The purpose of a cooperative is to create an autonomous organization that is run democratically by its members to meet their common economic, social, and cultural needs and aspirations.
In a nutshell, the main purpose of a co-op is to meet the goals of its members for the community at large. Cooperatives are based on the values of self-help, individual responsibility, democracy, equality, equity, and solidarity. In the tradition of their founders, cooperative members believe in the ethical values of honesty, openness, social responsibility and caring for others.
Food cooperatives have emerged in major cities and college towns, catering to the food-conscious. A co-op is a member-owned and community-shared business that operates for the mutual benefit of all members and the larger community to which it belongs.
The Sierra Vista Food Co-op was founded in May 2007 and opened its doors in April 2011. It is organized as a consumer co-op, meaning that the people who purchase goods and services from the co-op own the co-op. Unlike most businesses that make decisions primarily to maximize profits, the Sierra Vista Food Co-op makes decisions to maximize service to their members and the Sierra Vista community. For the Sierra Vista Food Co-op, service to our community takes the form of providing organic, natural and local produce and products that promote health and well-being.