cooperative

Definitions

noun a group of farmers who work together to sell their produce either for the wholesale market or in retail outlets such as farmers’ markets

adjective used to describe a business in which the profits are shared among the workers

noun a business run by a group of employees who are also the owners and who share the profits

A type of participant ownership in a building or complex. Actual ownership is by a nonprofit corporation. Individuals are part owners of the corporation and pay monthly fees for use or occupancy of part of the building. See also co-op.

noun a business which organises cooperative mailing or advertising for different companies

noun a type of property ownership in which purchasers own a number of shares in a non-profit making corporation and pay towards a mortgage for the whole building, according to the number of shares owned

a winery that is owned and run by a group of small-scale producers to help reduce the cost of equipment and marketing expenses. Without cooperatives it would be prohibitively expensive for many thousands of small-scale producers to produce wine from their grapes. Cooperatives can also access European Union subsidies that the individual producer would not be eligible for. The French term for cooperative is ‘cave coopérative’, the German ‘Weingärtnergenossenschaft’, the Italian ‘cantina sociale’ and the Portuguese ‘adega cooperativa’.

8 definitions in context