AT YOUR CO-OP

In light of our current situation, we want to keep you up to date on the things our co-op is doing to best serve you, care for our staff, and be a responsible member of our community.

ADDED 10-18-21

• Storewide

The October Co-op Explorers Halloween Event has been canceled due to high covid rates and kids not being able to be vaccinated. We will have October Activity bags available for pick up October 19th at customer service! Our Monthly Explorer Activity Bag Program is available so that we can have fun safely until we can meet in person again! Each bag will have themed take-home craft ideas, recipes, and coloring pages for FREE so any interested Explorers can participate at their own schedule. We will also have a special treat at check out on Halloween. Find More kids crafts & recipes on our website: www.harmonyfoods.coop/harmonycoopexplorers

ADDED 10-6-21

• Storewide

ADDED 5-31-21

• Storewide

Harmony will be open regular hours on Memorial Day. Whether you’re celebrating Memorial Day, or grilling for friends and family, Harmony has what you need to make your celebration creative, thoughtful & memorable. http://ow.ly/3mH850zO1Zc

ADDED 5-14-21

• Storewide

Harmony’s policy has been to follow the Minnesota State Mask Mandate. As of May 14th, the mask mandate is no longer in effect.

ADDED 3-15-21

• Deli

Due to final deli expansion phase, indoor seating is limited this week. No indoor seating next week. Outdoor seating is weather-dependent.

ADDED 2-26-21

• Bulk

Certain bulk sections will be closed today to customers to facilitate installing new Gravity Bins. We will have even more of a selection of great bulk products.

ADDED 2-26-21

• Storewide: Face Masks Still required

ADDED 2-26-21

•Deli

The Good Food Deli expansion is in full swing with the projected completion in early April! Expect to see your favorite Good Food Deli items upon which we’ve all come to love and depend, but also expect some surprise additions! Coming soon: roasted whole chickens, hot burritos and breakfast sandwiches and an assortment of quiches....to name a few. Can’t wait to see you!

ADDED 2-26-21

• Storewide: Harmony Co-op Rebrand

We are thrilled to be rolling out Harmony’s “new decade” look or brand refresh (industry language)! Please enjoy our added vibrancy through color, language, and design; meanwhile, we are working harder than ever to bring you quality, variety, and value product with our own Harmony excellence in customer service!

ADDED 1-15-21

• Storewide: Deli Seating

Due to restaurants opening back up, we have limited deli seating (3 seats available).

⭐ ADDED 12-31-20

• Storewide: Face Shields

Face shields will be acceptable in situations where wearing a face mask is prohibitive. The shield must extend below the chin and to the ears, and there should be no exposed gap between the forehead and the shield's headpiece. SEE PHOTO. For more information, visit: https://www.health.state.mn.us/diseases/coronavirus/facecover.html

ADDED 12-31-20

• Storewide: Deli Construction Project

⭐ ADDED 12-14-20

• Storewide: Register Lane Construction Project Finished

⭐ ADDED 12-11-20

• Storewide: Register Lane Construction Project

⭐ ADDED 11-23-20

• Storewide: Updated Mask Mandate

⭐ ADDED 11-20-20

• Storewide: Buy Local Give Local Extended

Harmony is going to extend our Buy Local Give Local event for an extra day in order to allow more time for families to shop during our annual 10% off event. All day Friday, November 27th and all day Saturday, November 28th (Small Business Saturday!) shoppers will receive a 10% discount on all in-store purchases! We ask that families send one shopper per household to allow for maximum physical distancing. If your shopping trip requires two people, WE UNDERSTAND; but if you can shop solo, your typical shopping partner can always enjoy the ride here with you! Thanks Everyone! Find out more about our event here https://www.facebook.com/events/351229096163836

⭐ ADDED 11-20-20 • Deli: Seating Area Closed for In-Store Eating

In accordance with MN Executive Order 20-99, food establishments are required to stop all onsite food and beverage service from Friday, Nov. 20, 2020 through Friday, Dec. 18, 2020. Thanks for your understanding! We are working to keep everyone healthy.

