Transforming Our Agri-Food System: The Case Study of Homemakers Union Consumer Co-Op, Taiwan

Aware of the high levels of contamination in the soil and numerous scandals associated with imported food products, several NGOs have decided to take control by instituting a system of collective purchasing directly from local farmers. Among these NGOs, the Homemakers Union Consumer Co-op (HUCC) has played a critical role since the early 1990s. The HUCC emerged during a time where there was increasing interest in environmental issues and started to purchase rice and grapes from small farmers through a buying club. The buying club soon became the co-op, with 90 percent female members. Despite the lack of capital and asset, the group established a worker’s co-op, with twenty founding members each contributing about $600 USD as capital share. This was the group’s first capital raised to try out collective purchasing. To be able to buy at the co-op, anyone has to sign up and pay membership fee. Currently, they have about 10 million USD, all from volunteers’ investments. The co-op has expanded with about 400 employees and more than 60,000 members, and now works with about 150 local farmers. A growing number of outlets (47) in a network around Taiwan established by the co-op to provide environmentally friendly and healthy foods. The co-op also aims to lead consumers to a better understanding of how they can make a difference on the environment and agri-food system. The co-op depends on the bonds of trust with members. Following a series of food safety scandals in recent years, Taiwanese tend not to trust a government logo. But more people will trust certain marketing channels, and among them is the Homemakers Union Consumer Co-op. In this research, we will explore how the HUCC transform local agri-food system and create a reliable marketing channel by adding social innovation and strengthening social solidarity in Taiwan.