The cooperative business model is gaining popularity. Even many craft breweries are forming as co-ops. If you want to form your brewery as a co-op, Janelle Orsi, Executive Director of Sustainable Economies Law Center, in Oakland, California can answer your questions.

The cooperative business model is still relatively unknown. A worker-owned “co-op” is usually democratically organized, so each employee gets a vote on business decisions and elections for the board of directors. Employees earn dividends based on patronage—the amount of time they have invested in the business, rather the amount of money they have invested.

Other podcasts about breweries as co-ops:

MicroBrewr 047: Proof of concept for a brewpub co-op

MicroBrewr 049: Planning California’s first cooperative brewpub

Cooperative businesses provide many benefits to society:

The work source is stable because the employees aren’t as at-risk of layoff.

Profits stay in the local economy, rather than going to faraway shareholders.

Customers are happier because they know the product is made by sustainable jobs.

Cooperative businesses experience many benefits:

Decisions are made from many contributors.

Don’t have to pay double taxes like C-Corporations.

Workers are happier because they have a say in their environment.

“If we buy beer from a worker-owned cooperative, we’re actually reversing the flow of wealth.” [Tweet This]

Listener question:

If you could ask one question to every brewer or brewery owner, what would you ask? Let me know.

Book recommendation:

Companies We Keep: Employee Ownership and the Business of Community and Place by John Abrams.

Check out the entire list of recommended books, click here.

An upcoming beer style:

Pale Ale

Other resources:

You can reach Janelle Orsi and Sustainable Economies Law Center at:

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