THE 5 W’S
OF THE CO-OP
WHAT IS A CO-OP?
A co-op is much more than your typical grocery store—it is a consumer-owned cooperative business that’s managed and controlled by the people who use it. Unlike a business owned by an individual, family, or corporation, profits from the store return to our owners and are used to help us better serve our community’s needs.
WHO CAN SHOP AT A CO-OP?
Anyone! You don’t have to be an owner to enjoy the benefits of local produce and our wide array of offerings. Everyone is welcome! While our owners are the backbone of our local grocery, anyone can shop here, and we hope you’ll make us your Daily store.
We are a community-based business, and you’re the reason we’re here. We’re not your average grocery store! You can make a difference by investing in the future of your Co-op, or you can make us your store of choice. Check us out!
WHY SHOULD I SHOP AT CO-OPS?
Shopping at a co-op is an act of community engagement! Because co-ops are democratically controlled, shopping at co-ops means supporting the ideals of the community. Ideals that are defined and upheld through the global ends policies that dictate the way each co-op is run.
Plus, co-ops are a great place to find local produce and local products! Daily is proud to support over 60 local farms and producers. And that list is always expanding! So, if you want to pick up the best local carrots you’ve ever eaten or you need some fresh greens for the week, a co-op is your best bet!
WHERE CAN I SHOP AT A CO-OP?
Co-ops are everywhere! We are Athens’ only food cooperative, but other food co-ops exist all over the US. Our nearest food co-op neighbor is Sevananda in Atlanta’s Little Five Points neighborhood. And, you can find several other types of co-ops in Athens. We have a local cleaning co-op, Peachy Green Cleaning Co-op, and a local landscaping co-op, Normal Landscaping, to name just two. You might even get your electricity from co-ops like Jackson EMC and Walton EMC.
Want to get super meta? One of the founding principles of cooperatives is that co-ops support other co-ops. To practice this principle, Daily is proud to carry many products that are made by co-ops. Equal Exchange, Just Coffee, Blue Diamond, Andes Gifts, and Organic Valley are among our most popular co-op vendors. So, the next time you purchase Organic Valley butter from Daily, you will be supporting two co-ops with your purchase!
WHEN DID CO-OPS BECOME A NECESSITY?
The first successful food co-op started in Rochdale, England, in the mid-1800s. Many conventional stores were scamming people out of their money and nutrients by cutting flour with chalk or driving up prices. The Rochdale co-op sought to change that by putting the power in the hands of the people. Much like Daily, many townspeople pooled their economic resources together to create buying power that competed with the conventional stores.
In 1992, Athens needed a grocery store offering fresh produce near downtown after Bell’s grocery moved to Hawthorne Avenue. Thus, Daily was born!
THe 7 COOPERATIVE PRINCIPLES
According to NCBA, “cooperatives around the world generally operate according to the same core principles and values, adopted by the International Co-operative Alliance in 1995. Cooperatives trace the roots of these principles to the first modern cooperative founded in Rochdale, England in 1844.”
ROCHDALE PRINCIPLES
Voluntary and Open Membership
Democratic Member Control
Member Economic Participation
Autonomy and Independence
Education, Training, and Information
Cooperation among Cooperatives
Concern for Community
