The Co-op Q&A with Emma Janaskie
By Mia Kim
South Florida native Emma Janaskie has been a New York resident for eight years and a Co-op member-owner for eight months. As a book editor during the day, she naturally assumed the role of managing editor within our content team. When she's not busy dreaming up engaging story ideas for the Monthly, Emma spends her time practicing both pilates and yoga, drinking wine and playing video games (a current favorite is Danganronpa).
Q: How long have you been a member of the Co-op, and what motivated you to join?
A: I've been a member of the Co-op for about eight months now. After signing up for a trial membership last summer, I fell in love with the terrific produce, dairy and snack section and didn't want to give it up!
Q: Can you describe your work at the Co-op? Have your responsibilities changed since the COVID-19 outbreak?
A: I'm the managing editor of content at the Co-op, which means I help envision storytelling for the Monthly newsletter, social media and in-store wayfinding. I joined during the pandemic, so I've only been able to meet my team virtually, but I hope to meet everyone in person soon.
Q: Has the Co-op changed the way you interact with food? If so, how?
A: Absolutely! I'm a much more seasonal and adventurous cook now. There's really good produce available for such great prices, so I'm more inclined to purchase a vegetable I haven't heard of before and spin it into a new, exciting dish.
Q: What do you enjoy most about your Co-op work?
A: I enjoy working with our talented team members to tell fun, interesting stories that will engage our member-owners. I also love getting a sneak peek at exciting community initiatives, incoming products and recipes.
Q: What are you hoping to achieve at the Co-op in the coming year?
A: I want to tell more consistent stories across all our member-owners' touchpoints and emphasize the diverse range of member-owners we work with and products we carry. The Co-op has such a rich tradition in our neighborhood and we stock many goods from an exciting array of vendors, so exploring those stories feels very compelling to me.
Q: What’s your favorite hidden — or not so hidden — gem about the Co-op?
A: Fonio Pilaf! I have it for breakfast every morning topped with a poached egg and hot sauce.
Q: Anything you’d like to see more of at the Co-op, whether it’s a product or practice?
A: I'd love to see us continue our work on diversity, equity and inclusion and community-building. Our relationship to the community is part of what makes the Co-op such an exciting organization to be a part of, and I want to make sure everyone in the community feels welcome and supported.