Are cooperative businesses the future of business?

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Are out there making money and doing good at the same time Roberta MacDonald -- with a -- as senior vice president marking act habit could you worry now before we talk about the co op.

Yeah haven't cream -- yes has been around forever.

1919.

Making TCDs.

Just cheese and butter and butter and Greek yogurt anything cream I'll real idea.

We got there are pretty soon in the trend and so it's been great for the business.

You know we've been talking about her mom this week a little bit and you think I'm pretty much cheese in -- in snow I guess when you think of Vermont.

When I moved for months it's been 25 years ago now.

I can tell you -- surveys of Manhattan and people only knew that we made maple syrup.

Now 25 years the eight years later they know about the charities for a lot of option wall because capital such a good job but I got to tell you some funny are big cheese -- -- records Ph.D.

So isn't what I found that -- -- It's pretty -- people.

-- Rutgers grad degree IRA.

Jersey -- -- -- -- -- to bring them back with us and then we need good people engineers and sales of the first of law how is the t.'s business because.

Milk butter and these I mean the price of -- the commodities that go into cheese is getting -- -- by the second.

It is from them from your point of view is yes I am right yes the farmers side of that equation I was still pretty modest they haven't seen raises and a couple decades.

But because our farmers have -- on the brand.

They are gonna see the profits from our sales and our sales are doing really.

Well not put yeah why then -- IC go up that's the retailers -- -- the pricing is or.

Some of the national brands will by the pricing down with features in the like we don't tend to be able to do that very often I -- Yeah yeah which invests sanctioning this the platinum.

These seriously start yes still it's totally but that funny thing about this is it started -- hunters cheddar cheese.

We sold -- is entry into -- that came to Cabot Vermont.

We had it in his black and red -- but we -- the hunters we took it to Florida.

The people know what isn't that.

Aren't we don't content black and red -- we -- well so we had changed the name little known fact.

Simply saying I -- series like that I know let's look about the cooperative so -- the -- -- cream very cooperative is basically.

A bunch of different -- 12100 farm families right OK so if you concretely we call where we make that -- -- greenery to.

Unless I accelerate in these right turn a factor out the York in New England.

So these farm families all the togetherness -- and what do they can't they -- milk lot of patterns that have to do with no pricing swim -- -- and that.

But collectively they own the company they -- the brands at the end of the year they're 26 check.

-- -- Czech would be the profits from the sale of the cheese so they all benefit it's based on the amount and -- -- -- So attack -- -- together we are all in together and that the cooperative model you know it's the internationally -- the cooperative.

Pretty the United Nations -- -- yes and late condition and cooperative -- actually get introduced to it when my children and they don't get needs.

What it just this notion that -- -- -- and it together we all profit at the end of the day based on whatever you put in right exactly.

Not very many people are cooperative they think it's like a commie plot or not so let's take -- seriously.

And the reason again I even have a clue is -- shot my children's nursery school when I was a kid was a cooperative perfect that's crazy right here in Manhattan.

Class people actually live in this city because of housing -- operatives.

So that they all they.

They only sell within the cooperative so that the price isn't going up with the market it's it's what keeps Manhattan mostly apartments here.

Affordable for the average it's an interesting notion I -- -- -- -- think what we went away from it for awhile because it at least as you said it was taboo for -- see you para cooperative well we -- senate -- imagine all the members should take the credit union and they're great example of a cooperative business model as well.

A lot of people want.

Either the minutes later the border the stockholders should got some real act ability with stock to would retain earnings and say -- new markets.

It cooperative we allocate all earnings every year to our members.

So it's -- the fastest way to grow a business as a business model.

But it for us it's the most secure.

-- and you -- correct hello and OK now you also have this move will reward volunteers at you know that's pretty exciting for Valentine's yes -- -- you lost it -- -- -- fourteen tell us that.

We have and.

Had a history when we.

We have really -- a lot of that money percent.

But wouldn't leave going to communities where we sell our products we get involved with the volunteer organizations there -- whether it's.

That the hospital.

The food banks etc.

and we find that most of the people the volunteers and those organizations.

Are really the heart of the community so we've -- -- volunteers for probably 1520.

Years.

What we also realized -- especially working with -- AARP most recently your points of light.

It's there's an organization called right here in New York, New York cares it's probably one of largest.

Places -- volunteer.

But so all these people come and -- volunteers are pretty humble people but there's no way to track their hours.

And the reason we develop this act was so that everywhere in the country volunteers could love their time -- -- post on FaceBook.

And we're going to give them towards every month our partners -- marry AARP points of light.

That credit unions association.

And all the property businesses still.

You being the cooperative and we are going to give rewards out to people who just.

Decide to volunteer well correct anyway they will be vetted -- and we're actually gonna give.

Awards cash rewards of this concludes on July 7 the first stage of the sap.

July 7 -- will be awarding big cash prices to individuals to the organizations they serve.

We've got competitions already knowing -- the southern New Jersey food bank.

Between the food bank in DC whose volunteers can not the most hours we've got competition going among credit unions.

Among their the credit union employees and members whose do they are doing different things in different -- why do this.

It's what makes our heart pound.

Our farmers in fact our volunteers they're the ones on the school board they're the ones that are.

Coaching Little League they know what community -- and they know the difference volunteers make -- honoring our -- -- There's too you know what's interesting I find it's that bit less you have the more you -- that isn't it why is that just under.

Not what need to observe that because they're less I had them Friday.

You think.

Well I you find that -- you know you're helping each other well you know someone get sick we all make dinner for the weekend.

Exactly a commitment then it disappear when people start to have money and make it easy it is I actually just kind of.

Don't know me the other day just exactly what you're saying that in fact the more you have -- given a funny way.

And let's get a whole lot -- think of -- range of activists in the country right we we recognize the gates foundation -- center they give.

Millions we can only give time and that -- and that's what we did and that time should be accounted for somehow imagine.

We were being -- are able to still applies that minimum wage they hours that are logged in the next five months imagine what that amounts.

CC have this whole giving economy if you will that.

From our point of view it's our -- daily life let's start documenting it for the rest of them.

I think it's amazing you know when I got divorced and my mom -- this means that I don't have money to help you but I have a hard time off.

But I have time right so I can do well I think Ken you know I think -- -- doesn't -- -- she doesn't.

And it's amazing because it's almost more viable than the money right I totally believe it's sort of like -- -- I believe time.

With people you love and -- you -- doing is exactly what we're here.

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Are cooperative businesses the future of business?

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