Natural Food Industry and Cooperative Business Model

This Capstone will provide an orientation to the cooperative business model in the booming natural food industry. Students will gain hands on experience working with the community partner, People’s Food Cooperative, on various business related inquiries including financial analyses, marketing studies, and plans for short and long term growth. We will address different business strategies in the natural food industry and for cooperative businesses, specifically, and make the connection to broader themes including health and nutrition, food security and food politics, environmental sustainability, urban design, and community development.

Class Specific Learning Goals

• Introduce students to the complexities and challenges of healthy communities, related to urban design, society and food issues.
• Orient students to the particular history and culture of cooperative businesses and the natural food industry.

• Provide students with ethnographic tools to successfully interact with individuals, groups and cultural landscapes, and be able to document and analyze their observations and communicate them to others.
• Gain a cultural sensitivity to be able to work with and understand the experiences of a diverse community of people.
• Learn environmental and social ethics related to sustainable agriculture, land use, and food issues.
• Apply experiences into a final presentation which demonstrates strong communication skills, critical thinking and reflection.
• Learn skills working with others, especially related to taking initiative and communicating in a direct and timely manner.