⭐ ADDED 11-20-20 • Storewide: One Shopper Per Family Helps

⭐ ADDED 10-28-20 • Storewide: Bringing back Reusable Bags

⭐ ADDED 10-23-20 • Storewide: Face Shields

You will or may have noticed some employees are now wearing both masks and face shields. This is due to new MDH guidance which allows added protection for employees who work in less than six feet proximity to other employees for fifteen minutes or longer. This added precaution will protect Harmony employees and staffing needs should an employee experience a positive Covid result; anyone working within six feet of said employee will not be defined as a “contact” if they have been wearing both a face mask and face shield. Stronger and safer together!

⭐ ADDED 10-23-20 • Storewide: Special Orders

⭐ ADDED 9/8/2020

• Storewide: Curbside

Harmony Co-op is  Storewide: newly revamped Harmony Curbside program, formerly known as the Harmony Grocery Buddy Program! Available between 10 AM and 6 PM, simply call in your order with a credit or debit card and Harmony employees will do your shopping for you - and we'll bring it out to your car for you too! When we utilize our compassion and cooperative strength, together we are able to take care of our community. Click here to find out more about this program: https://www.harmonyfoods.coop/post/introducing-harmony-curbside

⭐ ADDED 8-13-20

• Temporary Store Hours

Harmony Food Co-op will be temporarily adjusting their operational hours for Friday, August 14th through Sunday, August 16th. Harmony operational hours will be from 10am till 6:00pm during that time. Harmony was notified Thursday August 13th by the MN Dept. of Health that two employees had tested positive with Covid-19. Both employees contracted Covid-19 from off-site sources and not at Harmony. As of the notification both employees had not worked at Harmony for seven or more days and are currently recovering at home. All safety and cleaning protocols have already been implemented to ensure Harmony is safe and secure. However, due to subsequent limited staffing, we are implementing the adjusted operational hours at this time in order to serve our customers as a full-service grocery. Thanks everyone as we work together to keep everyone safe and healthy!

⭐ ADDED 7-17-20

• Storewide: Mandatory Masks

⭐ ADDED 7-15-20

• Storewide: No Reusable Bags

Why is Harmony no longer handling reusable bags?

It is understandably disappointing and possibly confusing as to why Harmony is no longer going to allow reusable bags or containers. The reason is very simple…we are simplifying and creating a far more direct and simplified process at the register that occurs the same way for every customer while adhering to COVID-19 Safe MN mandates. Customers are understandably confused during this pandemic when there are varying ways to complete a transaction at different stores. At Harmony, we have even had varying ways to complete the transaction in our own store which we have found creates greater confusion. That is why we are moving to a single method or process for checkout – it will be the same for every transaction making this as easy as possible for you our customer and our Cashiers to provide great service. Here are the steps:

1. Place groceries at the end of the belt.

2. Stand at the X Box for the entire checkout.

3. Pay on the designated counter

4. Take your bagged groceries (all bagging will be done by the cashier – not utilizing reusable bags) to your car or request a carry out.

THANK YOU for your understanding and cooperation – please know we are working to keep us all safe and healthy!

** You can recycle Harmony paper bags in your household recycling stream **

If you have any other questions or concerns please feel free to contact me:

Colleen Bakken, 751-2009, generalmanager@harmonyfoods.coop

⭐ ADDED 6-30-20

• Storewide:

• Bulk:

⭐ ADDED 6-19-20

• Deli Seating Area: Bagging Area in Deli

⭐ ADDED 6-17-20

• Store Wide: Mask Hours

Let’s gather our Cooperative Care and Concern for shoppers who are

high risk and need to shop in-store in the safest way possible!!!

⭐ ADDED 5-26-20

• Store Wide:

⭐ ADDED 4-29-20

• Grocery Buddy Program:

Grocery Buddy Program orders will not be processed until 10am.

