Small Food Co-ops in a Whole Foods^® World

Abstract

Sociologist Michael A. Haedicke explores the world of organic foods co-ops and examines how these countercultural stores are defending their democratic ideals and practices in an increasingly competitive marketplace.

Perceptions Of A Small Midwestern Food Cooperative: A Case Study

“…Food cooperatives, initially viewed as alternative, found difficulty when larger food companies laid their stakes in organic farming, buying up small organic farms in the 1990s to sell more organic and natural food items via the conventional/corporate food models. Food cooperatives then had to work harder to keep customers, especially since they did not have a niche market for organic and natural foods anymore (Haedicke 2014). Earlier cooperatives focused on providing low priced food through buying wholesale while new wave food cooperatives sought to sell local and organic produce.…”

“…They describe this as the "co-op" spirit. Though this is the case, the democratic process took up significant time (Haedicke 2014).…”

“…This may be due to not enough financial capital or inability to adapt when other conventional or natural food stores enter into their market, challenging their customer base (McCahan 2018). Cooperatives may face competition from natural food stores and conventional grocery stores, not from new cooperatives (Haedicke 2014;McCahan 2018). Haedicke (2014) argues that it is possible that due to challenges like this to the market, cooperatives may have to disregard their founding missions in order to face the competition of big food business.…”

“…Cooperatives may face competition from natural food stores and conventional grocery stores, not from new cooperatives (Haedicke 2014;McCahan 2018). Haedicke (2014) argues that it is possible that due to challenges like this to the market, cooperatives may have to disregard their founding missions in order to face the competition of big food business. Even when food cooperatives offer shortened distribution circuits as a niche selling point to potential consumers, large natural grocers like Whole Foods Market, are starting to do the same (Streed, Cliquet, and Kagan 2017).…”

“…Regardless of this, consumers still expect cooperatives to operate similarly to conventional grocery stores and also aesthetically present the same as well (Haedicke 2014).…”