A tale of two co-ops in two cities

Abstract

Conceived in support of the Louisville Association of Cooperative Economics (LACE), this paper presents case studies of two different food cooperatives serving communities of color. After establishing a brief history of food cooperatives, we explore the expansion efforts of Seward Community Co-op, a long-standing and well-established cooperative in a predominantly White area of Minneapolis, Minnesota, into a more diverse area of the city. Next, we explore the Mandela Grocery Co-op in Oakland, California, a relatively new, worker-owned cooperative. We then discuss several points to consider in the development of new co-ops that emerge from these cases.