Multi Stakeholder Co-ops

Cooperatives like traditional businesses have multiple stakeholders. These can include the worker-owners, employees, customers, suppliers, etc. The examples below are grocery store cooperatives that are owned and controlled by the workers and the customers.

Example: Weaver Street Market

This cooperative is collectively owned and controlled by the customers and the workers. Multi stakeholder co-ops (MSC) utilize “one member, one vote” rules to elect board members, but each member group (e.g. workers or consumers) normally has a set number of seats on the board. (For more on MSC see HERE.)

Not all food co-ops have been successful. Learn why the Renaissance Community Co-op, a MSC, had to close its doors. This is a good case study on the challenges of co-op grocery stores. On another note, Nashville Food Co-op is a group organizing a food co-op in Nashville, Tennessee.

Weaver Street Market Website