In August 2005, the Food Co-op 500 Program launched its pilot phase. The program is a collaborative effort between Cooperative Development Services (CDS) CDS Consultants, NCB, NCB Capital Impacts, National Cooperative Grocers Association (NCGA) and Blooming Prairie Foundation. CDS created Four Cornerstones in Three Stages a development model which comprises a process for developing a cooperative retail food business. The model identifies the attributes necessary for successful food co-ops based upon the four cornerstones of vision, talent, capital and systems that are each within three stages of food co-op development: organizing, feasibility and planning, and implementation.
The program goal is to facilitate the development of at least 200 new food co-op stores over the next ten years bringing us to 500 in the U.S. This includes stores that come from expansions of existing co-ops in new communities or neighborhoods.
Legal Primer for Formation of Consumer Owned Cooperatives by Joel Dahlgren. This legal primer is designed to provide community groups with a basic resource for understanding the legal issues involved in starting a food co-op. The primer was a collaborative effort of CDS Consulting Co-op, Cooperative Development Services, and Food Co-op 500.
Starting a Food Co-op? What you need to know!
A series of internet-based seminars offered in 2010 that will help you understand how to start a new food co-op.
Webinar Series for Start up Co-ops – In 2008 and 2008, CDS Consulting Co-op in collaboration with Food Co-op 500 and Cooperative Development Services has developed a series of webinars to assist people and communities that want a food co-op. Click here to downloaded webinar recordings and resources.
For program information and application: www.foodcoop500.coop
Solutions: Co-op 500 Update, October 05
Solutions: Just Food Co-op Case Study
Solutions: A New Trend Is Bubbling Up
Solutions: Envisioning a Heyday for New Food Co-op Development
500 Co-ops in 10 Years! (Cooperative Grocer article)
General information on starting a co-op
How to Start a Food Co-op (free manual available on CGIN, the Cooperative Grocers Information Network)
Cooperatives: A Tool for Community Economic Development (a free manual on starting a co-op from the University of Wisconsin)
National Cooperative Bank (NCB)
National Cooperative Grocers Association (NCGA)
See more Expansion and Growth projects.