Case Studies

Guiding the Fundamentals of Co-op Business

By Columinate|2023-05-05T20:25:48-04:00April 10th, 2019|

Ray Williams is Seward Community Co-op’s operations manager and recognizes that even though the co-op has achieved a lot over the years, especially in terms of growing its operations and diversifying staff and leadership, it is also an organization currently in transition. “The past few years have been very intense with opening the second store, increased competition and unionization.” Like many grocery cooperatives, Seward has felt the pressure to provide good wages, pay vendors a fair price, maintain high standards of service and remain sustainable and profitable.

Leadership Development for Expansion Readiness

By Columinate|2023-05-05T20:25:50-04:00March 14th, 2019|

The Middlebury Natural Foods Co-op is uniquely situated in small town Middlebury, Vermont. When they were ready to expand, they reached out to Columinate for assistance with a member capital campaign.

Restoring Trust and Vibrancy in a Co-op Community

By Columinate|2023-05-05T20:25:56-04:00January 9th, 2019|

Central Co-op Seattle, WA Year founded: 1978 Number of members: 14,200 Consumer member investment: $100 Worker member investment: $6,340 (12 years) Number of employees: 120 Locations: Seattle and Tacoma (opening date late spring TBD) When the Central Co-op in Seattle, Wash. proposed a vote to merge with the Tacoma Food Co-op in 2015, the memberships of both co-ops overwhelmingly approved it. Both communities saw [...]

New North Willy Street Co-op Serves Needs and Values

By Columinate|2023-05-05T20:06:45-04:00November 14th, 2016|

Willy Street Co-op Madison, Wisc. Year founded: 1974 Equity investment: $56 single/$91 household + $2 service fee Number of members: 34,000 Number of employees: 420 Number of locations: 3 retails, commissary kitchen, central office Every day food co-ops must make decisions within the context of one of the most intractable dilemmas of the grocery industry. How does the co-op reconcile customer desire for lower [...]

Case Study: Open Book Management Changes Co-op Culture

By Ruby McAdoo|2023-05-05T20:06:57-04:00May 13th, 2015|

Mississippi Market St. Paul, MN Year founded: 1979 Equity investment: $90 Number of members: 15,500 Number of employees: 210 Retail locations: Selby Ave., West 7th, and Dayton’s Bluff opening Sept. 2015 It started with the results of an employee satisfaction survey. In 2012, Mississippi Market’s management learned some staff questioned the co-op’s growth plans, and they perceived it was having a negative impact on [...]

Case Study: Member Forums Key to Functioning Empowerment Stream

By Columinate|2023-05-05T20:21:23-04:00January 31st, 2011|

Lexington Cooperative Market Buffalo, N.Y. Year founded: 1971 Number of members: 6,500 Equity investment: $80 Number of staff: 75 Retail square feet: 4,500 For many years the leadership at Lexington Cooperative Market in Buffalo, N.Y., knew their discount program was a problem. The co-op struggled with profitability, and in 2007 concerns about the co-op’s viability grew. The idea of taking away a long-term popular [...]

Case Study: Rochdale Pioneers at Toad Lane — Change You Can Believe in

By Patricia Cumbie|2023-05-05T20:22:07-04:00January 30th, 2009|

Rochdale Pioneers Toad Lane Store Founded: 1844 Number of members: 28 founding members Equity investment:Two weeks wages down, with 10 weeks total investment Retail square footage: Tiny On the longest night of the year, the founders of the consumer cooperative movement opened their grocery store in 1844 in Rochdale, England with little fanfare and five items for sale. Their store was lit with candles, [...]

Case Study: Wheatsville — Where It All Started for Walden

By Columinate|2023-05-05T20:22:29-04:00November 30th, 2007|

Wheatsville Food Co-op Austin, Texas Founded: 1976 Number of members: 9,000 Equity investment:$55 per household Number of staff: 80 Retail square feet:5,100 One of Walden Swanson’s first co-op endeavors was to manage the Wheatsville Food Co-op. As a native Texan who went to business school at the University of Texas in Austin, his interest in economic and social justice issues deepened. He’d always felt [...]

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