Earlier this year, we shared that Mercer Landmark, Sunrise Cooperative, and Centerra Cooperative had begun exploring unification opportunities. Since that initial communication, our Board of Directors and management team have conducted extensive due diligence and carefully evaluated the potential impact to our members, employees, business partners, and the cooperative system as a whole.

After thorough review and thoughtful discussion, the Mercer Landmark Board of Directors has concluded there is meaningful synergy and strong member value in pursuing unification. Accordingly, the Board is recommending that this proposed merger between Sunrise Cooperative and Centerra Cooperative be submitted to a vote of the Mercer Landmark membership.  Sunrise Cooperative and Centerra Cooperative have likewise recommended proceeding to a member vote within their respective organizations.

Final approval will be determined by our member-owners. The merger can only move forward if it is approved by a vote of the members of Mercer Landmark, Centerra Cooperative, and Sunrise Cooperative in accordance with each cooperative’s governing requirements. 

We believe the combined organizations will bring increased relevance, scope, and scale—helping strengthen our long-term competitiveness and enabling investments at the speed required to serve members today and into the future.

We recognize you may have questions about why this decision is being recommended and what the process will look like. In mid-December, we will send an additional communication outlining the value we believe this merger provides, along with details and dates for member meetings to be held in January. These meetings will provide an opportunity to discuss the proposal in person and to ask questions.