Co-ops with a Cause
Opportunities may exist for a cooperative purchasing relationship for specific product types (ex. local/sustainable) or products with restricted manufacturing/production practices (ex. no antibiotics).
Co-ops with a Cause
Opportunities may exist for a cooperative purchasing relationship for specific product types (ex. local/sustainable) or products with restricted manufacturing/production practices (ex. no antibiotics).
Local Food Co-op
For districts wanting to support local producers vendors
These are often community-based and seek to connect local growers/producers of a variety of products with buyers across all segments such as restaurants, grocers, healthcare facilities, elder feeding programs, and schools. Some may exist as Food Hubs, meaning they aggregate products from multiple sources for collective distribution. Because these groups are often unfamiliar with the numerous regulations around school food procurement, SFA’s should plan to educate cooperative leadership and monitor to ensure compliance. As a reminder, SFA’s cannot pay cost plus percentage. They must pay a fixed cost or cost-plus fixed fee.
Check out this locator tool from LocalHarvest to find a local cooperative near you.
Local Food Co-op
For districts wanting to support local producers vendors
These are often community-based and seek to connect local growers/producers of a variety of products with buyers across all segments such as restaurants, grocers, healthcare facilities, elder feeding programs, and schools. Some may exist as Food Hubs, meaning they aggregate products from multiple sources for collective distribution. Because these groups are often unfamiliar with the numerous regulations around school food procurement, SFA’s should plan to educate cooperative leadership and monitor to ensure compliance. As a reminder, SFA’s cannot pay cost plus percentage. They must pay a fixed cost or cost-plus fixed fee.
Check out this locator tool from LocalHarvest to find a local cooperative near you.
Mission-Based Co-op
For districts wanting to meet specific procurement standards
A mission-based purchasing cooperative is based around a particular concept or set of standards that brings together like-minded buyers in an effort to procure products that meet the standard and/or drive market development of products that may not exist yet, but are desired. Often the co-op serves as the purchasing agent and helps raise awareness and educate stakeholders about their cause.
Mission-Based Co-op
For districts wanting to meet specific procurement standards
A mission-based purchasing cooperative is based around a particular concept or set of standards that brings together like-minded buyers in an effort to procure products that meet the standard and/or drive market development of products that may not exist yet, but are desired. Often the co-op serves as the purchasing agent and helps raise awareness and educate stakeholders about their cause.
Mission-based co-ops that focus on procuring fresh, healthy foods that are sustainably grown/produced and free from antibiotics, pesticides and additives can be a great way to ensure access to affordable food products that fit your vision to provide the best meals for all students.
Mission-based co-ops that focus on procuring fresh, healthy foods that are sustainably grown/produced and free from antibiotics, pesticides and additives can be a great way to ensure access to affordable food products that fit your vision to provide the best meals for all students.
