Cowichan Valley Co-operative

Canada

Their purpose

Founded in 2014, the Cowichan Valley Co-operative Marketplace is a non-profit organization made up of with local farmers, food processors and community partners. They develop collective initiatives addressing food security and farm viability in the Cowichan region, in British Columbia, Canada. The co-op builds real connections between local farmers and consumers through a centralized food hub.

In 2015, they launched an online marketplace — https://cow-op.ca — that allows producers and processors to post products for sale. Consumers have convenient access to sustainably produced local foods. It’s an innovative model that combines the ease of purchasing online fresh food for weekly pickup (in Duncan and Victoria) and the ability to build communities and opportunities for local farmers.

The online marketplace aims to contribute to a strong local economy and increased farm viability in the area, so they’re committed to several initiatives: active farmer participation, local food production and consumption, and new market opportunities for farmers and processors. They want to see farmers plan and work together to best serve the local food needs of the Cowichan Valley and Southern Vancouver Island residents.

Our collaboration

We assisted the Cowichan Valley Co-operative with funding so they could develop, with the help of media professionals, the necessary marketing materials and campaigns to promote the online hub. According to the co-op, the design, development and launch of the new website was key, as it better communicates who they are to the public. They have also witnessed increased sales, new customer registrations and membership growth (new farmers and processors using the online hub to sell their products).