⭐ ADDED 4-29-20

• Store Wide:

⭐ ADDED 4-6-20

• Store Wide:

⭐ ADDED 4-6-20

• Store Wide:

⭐ ADDED 4-2-20

• BULK

• Health & Wellness

⭐ ADDED 3-30-20

• Store Wide:

• BULK:

⭐ ADDED 3-26-20

• Store Wide:

If you have one person per household our store isles will have that many more households able to shop with out crowding and lessening physical distancing needs. If your shopping trip requires two people WE UNDERSTAND and disregard this message. But if you can shop solo- your typical shopping partner can always enjoy the ride here with you. Thanks Everyone!

• Reminder we are open regular hours:

⭐ ADDED 3-24-20

• Education:

• DELI:

⭐ ADDED 3-23-20

• Store Wide:

• Bulk:

• Deli:

⭐ ADDED 3-20-20

• Deli Seating Area:

⭐ ADDED 3-18-20

• Deli:

Bulk:

⭐ ADDED 3-16-20

Special Orders:

Harmony Grocery Buddy Program:

When we utilize our compassion and cooperative strength, together we are able to take care of our community!

How do I get groceries when I am at high risk and could be exposed to COVID-19 or I am already diagnosed?

1. Identify a neighbor or friend who would be willing to pick-up your groceries at Harmony; coordinate a day and they could pick-up your groceries.

2. Create your grocery list.

3. Call Harmony and indicate you would like to create a Grocery Buddy shopping list and communicate your grocery list; leave your credit card information in order for your order to be paid once it has been “shopped” by a Harmony employee.

4. You will be called back once your order is complete and given a purchase/charge total.

5. Contact your neighbor or friend that the order is ready for pick-up. Please make sure that your order is picked up within 2 hours of being ready/called (your groceries will be stored in a cooler and not a freezer so please coordinate your pick-up as such).

This program is intended for individuals who are “highly vulnerable” to infection from COVID-19 or who may be sick themselves. This is not a program for added life convenience; please respect this difference as staff resources to make this program work are limited.

⭐ ADDED 3-13-20

Store Wide:

Dear Harmony Co-op Owners and Shoppers,

It is often the case, in challenging times, that grocery stores are a vital resource to the communities they serve. The recent outbreak of novel corona virus (COVID-19) is proving that this continues to be true.

You have come to us in recent days to stock your pantry, replenish household supplies, and prepare alongside others in the community. As a grocery store, our co-op is in the unique position of offering essential services for our communities while also doing all we can to minimize risk to our staff, owners, and shoppers.

In light of our current situation, I want to share the things our co-op is doing to best serve you, care for our staff, and be a responsible member of our community:

• While Bemidji has had no reported COVID-19 infections, we have asked any staff exhibiting symptoms of such an infection to stay home and notify their physician.

• We have sanitizing wipes available at the entrance for you to wipe down your shopping cart. We have also installed several sanitizing wipe and hand sanitizing stations throughout the store for your use. Please utilize these particularly in areas of multiple use such as Bulk and our Deli Soup Bar. Our staff is actively sanitizing touch points throughout the store throughout the day including multiple bathroom cleanings daily.

• Our deli management team is ServeSafe (advanced food safety training) trained and excellent food safety standards are maintaining the co-op kitchen. We are rotating soup ladles and produce tongs hourly. The deli seating area tabletops are sanitized hourly. Gloves are worn by all deli staff at all times.

• We have suspended all demos in the store.

We are experiencing increased out of stocks from our distributors. It is likely that this will continue. It is possible that we will have missed deliveries due to the increased demand for staple items during this time. We are working hard to keep the co-op stocked.

We anticipate that guidance from federal, state and local agencies may change rapidly over the coming days and weeks. We will continue to monitor closely and be nimble in adjusting our operations to prioritize the health and safety of you and our staff.

In addition, for those shoppers who identify as “highly vulnerable” to COVID-19 or may be exhibiting symptoms and are staying home, we are establishing a Harmony Grocery Buddy Program. Please see that program’s information sheet to see how it works.

We can embrace our compassion while forging our health and strength to care for our community and shoppers who may be in need of our assistance. Thank you for choosing to be an integral part of our community and Harmony.

Stronger Together,

Colleen Bakken, Harmony Foods Co-op General Manager