Argentina · Regional consumer cooperative
Cooperativa Obrera, Molinera, Panadera y Anexos Ltda.
Cooperativa Obrera, Molinera, Panadera y Anexos Ltda.
Trade and development from a Co-operative's perspective
Presenter: Santiago Esteban, Non Food Purchasing Manager
A consumer cooperative with a 30% regional market share argues why consumer cooperatives can serve as 'a bridge between producers, cooperatives and consumers' — because their goal is to serve members, not to make profit.
Key figures
- Regional market share
- 30.5%
- Source: The Nielsen Company, August 2023.
- Average store surface
- 800 m²
- Suppliers
- 1,420
- Of which 1,105 small and medium companies, 56 cooperatives and 5 sheltered workshops. Figures from its Cooperative Social Audit.
Key points
- Stores are positioned as wide-assortment outlets serving all social classes, with 'important participation of products from small companies and worker or production cooperatives'.
- Stores use posters to give consumers relevant information and maintain an adequate price-quality ratio.
- It has published a Public Commitment since 1996; item 7 reads 'Reinvest in the region and give preference to local producers.'
- The deck's core argument — why consumer cooperatives can help develop trade between cooperatives: their goal is to serve members rather than make profit, while remaining efficient and sustainable; their closeness to consumer needs lets them act as a bridge; they accompany their communities' economic, social and technological change; they support and develop local small suppliers; and they compete while respecting their values and principles.
Quotations
“Our goal is to serve members, not to make profit (but we need to be efficient and sustainable companies).”
“Cooperatives are companies of people, not capital, and in case of having profit, it returns to their members related to their operations during previous year.”
“We are aware of the needs and requirements of consumers so we can be a bridge between producers, cooperatives and consumers.”
Editor's note
This material's attribution is inconsistent across three sources: the forum agenda lists the national apex body Cooperar as the Argentine speaker, the filename says 'Argentina National Cooperative Federation', while the deck's own cover names the regional consumer cooperative Cooperativa Obrera. This column follows the cover slide. See the editorial notes.