Agnès Hernandez Berga, Cristina Castellana, Rafael Cobo

Artiga

Olot, Spain.

Supermarket coop

This coop is an example of negentropy. It contains all the requirements to implement a systemic framework. It has the potential to unite strategic agents (before isolated) to create a network and increase the value of each individual initiative. It fosters local use and unites local producers and consumers. Moreover, it is aligned with the social and solidarity economy values.

1. Ground: The project has been developed from a solution-oriented approach, not from the potential of the place and the community.

2. Goal:
2.1 Currently driven by a short term goal: eating locally and healthy, but missing all the potential of food as a developmental instrument for the community and the bigger system which is nested in. Social development is mentioned, but vague and not as a living process.
2.2 Potential of volunteering.
2.2.1.Socio-ecological transformation.
2.2.2. It view food as a diverse process of transformation. It has the potential to reverse structural violences of the area and increase its value.

3. Direction:
3.1.It is aligned with the social and solidarity economy values.
3.2.They have a list of criteria of the products they sell based on their production process, fairness criteria and their closeness to the bioregion.
3.3 More than 500 volunteers are nourishing and holding this network.

4 Instrument:
4.1 Approach: cooperative spirit, with a territorial strategic cooperative network.
4.2 Strategic view to make this spirit tangible: partners are part of the decision-making, work locally and generate synergies with other local markets.
4.3 If they make a strong cooperative network, they are adding more value to the territory. It is not only a supermarket, it adds value to the connections.