Organic cooperatives facilitating sustainable consumption
Organic food consumption worldwide is growing. This chapter investigates this growth and outlines the major reasons behind the growth. Lack of consumer confidence in food produce from traditional channels is at the forefront of the increasing prominence of organic food consumption. A distribution channel, which has restored consumer confidence in food products, is organic cooperatives. This chapter provides a much needed definition of the organic cooperative and examines this concept through a social network lens. It further highlights the importance of close ties in the supply chain to build consumer confidence. It provides several examples of community cooperatives that use network ties and relationships to achieve success in this industry.