5 Reasons to Love Co-ops
By Laura Pfister, Media Coordinator
October is National Co-op Month, so what’s the big deal? Being a co-op is special. Yes, we know we are biased, but being a cooperative enterprise means we do business differently. We don’t have a single owner living on their private island drinking margaritas all day without a care in the world. We are owned and governed by you, our 10,000 members. We share the burden in hard times and share the benefits in the good times. We put people, the planet and our principles before profit.
Co-ops come in more shapes and sizes than just natural food stores. From banks, dairy farms, child care and everything in between, cooperatives are an alternative business model to meet the social and economic needs of the communities they serve.
After hearing that and you don’t already love co-ops, here’s five more reasons why you should.
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We are member owned, member governed, and operate for the benefit of our members.
Cooperatives are democratic organizations that are equally owned and controlled by a group of people. The Ashland Food Co-op is a consumer owned cooperative. Our members are the stakeholders, the shareholders and the governing board.
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Your investment in the Co-op is an investment in the community.
Because co-ops are democratically owned by community members, co-ops keep money and jobs in their communities. Twenty two percent of our total store sales come from selling local products. Every $1 spent at the Co-op has roughly 3 times the local economic impact as a $1 spent at a non-locally owned business.
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Co-ops provide practical solutions to many economic, environmental and social problems.
In fact, that’s exactly how the Ashland Food Co-op was started. In 1971, a small group of Ashland families joined together to form a food-buying club. Pooling their resources, they purchased food in bulk directly from distributors, saving themselves money and getting direct access to good quality whole foods. In 1972, they opened a small retail store and the rest is history.
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Co-ops are part of an international grassroots movement that is growing in size and influence every day.
There are one billion co-op members globally. In the Rogue Valley, we have several co-ops, including Rogue Credit Union, Grange Co-op, Medford Food Co-op, Siskiyou Sustainable Co-op, Medford Apartments and yours truly. From banking alternatives to farm supplies or housing, each of us fulfills a different need in the community.
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Co-ops strive to make our communities and economies more just and equitable, without exploiting people or the planet.
The Ashland Food Co-op’s mission is to emphasize and source organically grown and ecologically sound products. Ninety nine percent of our produce is organic. Additionally, we plan to be a zero waste facility by 2030. Just last year, we recycled and diverted 81% of our discards from the landfill.
Across the Pacific Northwest, hundreds of co-ops provide goods and services as well as livelihoods for local workers. Each time you shop at AFC, you are part of a movement that believes business is better when it’s in the hands of the people. Go Co-op!
More Co-op News
Love Local with the Local Guy
Throughout September, we will be celebrating all things local. And no one loves local or is more local than our Temporary Demo Coordinator, Brighton Litjens. He was basically raised at the Co-op, has a strong passion for local farmers and producers and loves delighting shoppers with delicious samples and great deals. Who better to tell us about loving local than the "Local Guy" himself?
Tell us a bit about yourself.
Owner Benefits: Independence and Connection
By Julie O'Dwyer, Board Secretary, Chair of the Owner Engagement Committee
Meet Board of Director Trine Ostergaard
Trine Ostergaard is a newly elected Ashland Food Co-op Board of Director. She brings a world, literally, of experience to the table and has a sincere passion and love for the Co-op. We are thrilled to have her aboard and asked her to answer a few questions.
Tell us a little bit about yourself.
Meet Board of Director Dean Williamson
Dean Williamson is a newly elected Ashland Food Co-op Board of Director. He brings to the table a plethora of co-op experience and a love of chocolate chip cookies. We are thrilled to have him aboard and asked him to answer a few questions.
Tell us a little bit about yourself.
Staff Picks: Favorite Local Products
September is Love Local Month! All month long we’re celebrating our local farmers and vendors with demos, events and more. Here are some of our staff's favorite local products.
How Can I Reduce My Plastic Use at the Co-op?
By Rianna Koppel, Sustainability Coordinator
Plastic pollution today is a global dilemma. Did you know that more than 40% of plastic is used once, then tossed? In 2015, 79% of total plastic waste ended up in landfills or the environment. How can our co-op help reduce the amount of single-use plastics? Luckily, we offer a variety of options for owners.
Stainless Steel Straws
Meet Pachamama Coffee Cooperative
By Lauren Taber, Pachamama Coffee Cooperative
Pachamama Coffee Cooperative started in 2001 with a few simple questions in mind: what would it look like to take Fair Trade a step further? How can coffee farmers be in direct relationship with end consumers in the United States?
We found that the answer was even simpler: cooperative ownership. Pachamama Coffee has been 100% farmer-owned since day one, and is currently owned by 140,000 small scale family farmers across the coffee producing regions of the world.
Community Cider Backyard Fruit Drive
How often can you browse the shelf at your neighborhood grocery store, see a bottle of hand crafted, local cider and say, “Hey, I help make that!” Well, at the Co-op you can.
2018 Board Election Results
The AFC Board of Directors is pleased to announce the results of the 2018 Board Election. There were three excellent candidates running for two Board positions. In total, 905 votes were cast.
Congratulations to the following candidates who will serve three-year terms on the Ashland Food Co-op Board of Directors.
Thank you for voting!
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Meet Store Manager Barry Haynes
By Barry Haynes, Store Manager
Twenty three years ago my wife and I began our quest to relocate our family from the midwest to the west coast. We were looking for a beautiful area with an engaged community that would enable our children to thrive. Equally important, we wanted our new home to have a vibrant natural food store. When we arrived in southern Oregon, we felt as though we hit the jackpot.
Beat the Heat
When the heat of summer takes over, it can be hard on our bodies and moods. Don’t let the scorching temps get you down, cool off with one of these refreshing Staff recommendations.
Report from the Board of Directors: Strategic Plan Update
By Jeff Golden, External Relations Committee Chair
Ashland Food Co-op is striding into the future with careful intention. We’re especially focused on the three top priorities of our strategic planning process, a collaboration of our board and management team. A quick update:
Riding off into the Sunset
By Annie Hoy, Retiring Marketing Manager
Since I was born and raised in far West Texas, I cannot help but use some imagery from what is so familiar to me.