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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
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We’re a 15 Years of Good Food Awards Winner! 🥇
Real Pickles Organic Sauerkraut has been officially crowned a winner in the Pickles Category of @goodfoodfdn’s 15 Years of Good Food Awards. 
We’re honored to be recognized alongside so many exceptional crafters—and we couldn’t have done it without you!
#goodfoodfdn #goodfoodawards #15yearsofgoodfood #RealPickles #OrganicSauerkraut #PackedWithAMission
🥒 It’s that time again…. Pickle season has 🥒 It’s that time again…. Pickle season has begun! Our kitchen crew is in full swing - slicing, spicing and brining organic cukes from Mountain View Farm. Just a couple of short weeks before we are all enjoying this year’s batch of Organic Dill Pickles! 🥒 
#organicpickles #fermentedpickles #pickles #realpickles #organic #cucumbers @mtviewfarm
Join our team! Real Pickles is seeking a highly qu Join our team! Real Pickles is seeking a highly qualified individual who is inspired by our mission and interested in exploring worker-ownership in our co-op to fill the role of Sales Representative & Marketing Assistant.
The Sales Representative & Marketing Assistant supports Real Pickles sales and marketing efforts by maintaining strong customer relationships, promoting brand awareness, and ensuring excellent customer service.
This role involves a balance of inside and outside sales, customer support, marketing content development, and occasional participation in public events and product demonstrations.
We’re looking for a proactive, detail-oriented individual with strong communication skills and a passion for organic and local food.
See full job description and how to apply at realpickles.com/jobs — link in bio!

#RealPickles #coopjobs #westernmassjobs #joinourteam #workerowned
We’re honored to receive this year’s local bus We’re honored to receive this year’s local business Austin Miller Co-op Hero Award! 
Thank you to @rivervalleycoop for the generous recognition and for hosting such a heartwarming event last week. We’re proud to be part of a vibrant community of co-ops, farmers, and change makers working toward a just, sustainable, and resilient local food system.

Repost from @rivervalleycoop
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Thank you to all who attended and worked at our 2025 Strawberry Ice Cream Social Fundraiser. It was a wonderful evening on June 12th at our Easthampton store, celebrating the start of the local summer harvest season and supporting the Center for New Americans. Nearly 800 people attended this patio party throughout the evening, purchasing burgers, grilled corn on the cob, salads, and Strawberry Ice Cream Sundaes. This resulted in raising a total of $10,953 for the Center for New Americans. This is a record high for this fundraising patio party! 

🍓 Read more of RVC’s 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘄𝗯𝗲𝗿𝗿𝘆 𝗜𝗰𝗲 𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗦𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 + 𝗔𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻 𝗠𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗿 𝗔𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱𝘀 recap by visiting the link in their bio 🍓

@cnaforimmigrants 
#foodcoops #communitylove #supportforimmigrants #strongertogether
🌈🥒 Rain or shine, Real Pickles shows up with 🌈🥒 Rain or shine, Real Pickles shows up with PRIDE! We had an amazing time marching in the Franklin County Pride parade this weekend — umbrellas, ponchos, and all. Thanks to everyone who came out to celebrate love, community, and inclusion with us! And thank you to the amazing team at @franklincountypride for working so hard and making this event happen! 
🤍🩷🩵🤎🖤❤️🧡💛💚💙💜
#RealPickles #pride
✨We’re a finalist!✨ Real Pickles Organic Sau ✨We’re a finalist!✨
Real Pickles Organic Sauerkraut just earned a spot as a finalist in the Pickle Category of @goodfoodfdn’s 15 Years of Good Food Awards.
This special Community Choice edition of the Good Food Awards honors past winners that continue to set the standard for taste, craftsmanship and responsible production. For the first time ever, the good food loving public had a say, submitting over 8,000 ballots to support their favorite producers.
We’re honored to be recognized alongside so many exceptional crafters—and we couldn’t have done it without you!
Winners will be announced, June 28 at Good Food Mercantile NYC.
#goodfoodfdn #goodfoodawards #15yearsofgoodfood #realpickles #packedwithamission #organic #sauerkraut

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

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