COOPERATIVE ENTREPRENEURSHIP IS SUSTAINABLE ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Cooperative entrepreneurship is a common factor of the marketing cooperatives and producers’  organisations (POs) taking part in Responsibly Fresh Goodness by nature. The producers are the owners of the POs and control them democratically. The aim of the POs is to improve the income of the members by enabling them to obtain a larger share of the added value in the chain.

Producer cooperatives are known to the general public under different names, with (horticultural) auctions being the most commonly used. Yet they stand for much more than just auctioning fruits and vegetables. The cooperative organisation, structure and operation has been summarised in five key concepts: togetherness, strength, security, impact and care.

TOGETHER

In the cooperative model, togetherness is an authentic core value. A cooperative is a group of producers who voluntarily wish to work together to generate certain benefits – for themselves and the market, and to reach the same goal – providing consumers with a high-quality product as efficiently as possible. The cooperative allows producers to take joint steps as equal partners in relevant areas. Within a cooperative, producers receive support, there is solidarity, and knowledge and know-how are shared. Yet everyone can add their personal touches and grow at their own pace.

STRENGTH

With producers working together, cooperatives are strong players with extra clout in the market. The cooperative ensures additional reliability throughout the chain. It is market- and customer-oriented and anticipates the high expectations and demands of the market. Logistics are also fast and efficient. Furthermore, the cooperative takes joint future-oriented steps. Its scale makes it possible to elaborate projects that are impossible or difficult for individual members to start on their own.

SECURITY

The cooperatives ensure reliable and continuous supplies of high-quality fruits and vegetables, with assured food safety. They guarantee logistics performance and ensure a fair and transparent sales system. In addition, they are fully committed to sustainable development – be it environmentally, economically or socially. Finally, they also provide a framework for research and development.

IMPACT

Cooperatives provide a voice for producers. Through specific targets and achievements, they have a broad impact throughout the food chain, the horticultural sector, trade and consumers. They are powerful partners, delivering high-quality products together. Moreover, they strengthen the entire sector with research and development. The cooperative also has an impact on individual producers by providing them with production and commercial guidance. This, in turn, gives them a say in further developments of the cooperative.

CARE

The cooperative takes care of the collective of producers-cooperators. From an economic and commercial point of view, the cooperative ensures the professionalisation of the producers’ collective. In addition, the cooperative takes care of the market. On a human level, the cooperative provides social welfare and some form of involvement and negates producers’ both general and crop-related concerns.