Comments on: Mandela Foods Cooperative: Subsidizing failure

By: Sleepless

Sleepless — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 05:26:27 +0000

getting a little redundant here, but i see you guys are interested in a petition to recall dellums:

recall ron dellums! http://www.petitiononline.com/510911/petition.html

By: Becks

Becks — Wed, 07 May 2008 20:15:18 +0000

Wow V – thanks for the in depth reporting. I had heard bits and pieces of this debaucle but it’s even more disapppointing to see it all put together.

By the way, I’ve love your grocery/food access and other issue-based reporting. Elections are interesting too, but you can’t really consider who to vote for until you know the issues

By: David

David — Mon, 05 May 2008 01:50:53 +0000

There are various coop models that have been successful with the right people and the right strategy. For instance, the relatively new Cooperative Grocery on the Emeryville/Berkeley border is based on the model of the Park Slope Food Coop in Brooklyn, which has thrived for several decades.

By: Andrea G

Andrea G — Sun, 04 May 2008 01:35:54 +0000

I agree they’re a challenging business, but here’s one that my family was involved in from it’s beginnings: http://www.coopfoodstore.coop/about It started, just as you said, in the Depression – because a small group of poor people decided they wanted better, cheaper food – last year it did sales of $66.1 million. My grandpa was the manager for his entire career, then my great uncle became manager – I worked there as a cashier. One key thing, I believe, is that it is a Consumer’s Coop – meaning every member gets a “patronage refund” at the end of the year. So – rather than a workers coop, where the team of workers owns it – the neighbors own it instead and – with continued education about the cooperative principles (check the URL above) – people feel invested. Just as you’ve said, it takes continued commitment from members of a community, and it takes strong leadership and management. But God I wish we could do an urban, consumers coop here in our neighborhood. I’ve seen it work, and it can be so, so powerful and good.

By: Andrew

Andrew — Sat, 03 May 2008 22:26:53 +0000

Food co-ops are a lovely vision but a very difficult business. The Berkeley Co-Op began in the depths of the Depression, when many others did, and they are high-maintenance. I served in one of the Center Councils during the Berkeley Co-op’s last years and it was a sad time. I broke my butt trying to start a new local co-op when Berkeley failed. Launching a co-op takes a large body of committed shareholders, led by skilled visionaries who can inspire people rather than harangue public meetings.

A West Oakland co-op that works would be a wonderful thing.

By: Joanna/OnTheGoJo

Joanna/OnTheGoJo — Sat, 03 May 2008 17:14:39 +0000

But Jammi J, it seems to me that the promises and ideas of MFC were pie in the sky – never very realistic – and that makes it not really worth the risk. $300K is a good chunk of change. Wouldn’t it be better to risk City funds on something that had a considerably better chance?

In hindsight, they could have given F&E the $300K to put towards the $0.39 difference in labor costs…

By: Hayden

Hayden — Sat, 03 May 2008 05:13:55 +0000

I have a tough time understanding all the (planned) bells and whistles around Mandela Foods when the neighborhood would’ve been happy to get a grocery store, period. Health education center? Job training? Worker-owned coop? All wonderful things, but heck, we’d be happy to get one of the soulless big box pharmacies here.

Such co-ops do exist–for example, the Hyde Park Co-op was around for the better part of 75 years on Chicago’s South Side (albeit in Hyde Park, near the University of Chicago), and successfully filled the roles put forth by MFC, before it went downhill in the last 10 years. But it had a lot of advantages (i.e., presence in Hyde Park, location near the U of C) that MFC does not.

By: JAMMI Journalist

JAMMI Journalist — Sat, 03 May 2008 04:37:16 +0000

The WOPAC knew MFC was a gamble, but thought the promises of a locally owned enterprise (as opposed to an out-of-town chain like 99cents), of organic, fresh produce, and of focus on grocery rather than grocery being a sideline (as it is at 99cents) made the venture worth the risk.

By: Ken O.

Ken O. — Sat, 03 May 2008 00:07:09 +0000

V, thanks for posting about WO food situation.

I have been really curious!

Cheers.

By: RDC

RDC — Fri, 02 May 2008 21:51:06 +0000

Anth WstOaker –

A Ken Hamblin fan are we? love his work