CoBank is a banking cooperative
specializing in agriculture.
High Plains Food Co-op delivers
fresh produce to Denver
and the Front Range.
Financial: Credit unions are a lot like banks. They
make loans to people. They offer savings accounts and
checking accounts. A credit union is owned by the people
who are the customers. As members, these customers
can use their vote to help determine the credit union’s
priorities. Customers can run for the board of directors.
People trust credit unions because they are managed for
the benefit of the customers who own the business.
Processing and Manufacturing:
Sometimes called value-added cooperatives, these
businesses take raw materials and convert them into
products for sale to consumers. The Great Western Sugar
Cooperative is owned by farmers who grow sugarbeets
in Colorado, Nebraska, Wyoming, and Montana. The
farmers deliver the beets to the cooperative, which
processes them into sugar that is sold in grocery stores in
those four states, and across the nation. The cooperative
returns some of the money it makes to the farmers.
Distribution: When several companies need
products delivered to them they may form a distribution co-
op. Each company may not need a full truck delivered at one
time. This type of co-op lets several companies combine their
orders and save money by sharing one truck and one driver.
Food: Cooperative grocery stores are popular in
big cities. The customers who own the stores decide
where they get their food items. Co-op grocery stores
Rural Colorado Apparel
Manufacturing makes
clothing for designers.
typically get food from local farmers. The members
of these cooperatives like knowing more about the
farmers who grow and deliver food to the store.
Industry, Art, and Service: Individuals and
companies may find it works best to work with others to
find success. Colorado is home to art cooperatives. Artists
may not be able to afford a store to sell their items. They
may not have many items to sell. By teaming up with others,
these artists can share the cost of space and even share
time working at the store. Each artist may agree to work one
day at the store and the other days working on more art.
Retail: Retail cooperatives are like purchasing or supply
cooperatives. The difference is that retail cooperatives buy
things in volume for sale to other businesses, or to use
themselves. Best Western, Carpet One, and ACE Hardware
are among the retail cooperatives you will find in Colorado.
Utilities: Companies like to operate where there are
lots of customers that are easy to reach. In rural areas, the
customers may be miles away from each other. A company
that delivers electricity may not want to extend service into
rural areas. The risks are greater and the profit is smaller.
Cooperatives are the answer. Because cooperatives value
people more than profits, they can operate where privately-
owned companies may not want to. Utilities are essential
services people need. Utility co-ops include electric associations,
telephone associations, and drinking water cooperatives.
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