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Real Pickles

Northeast Grown, 100% organic, fermented & raw pickles, sauerkraut, kimchi, kvass, and hot sauce

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Home / Our Co-operative

Our Co-operative

As a worker co-operative, Real Pickles is preserving our strong social mission, empowering our staff to direct the future of our business, and creating good local jobs with shared profits.  We are proud to be part of a movement to build and strengthen democratic economies in our community and beyond.

Preserving our mission

In 2013 we decided to re-write the typical storyline for a successful natural foods business (getting big, selling out) by setting up a structure that would keep our business small, locally-owned, and mission-driven. By transitioning our sole proprietorship into a co-operatively-owned business we inscribed our mission into our organizing documents and bylaws. This ensures that our commitments to social justice, environmental sustainability, and economic equality are embedded in our business practices. We are committed to keeping Real Pickles rooted in the community and staying true to the strong social mission on which it was founded. Operating as a co-operative helps to make that possible!

Co-operative Principles:
  • Voluntary and open membership
  • Democratic member control
  • Members’ economic participation
  • Autonomy and independence
  • Education
  • Training and information
  • Cooperation among cooperatives
  • Concern for community

Co-operative Structure

Worker co-operatives are membership organizations that are owned and controlled by their employees. Following one year of employment at Real Pickles, our staff become eligible for worker-ownership, which entitles them to a single vote in co-op affairs and to a share of profits through annual patronage dividends. Our co-op is governed by a Board of Directors made up of our worker-owners, which supervises the General Manager. The Board operates by consensus, which is a collaborative decision-making process seeking to address the views and concerns of all participants. We also have a Board of Advisors that brings together outside expertise in cooperative development, community business, natural foods wholesale, food production, finance, and food systems thinking, and provides outstanding support to the worker-ownership as we engage in visioning and long-term strategic planning for our co-operative enterprise.

Co-operative Culture

We work to manage our business operations in a participatory and inclusive manner, an approach that has greatly contributed to a satisfying and productive workplace for all employees. Decision-making authority is clearly defined while, at the same time, other opinions are invited and valued. All employees participate in our co-operative education program, which includes classes on finance, co-operatives, Real Pickles history, social mission, and governance topics. This cultivates inquisitive and knowledgeable staff who are invested in the business.

Building a democratic economy

We are proud to be playing a part in building a new and democratic economy in which everyone has a voice in our collective economic future. In transitioning to a worker co-operative, we not only expanded the ownership and control of our business to our employees, but also gave our community a chance to invest in our vision of success. (Check out this case study to learn more.) We are so thankful for the support of the 77 community members who invested in Real Pickles during our 2013 community investment campaign, and who made our transition to a co-operative structure possible.

Read more about Real Pickles

Our Mission
Our Farmers
Our Story
Real Pickles solar-powered facility
Our facility

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Real Pickles production alum Aliza came home from Real Pickles production alum Aliza came home from college for a weekend of Garlic & Arts! She is serving up ferments with Derek all day at the 25th annual North Quabbin Garlic & Arts Festival in Orange, Ma. The weather has cleared up, the music sounds great and there is so much fun to be had! Come say hello and grab a Garlic Dill pickle! 
@nqgarlicandartsfestival #garlicandarts #RealPickles
Can't wait to see you this weekend at the 25th Ann Can't wait to see you this weekend at the 25th Annual North Quabbin Garlic & Arts Festival! Come say hello and get a Garlic Dill pickle! Rain or shine! #RealPickles #GarlicAndArts #FermentedAndRaw @nqgarlicandartsfestival
Honeypie in Jamaica Vermont is definitely one of t Honeypie in Jamaica Vermont is definitely one of the Green Mountain state's coolest and most delicious spots to eat!  Honeypie is a modern fresh take on a roadside burger joint. They are committed to sourcing their ingredients locally and sustainably and serving good, honest fast food in a beautifully updated, old roadside gas station. Check out their burgers, sandwiches and salads served with Real Pickles Organic Kimchi! 

#RealPickles #RealPicklesServedHere #FermentedAndRaw @eatathoneypie
We are so excited to reveal the newest colors of o We are so excited to reveal the newest colors of our trucker hats and our new sleeveless t-shirt! These beauties are locally printed and embroidered by our friends at @onewayscreenprinting in Hadley, MA. We have also updated stock on all of our colorful t-shirts and sizes available for most everyone. Head over to our webstore to take a look, or come see us at the North Quabbin Garlic & Arts Festival next weekend and get a discounted festival price on your favorite! 
#RealPickles #FermentedAndRaw @onewayscreenprinting
Check out these gorgeous paprika and habanero pepp Check out these gorgeous paprika and habanero peppers, grown for us by Ray at Next Barn Over Farm in Hadley, Massachusetts. Their land sits within the famed Hadley loam region (world class soil!), in the rich bottomland of the Connecticut River Valley. Next Barn Over Farm grows a wide and diverse array of certified-organic vegetables for CSA, farmers markets, local grocery stores, small distributors, and restaurants in Western Massachusetts and throughout the Commonwealth. This year their crops will be used in making the next batches of our Organic Red Pepper Hot Sauce, Organic Beets, and Organic Kimchi! #loveyourlocalfarmer #knowyourfarmer #supportyourlocalfarms
Studies show that including lots of fermented food Studies show that including lots of fermented foods in your diet, including naturally-fermented vegetables, contributes to higher gut microbiome diversity and improved immune response. What a great reason to pile some Real Pickles ferments on your avocado toast! 

#RealPickles #fermented #avocadotoast #kraut #pickles #organic

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Contact

311 Wells St
Greenfield, MA 01301
(413) 774-2600
info@realpickles.com

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