Services for Startup Co-ops

The food co-op movement is growing! There are a significant number of food co-ops with mature business practices and experienced board and management leaders making profound impacts on their respective communities. That success, along with other social and economic forces, has created a greater awareness and desire amongst communities around the country to have their own food co-ops. There are over 300 communities around the country in various stages of organizing a food co-op.

CDS Consulting Co-op supports the Four Cornerstones in Three Stages development model for start-up food co-ops. Our services can be used to strengthen the four cornerstones (Vision, Capital, Talent and Systems) in each of the 3 stages (Organizing, Feasibility and Planning, and Implementation). While many of these services can be helpful in any of the stages, we have organized them here by when they are most commonly used.

Organizing Stage

Orientation to Starting a Food Co-op
Membership-Ownership Development
Sources and Uses Budget
Timeline Development
Bylaws

Feasibility and Planning Stage

Internal Readiness
Market Study and Site Analysis
Financial Feasibility
Member/Owner Capitalization
Store Planning & Design
Business planning
Governance and Board Leadership
Hiring a General Manager

Implementation Stage
Improving Performance
Board Leadership