Bees Coop

= cooperative supermarket in Brussels, Belgium

URL: http://bees-coop.be/

Description

"Bees Coop is a supermarket started in Brussels, Belgium. It is the first cooperative supermarket, participative and non-profit making in Brussels. Launched in September 2014 by a group of citizens mainly from the ADES network, the idea of BEES coop rapidly materialised around a buying group, whilst work on the opening of the supermarket got underway. The buying group tested products, initiated dynamic participation and informed itself on the subject of distribution. It brings together more than 250 centres and offers more than 200 products. The initial inspiration comes from the “Park Slope Food Coop” and from “La Louve” in Paris. Parl Slope Food Coop is a cooperative supermarket of about 1000 m² in New York. Each of the 16.000 cooperative members of the PSFC participates actively to its functioning, working 2,45 hours per month for it. In exchange for their work, they can buy various high quality products for a rather low price.

BEES Coop aims for cost-effectiveness, financial independence, without however searching for benefits (no financial dividend). In this spirit, BEES Coop has adopted the form of a cooperative company with limited liability and with a social aim, certified by the CNC (Conseil national de la cooperation in Belgium)."