Loften Deprez

Please list 3-5 important reasons you are motivated to run for the PFC Board.

•  I’m excited by the opportunity to give back to my community’s co-op by sharing my relevant professional, management, and research skills with PFC’s board.   

• As a co-op shopper wherever I’ve lived – from North Carolina to San Francisco – I want to bring new ideas and best practices to make PFC more accessible, sustainable, and tasty.  

What are the five most relevant skills you offer to the PFC Board and ownership?

• Data analysis and AI expertise as a business management consultant 

• Creative problem solving as a small business founder and Yale Economics graduate 

• Efficient prioritization of business opportunities as a stakeholder in high-intensity Fortune 500 business environments 

• Complex logistical and supply chain expertise as the director of a community pharmacy 

• Consciousness for sustainability as a backyard chicken farmer and avid organic gardener  

Please list any relevant board and employment experience.

My first job was helping provide my community with sustainable meat and charcuterie products at a whole animal butchery where I learned about conventional vs sustainable food systems and opportunities to improve food quality 

I now serve as head of data analytics for an investment firm where I provide strategic advice and analysis to the boards, management, and owners of leading consumer companies, including those in the retail food and beverage industry.  

What are 3-5 significant challenges that PFC will face in the next few years? 

• Accessibility: Wholesale grocery costs continue to rise, creating a challenge to maintain accessible prices for our community while continuing to pay fair wages 

• Safety: As crime has increased – particularly in the La Crosse store – the board should develop additional safeguards for our staff and shoppers 

• Growth: Our co-op has experienced a decline in revenue over the past decade. To thrive for another 50 years, we need to attract and retain more members  

What do you consider potential opportunities for the Co-op as it develops its long- term strategies?

Luckily, hundreds of co-ops across the country face many of the same challenges. I’m excited to support the board in collecting and analyzing data and insights from our peers to inform how we can do a better job of sourcing the tastiest local produce, attract high quality talent, and deliver value to our member owners. For example, pay-it-forward memberships could allow our members to make PFC ownership attainable for more of our community