Today many cooperative enterprises blend into our daily lives. They may hold a place that serves an essential function: we stop at the co-op for groceries or send our credit union a mobile deposit.
At their best, these community-owned businesses work to serve our needs, and bridge the gap between our individual needs and those of the community.
This can happen because cooperatives are empowered to make decisions that assign value to things that are traditionally left out of the bottom line. With diversified ownership, cooperatives are inherently committed to the success of their local community. We believe that when our community succeeds, the co-op will succeed.
Cooperatives Solve Problems
Looking at the founding of our coop in 1936, the stressors and context that pointed the founding members towards organizing a cooperative are clear: the challenging economic realities of the Great Depression, the need for community based solutions when the larger markets were failing, and the danger of food suppliers and distributors cutting out Northern New England in favor of more populous (and profitable) destinations.
What Problems Are We Solving Together?
Today, we are still working to make things better. The pandemic revealed to many shoppers and food system thinkers how vulnerable the dominant grocers and centralized models can be. Fortunately, the Hanover Co-op works with a diverse group of food distributors and has been fostering those relationships as well as working directly with farmers and food producers for decades. And still, we know our work is bigger than putting food on the shelf.
Our Future is Bright
At the co-op, our teams work to improve the complicated food webs we live in—making things better for farmers, eaters, and our collective future. Together, with you—our members and shoppers—we are moving toward our vision of a well-nourished community.
Get Involved
Shopping our stores is maybe the tastiest way to engage with your co-op, but we also want to hear from you! Our Board of Directors is made up of members just like you. Get in touch with your thoughts and ideas here.
Rebecca White is the Co-op’s Public & Government Affairs Associate. Contact her at comment@coopfoodstore.com.
