Clearview Co-op has announced plans for amalgamation later this year. General Manager Henry Nickel says in May, members of Clearview Co-op and St. Malo Co-op will be voting on the proposed amalgamation.

According to Nickel, this is something that has been in the works for three or four years. Both boards have now decided it is time to move forward. The next step will be for members to vote on the matter. Nickel says the two co-ops have annual general meetings planned for the second week of May, at which time the voting will happen. He notes each co-op must approve the amalgamation with two-thirds of the voters in favour.

Clearview Co-op is considerably larger than St. Malo Co-op. Clearview has locations scattered throughout the southeast, while St. Malo has just the two sites. Nickel says Clearview has about 36,000 members, compared to St. Malo, which has about 2,300 members. If the vote is approved, Nickel says they will continue to operate under the Clearview banner. The amalgamation is then expected to take effect November 1, 2021.

Nickel says though both sides would benefit, the advantage for Clearview is that this would add to their grocery lineup.

"Clearview Co-op is looking to diversify and St. Malo Co-op from that side, they need to do the same in order to survive in today's competitive world," explains Nickel. "Both co-ops are kind of operating in the same trading area, so it just made sense to do amalgamation, and as we work together we are stronger together."

New build in MitchellSelling groceries would certainly not be new for Clearview. Nickel says when they amalgamated with La Broquerie Co-op a year and a half ago, it gave them a grocery store in that community.

Nickel says expanding their co-op will give their members more opportunity to purchase additional products. He notes history shows that if they offer more commodities, it benefits the company, which in turn benefits its members.

Meanwhile, Nickel says construction continues on their new build in Mitchell. Once complete, it will feature a new convenience store, eight lane gas station and five bay wand carwash. Originally, the goal was to open this spring, but Nickel says construction is taking a little longer than expected.

"We are seeing progress every day and so certainly as the weather is warming up now we will see a lot more action coming on the outside," shares Nickel. "We certainly hope to be in the building by July of 2021."

Nickel says they have outgrown the existing location in Mitchell, referring to the convenience store as way too small and the fuel side being stretched to its limits.

Once complete, Nickel says the existing site will be converted into a retail space for a new business to locate in Mitchell.