Sacred Words Entry #4

The Anti Walmart Model

The Sacred Works Project and Mama’s Fire is designed in large part through the inspiration of Walmart.  I learned a great deal from them about how they did business and then did just the opposite.

Where Walmart has many manufacturers fight with one another to give the lowest bid possible on a product, I found a family owned cannery run by good people and asked them to give me a bid that took care of them and was something I could work with in the present market.

Where Walmart takes all of its business out of our local communities and gives it to those in other countries, primarily China, I chose to work with all local Oregon farmers and were I couldn’t find Oregon products to make my sauce, I made sure to stay in the Pacific North West.  The one exception is my packaging material which comes from the Mid West but is still supporting U.S. manufacturers. I have stayed with all local businesses for my administrative needs including my accountant who has been a corner stone of the Dallas, OR community for the past twenty years and my family-run copy shop.

Due to this my cost are higher and my product more expensive.  But, this is a good thing. When you buy Mama’s Fire you are not only supporting the operations budget for the Sacred Works Project you are directly helping all the good men and women or Oregon who need money – like we all do – to pay their bills and support their families.  What a relief to know you are helping and doing good at every level.

This intention falls in line with that of the Sacred Works Project to support its employees – which as we grow we hope to have some – so that one employee can support their entire family; bills, insurance and all.  In this way the Sacred Works Project and Mama’s Fire will protect those who work for us and those associated with us and that ideal of protection is the Anti Wal-Mart model.  May the wave be released.