La OSA Coop

 

AgroBRIDGES Good Practice Recording Template
SFSC Name: La Osa Coop
Author(s) Cristina Alicia Sancho Elguezabal
Insert photo or any visual image or diagram e.g. /Word or Image Collage
Choose a primary theme that the Good Practice adheres to (three themes can be considered: Mutual benefits between primary producers and consumers
If relevant choose a secondary theme that the Good Practice adheres to Education and awareness raising practices
If relevant choose a tertiary theme that the Good Practice adheres to
EIP Practice Abstract Format:
Short summary for practitioners in English on the (final or expected) outcomes (1000-1500 characters, word count – no spaces).This summary should be as interesting as possible for farmers/end-users, using a direct and easy understandable language and pointing out entrepreneurial elements which are particularly relevant for practitioners. Research oriented aspects which do not help the understanding of the practice itself should be avoided.

Short description of the ‘Good Practice’: The good practice focuses on Mutual benefits between primary producers and consumers. LA OSA supermarket works as a cooperative in which participants can buy at the supermarket as long as a) they offer 3 hours of volunteer work in the supermarket every 4 weeks and b) make a single contribution of € 100. With this system, they not only facilitate the local and select consumption of their cooperative members, but allows them to participate in the suppliers selection throug the Purchase Comission. This Commission is in charge of the suppliers delection, purchasing policy monitoring, communication of cooperative members and professional team in relation to the products offered and everything that can help the purchasing area of the cooperative.
The good practice is therefore found in the fact that the supermarket’s volunteers/consumers, through the commission, are able to promote local suppliers in witch they trust. The suppliers inclusion must be approved by the assembly, in which each member of the cooperative has one vote. This is a clear way of bringing local producers closer together with neighbours, reducing the chain of intermediaries. This proximity allows producers to obtain greater profitability from their production. Allowing consumers to obtain healthy, sustainable and local products at affordable prices. It also establish solid and lasting trust relationships between producers and consumers.

The secondary theme that the Good Practice adheres is related to education and awareness rising. In LA OSA their cooperative members are also allowed to participate in the Communication Commission. This Commission is in charge of the creation of internal and external communication content, design, creation and maintenance of the website, organize neighborhood meetings and awareness rising events and collaborate with other cooperatives and associations.
The good practice, therefore, is found in the fact that the cooperative members themselves are the ones who, through the communication commission, promote engagement activities that encourage neighbors to participate in the cooperative and modify their consumption habits. By being not only neighbors, but also supermarket workers (3 hours a month), the events and awareness-raising activities are adjusted to the needs and barriers observed in the neighborhood. And most importantly, they lead by example, educate each other, and establish solid and lasting trust relationships.

Main results/outcomes of the activity (expected or final):
The cooperative supermarket promotes accesible, sustainable, healthy and local consumption trought selecting local suppliers that are in most cases promoted by the cooperative members/volunteers.
Further information/Reference:
https://laosa.coop/proveedores/
https://laosa.coop/mapa-proveedores/
https://laosa.coop/participar/#seccion-convertirme
https://laosa.coop/las-comisiones/
Short summary for practitioners in native language on the (final or expected) outcomes (1000-1500 characters, word count – no spaces).
This summary should be as interesting as possible for farmers/end-users, using a direct and easy understandable language and pointing out entrepreneurial elements which are particularly relevant for practitioners. Research oriented aspects which do not help the understanding of the practice itself should be avoided.
Pearls, Puzzles, Proposals? Pearls: buyers that are also cooperative members are able to submit proposals related to local and sustainable producers/suppliers of the supermarket throught the Purchase Commission Puzzels: What are the necesary conditions that need to be covered to become a supplier of La Osa? How is the process? Proposals: Expand this cooperative system to already existing consumption groups.
What needs did the ‘good practice’ respond to? They realized that small consumption groups were not entirely covering weekly home purchases and responsible consumers were forced to spend a lot of time shopping.
Methodology Used:
Desk based and one-on-one interview (2 interviwes done to cooperative members)
Sector All Sectors
Actors/Stakeholders involved. Who are key actors in the supply chain AND who are key enablers of the process?
Local consumers, neighbors, cooperative members and food producers/suppliers
Is the good practice supported by an IT application? If yes please describe and collect the TRL No
Media attachment (e.g. video link) or other attachment describing/depicting the Good Pratice https://laosa.coop/el-supermercado/
https://youtu.be/bs7-3rKOZks
Key words cooperative, lead by example, consumers selection of suppliers, supermarket, space for ethical and responsible consumption
Additonal infromation for reporting purposes https://laosa.coop/el-manifiesto/
This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020
research and innovation programme under grant agreement No. 101000788

 

 

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