Federated Co-operatives
Encyclopedia
Federated Co-operatives Limited (FCL), is a co-operative federation
, established in 1955, providing procurement and distribution to member co-operatives in Western Canada. Federated Co-operatives is owned by about 265 member co-operatives across the region. Some are large co-operatives, such as Saskatoon Co-op
and Calgary Co-op
, while others are small co-ops based in small towns.
In 2009, FCL was ranked as the largest co-operative in Canada by total sales. In 2010, FCL was the second largest company by annual sales in Saskatchewan
. During that year, it earned revenues of 498 million and returned $355.7 million to its member retailers. In 2008, Federated Co-operatives saw sales increase and posted its 17th record year in a row for both sales and profits.
in 1979. The forest products operation replaced a Smith, Alberta
, business FCL sold in 1977.
In March 2010, Federated Co-operatives announced an agreement with SeaChoice
, a program of Sustainable Seafood Canada devoted to sustainable seafood
. Through collaboration, the organizations seek to develop a long term sustainability strategy for seafood sales and procurement in the co-operatives' member businesses.
Federated Co-operatives was awarded the SABEX Environmental & Sustainabiltiy award from the Greater Saskatoon Chamber of Commerce in May 2010.
Cooperative federation
A co-operative federation or secondary co-operative is a co-operative in which all members are, in turn, co-operatives.Historically, co-operative federations have predominantly come in the form of co-operative wholesale societies and co-operative unions...
, established in 1955, providing procurement and distribution to member co-operatives in Western Canada. Federated Co-operatives is owned by about 265 member co-operatives across the region. Some are large co-operatives, such as Saskatoon Co-op
Saskatoon Co-op
Saskatoon Co-operative Association Limited is a retail cooperative operating in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada.-Present Operations:...
and Calgary Co-op
Calgary Co-op
Calgary Co-operative Association Limited is a retail cooperative operating in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.-History:...
, while others are small co-ops based in small towns.
In 2009, FCL was ranked as the largest co-operative in Canada by total sales. In 2010, FCL was the second largest company by annual sales in Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of . Saskatchewan is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota....
. During that year, it earned revenues of 498 million and returned $355.7 million to its member retailers. In 2008, Federated Co-operatives saw sales increase and posted its 17th record year in a row for both sales and profits.
History
FCL purchased Downie Street Sawmills of Revelstoke, British ColumbiaRevelstoke, British Columbia
Revelstoke is a city in southeastern British Columbia, Canada. It is located east of Vancouver, and west of Calgary, Alberta. The city is situated on the banks of the Columbia River just south of the Revelstoke Dam and near its confluence with the Illecillewaet River...
in 1979. The forest products operation replaced a Smith, Alberta
Smith, Alberta
Smith is a hamlet in northern Alberta, Canada within the Municipal District of Lesser Slave River No. 124. It is located on Highway 2A, approximately northwest of Edmonton, at the confluence of the Lesser Slave River and the Athabasca River.- History :...
, business FCL sold in 1977.
In March 2010, Federated Co-operatives announced an agreement with SeaChoice
SeaChoice
SeaChoice is a program of Sustainable Seafood Canada that produces sustainable seafood advisory lists. The program is designed to raise consumer awareness about the importance of buying seafood from sustainable sources. It is best known for publishing consumer guides for responsible seafood...
, a program of Sustainable Seafood Canada devoted to sustainable seafood
Sustainable seafood
Sustainable seafood is seafood from either fished or farmed sources that can maintain or increase production in the future without jeopardizing the ecosystems from which it was acquired...
. Through collaboration, the organizations seek to develop a long term sustainability strategy for seafood sales and procurement in the co-operatives' member businesses.
Federated Co-operatives was awarded the SABEX Environmental & Sustainabiltiy award from the Greater Saskatoon Chamber of Commerce in May 2010.
Services
Key services fall into the following categories:- product distribution from warehouse facilities in CalgaryCalgaryCalgary is a city in the Province of Alberta, Canada. It is located in the south of the province, in an area of foothills and prairie, approximately east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies...
, EdmontonEdmontonEdmonton is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta and is the province's second-largest city. Edmonton is located on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Capital Region, which is surrounded by the central region of the province.The city and its census...
, SaskatoonSaskatoonSaskatoon is a city in central Saskatchewan, Canada, on the South Saskatchewan River. Residents of the city of Saskatoon are called Saskatonians. The city is surrounded by the Rural Municipality of Corman Park No. 344....
and WinnipegWinnipegWinnipeg is the capital and largest city of Manitoba, Canada, and is the primary municipality of the Winnipeg Capital Region, with more than half of Manitoba's population. It is located near the longitudinal centre of North America, at the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers .The name...
. - six animal feed plants in Western Canada (Ag Business)
- ten propane distribution centers
- lumber operations (based out of Canoe, British ColumbiaCanoe, British ColumbiaCanoe, British Columbia, is a small semi-rural community within the larger City of Salmon Arm just off the Trans Canada Highway. The community lies on the south side of Shuswap Lake, east of the city centre...
) - CCRL Refinery ComplexCCRL Refinery ComplexThe CCRL Refinery Complex is an oil refinery spread over located in the city of Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada owned by Consumers' Co-operative Refineries Limited that is in turn owned by Federated Co-operatives Limited . The refinery provides oil products to the member co-operatives of FCL...
(Oil refinery based in Regina, Saskatchewan]]) - The Grocery People Ltd. (A fresh produce and grocery distributor based in Edmonton, Alberta)
House Brands
The following product brands are marked by Federated Co-operatives through member co-ops: CO-OP, CO-OP GOLD, COUNTRY MORNING, HARMONIE, SONIC and SHOPMASTER.Further reading
- Fairbairn, Brett. (1989) Building a dream : the co-operative retailing system in western Canada, 1928-1988. Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Western Producer Prairie Books.