Food co-op
Encyclopedia
A food cooperative or food co-op is a grocery store
organized as a cooperative
. Food cooperatives are usually consumers' cooperative
s and are owned by their members. Food cooperatives follow the 7 Cooperative Principles
and typically offer natural foods. Since decisions about how to run a cooperative are not made by outside shareholders, cooperatives often exhibit a higher degree of social responsibility
than their corporate analogues.
The cooperative movement
started in the 19th century and the first notable food cooperative was started in Rochdale, England
by industrial weavers known as the Rochdale Pioneers
. The cooperative movement saw a resurgence in the 1970s when many "second wave" cooperatives started.
In the United States
, the National Cooperative Grocers Association
(NCGA) is a cooperative federation
that is composed of 146 food cooperatives.
Grocery store
A grocery store is a store that retails food. A grocer, the owner of a grocery store, stocks different kinds of foods from assorted places and cultures, and sells these "groceries" to customers. Large grocery stores that stock products other than food, such as clothing or household items, are...
organized as a cooperative
Cooperative
A cooperative is a business organization owned and operated by a group of individuals for their mutual benefit...
. Food cooperatives are usually consumers' cooperative
Consumers' cooperative
Consumer cooperatives are enterprises owned by consumers and managed democratically which aim at fulfilling the needs and aspirations of their members. They operate within the market system, independently of the state, as a form of mutual aid, oriented toward service rather than pecuniary profit...
s and are owned by their members. Food cooperatives follow the 7 Cooperative Principles
Rochdale Principles
The Rochdale Principles are a set of ideals for the operation of cooperatives. They were first set out by the Rochdale Society of Equitable Pioneers in Rochdale, England, in 1844, and have formed the basis for the principles on which co-operatives around the world operate to this day. The...
and typically offer natural foods. Since decisions about how to run a cooperative are not made by outside shareholders, cooperatives often exhibit a higher degree of social responsibility
Social responsibility
Social responsibility is an ethical ideology or theory that an entity, be it an organization or individual, has an obligation to act to benefit society at large. Social responsibility is a duty every individual or organization has to perform so as to maintain a balance between the economy and the...
than their corporate analogues.
The cooperative movement
History of the cooperative movement
The history of the cooperative movement concerns the origins and history of cooperatives. Although cooperative arrangements, such as mutual insurance, and principles of cooperation existed long before, the cooperative movement began with the application of cooperative principles to business...
started in the 19th century and the first notable food cooperative was started in Rochdale, England
Rochdale
Rochdale is a large market town in Greater Manchester, England. It lies amongst the foothills of the Pennines on the River Roch, north-northwest of Oldham, and north-northeast of the city of Manchester. Rochdale is surrounded by several smaller settlements which together form the Metropolitan...
by industrial weavers known as the Rochdale Pioneers
Rochdale Pioneers
The Rochdale Society of Equitable Pioneers, founded in 1844, was an early consumer co-operative, and the first to pay a patronage dividend, forming the basis for the modern co-operative movement....
. The cooperative movement saw a resurgence in the 1970s when many "second wave" cooperatives started.
In the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, the National Cooperative Grocers Association
National Cooperative Grocers Association
The National Cooperative Grocers Association is a marketing service cooperative of cooperative grocery stores founded in 1999 in the United States. NCGA's membership includes 114 independent food cooperatives operating more than 145 stores in 32 states with combined annual sales of nearly $1.2...
(NCGA) is a cooperative federation
Cooperative federation
A co-operative federation or secondary co-operative is a co-operative in which all members are, in turn, co-operatives.Historically, co-operative federations have predominantly come in the form of co-operative wholesale societies and co-operative unions...
that is composed of 146 food cooperatives.
See also
- CooperativeCooperativeA cooperative is a business organization owned and operated by a group of individuals for their mutual benefit...
- Consumers' cooperativeConsumers' cooperativeConsumer cooperatives are enterprises owned by consumers and managed democratically which aim at fulfilling the needs and aspirations of their members. They operate within the market system, independently of the state, as a form of mutual aid, oriented toward service rather than pecuniary profit...
- List of food cooperatives