About the Co-op
Our Purpose
The purpose of the Orcas Food Co-op is to increase local food production and enhance Orcas Island’s community food network by selling high-quality local and organic, non-GMO food and other household goods at the lowest feasible cost, and by educating customers and connecting them to helpful resources.
The Orcas Food Co-op exists so that owners, customers, food producers & the Orcas Island Community will have:
1. Thriving Cooperative Enterprise
Long Range Goal:
A successful business that demonstrates the cooperative* model and furthers the co-op movement.
Opportunity:
As a co-op, our success is measured by the value that we create for our community. Along with improving our store operations and providing a great customer experience, we are also building financial reserves and advancing cooperative development in the Islands.
Strategies:
• Respond to the needs of our members and continue to innovate.
• Expand the capacity of our community to form cooperatives.
• Plan for the long-term capital needs of the Co-op.
2. Equitable Access
Long Range Goal:
Equitable access to high-quality, local, and organic foods that respond to the needs of our community.
Opportunity:
As the Co-op continues to grow, we have the opportunity tomake the Co-op more accessible to all people, regardless of race, language, gender, age, class, ability, or sexual orientation. By identifying and removing structural barriers, we strive to create the conditions for all people to have access to culturally relevant food.
Strategies:
• Offer products that are responsive to the needs of our diverse community.
• Improve access to healthy food for low-income individuals and families.
• Foster connections and partnerships to remove structural barriers that limit who can access Co-op goods, services, and employment opportunities.
3. Local Food
Long Range Goal:
A sustainable local food system with strong regional connections.
Opportunity:
Our Co-op provides an integral venue and platform for local* products, and strives to support a thriving local food economy in the Islands and beyond. With the publishing of the Food System Plan for San Juan County in 2024, we have the opportunity to align our work and resources with countywide strategies and contribute to ongoing implementation efforts. In collaboration with local and regional partners, Orcas Food Co-op can make essential contributions toward equitably relocalizing ourfood system.
Strategies:
• Align our food system work with the Food System Plan forSan Juan County.
• Explore innovative approaches to bridge the gap between a livable wage for producers/food system workers and equitable access to local food.
• Build the network of cooperative food distribution throughout the Islands and foster regional partnerships
4. Leader in sustainability
Long Range Goal:
A model sustainable enterprise that practices environmental stewardship.
Opportunity:
As a leader in the Islands we have the opportunity to provide a model for local, regional, and global environmental stewardship. Reducing waste, fostering regenerative* organic practices, partnering with our local farmers/producers, and supporting the education and engagement of our members about these practices are critical ways we can have an impact on climate resiliency.
Strategies:
• Minimize resource consumption and work towards zero waste* in our operations.
• Support organic and regenerative food production on a regional scale.
• Prioritize environmental sustainability as we grow our Co-op
5. Model Employer
Long Range Goal:
A model employer where staff have ownership, purpose, and belonging.
Opportunity:
Where we work is a fundamental aspect of how we thrive in the Islands. The Co-op is at its best when we create a work environment that provides a sense of belonging and purpose, as well as a living wage and strong benefits.
Strategies:
• Provide strong benefits and compensation that support staff to thrive and keep pace with costs of living.
• Provide professional development and opportunities for growth and advancement.
• Explore the possibility of converting our Co-op to a worker/consumer hybrid co-op*
GLOSSARY
GLOSSARY
Cooperative: A cooperative is an autonomous association of persons united voluntarily to meet their common economic, social, and cultural needs and aspirations through a jointly-owned and democratically-controlled enterprise.
Hybrid Co-op: A cooperative with more than one membership class. Also referred to as a multi-stakeholder co-op.
Local: At Orcas Food Co-op, we define our local products as made or produced in San Juan County. Regenerative: Regenerative agriculture describes farming and grazing practices that, among other benefits, reverse climate change by rebuilding soil organic matter and restoring degraded soil biodiversity – resulting in both carbon drawdown, increased fertility, and improving the water cycle.
Zero Waste: The conservation of all resources by means of responsible production, consumption, reuse, and recovery of all products, packaging, and materials, without burning them, and without discharges to land, water, or air that threaten the environment or human health.