Our Consultants

Debbie Suassuna

Profiles

east-aurora-food-coop

Contact

San Diego, California

phone

(858) 227-0092

mail DebbieSuassuna@cdsconsulting.coop

EXPERTISE

Market/Location Analysis, Real Estate/Expansion Analysis, Consumer Research

  • Profile Overview

  • Articles from CDS Consulting publications

  • Articles in Cooperative Grocer

  • Other works by Debbie Suassuna

Profile Overview arrow

  • Profile Overview arrow
  • Profile Overview
  • Articles from CDS Consulting publications
  • Articles in Cooperative Grocer or other publications
  • Other works by Debbie Suassuna

Debbie Suassuna has over 20 years of location research and site analysis experience.

She has broad experience having worked with big box retailers, smaller specialty stores, as well as with chain stores and independent retailers. “I really like what I do, from first looking at a site and projecting how it will perform, then to actually see the store open,” she said.

She finds her work with food co-ops especially rewarding because their expansion activities are motivated by meeting member needs and serving their communities. “I find that cooperative boards and general managers are authentically interested in making things better. It’s inspiring to me to work with people whose ideas always take them back to improving their community,” she said.

Debbie’s services include:

Click here for more information on Debbie Suassuna and G2G Research Group.

“ Our market study with Debbie Suassuna was right on the money. Even though we were expanding at the same location for our project, the study was invaluable in giving us confidence to go forward with our financial planning for the project knowing the expanded store would truly be able to support the costs involved. We’ve just completed our first year in our expanded store and our sales were just beyond the study predictions. The project has been a huge success and Debbie’s study was key to making it possible for our co-op. ”

Jacqueline Hannah, General Manager, Common Ground Food Co-op

“ Debbie’s visit and consult helped us to gain comfort with the idea of a bigger than “typical” food co-op store. She helped me to pinpoint a location that would suit us well in our intensely competitive market. Debbie also helped us to understand what kinds of features a store would need to best compete in this market. ”

Dan Gillotte, General Manager, Wheatsville Food Co-op

“ We conducted two market studies when we opened our second store. Debbie Suassuna's with CDS Consulting Co-op was by far the more accurate. Her ability to predict the sales potential for our new store, as well as its cannibalization impact on our existing store helped us with our financial planning. More recently we have used her services to help plan for new competitors entering the market. We highly recommend her services. ”

Sean Doyle, General Manager, Seward Community Co-op

“ We quadrupled our store size, so banks were understandably concerned with the size of the leap we were taking. Debbie’s market study included a clear statement of the site’s sales potential assuming certain actions on our part. We won over the bank, followed her recommendations closely, and ended up achieving the sales she forecast…almost to the dollar! ”

Chris Dilley, General Manager, People’s Food Co-op of Kalamazoo, Kalamazoo, Michigan

“ Our market study was absolutely integral to our relocation. It was the foundation that allowed us to create a vision. The raw data was the backbone of our financials. The professional report impressed the lenders. Debbie’s work was worth every penny. ”

Margo O’Brien, General Manager, St. Peter Food Co-op, St. Peter, Minnesota

“ Debbie’s study of our co-op’s trade area was thorough and informative. Her analysis of potential expansion sites was a key element in our decision-making. I would recommend Debbie for any food co-op seeking a scientific analysis of the environment in which it operates. ”

Kari Bradley, General Manager, Hunger Mountain Co-op, Montpelier, Vt.