Fiscal Year 2026 Patronage Refund

The Co-op is excited to announce that the Board of Directors has declared a patronage refund for Fiscal Year 2026!

Patronage refunds are a form of profit sharing and one of the benefits of being a Co-op owner. In a profitable year, the Board may declare a refund on the portion of profits that came from owner purchases, and each owner’s refund is based on how much they spent at the Co-op during the fiscal year. It’s part of what makes a cooperative different. Instead of going to outside investors, profits go back to the owners whose shopping created them.

This year, $321,515 in eligible net income will be issued as patronage refunds. Of this, 80% of each refund will be retained by the Co-op in the owner’s name and reinvested in the business. The remaining 20% is distributed in the form of a store credit voucher to all owners who met a $2.00 minimum distribution threshold. If you met the threshold, your voucher can be found at the bottom of your mailed Annual Owner Statement. If your statement does not include a voucher, more details are below.

Store credit vouchers are redeemable at either store location beginning October 5 and are valid through January 2, 2027.

Thank you for shopping, investing, and participating in our cooperative business model.

Questions & Answers:

How was my refund calculated?
After the fiscal year closed, the Board declared $321,515 in patronage refunds from the portion of the Co-op’s profits that came from owner purchases. Of that total, $257,212 will be retained by the Co-op, and $64,303 will be distributed to owners as store credit vouchers. Each owner’s portion is based on how much they spent at the Co-op between March 30, 2025 and March 28, 2026. The more you shopped, the larger your refund.

Who qualifies for a store credit voucher?
Owners who patronized North Coast Co-op during Fiscal Year 2026 and whose patronage refund distribution is calculated to be $2.00 or greater will receive 20% of their total refund in the form of a store credit voucher. Distribution amounts calculated to be under $2.00 are not issued as patronage refunds and remain with the Co-op as income. If you did not receive a voucher on your statement page, it means that your distribution amount was under the $2.00 threshold.

What happens to the retained 80% portion?
The retained portion is reinvested in the Co-op to support its long-term financial stability and future needs. It is recorded in each owner’s name as part of their patronage refund.

How do I use my voucher?
Present your voucher at checkout at either North Coast Co-op location, and its value will be applied toward your purchase. Vouchers can be used from October 5, 2026 through January 2, 2027 by the owner(s) named on the voucher with valid ID. Any balance not redeemed by the expiration date is automatically transferred to North Coast Co-op as income.

Questions?
Contact our Ownership Coordinator at ownership@northcoast.coop.