Why: HERO
HERO stands for “Healing the Environment, Regenerating Ourselves.” We need to heal the environment through better growing practices and regenerate ourselves through better eating choices. HERO Cooperative connects the farmer growing the products and the consumer seeking those high-quality goods for healthier, cleaner living. Local and regional producers are improving the quality of the food (non-GMO, organic) and local, regional consumers are gaining access to those farmers and their products. It’s time for the smaller, quality producers to reconnect with the consumers for the benefit of the community. We are bringing the farm to the table and competing with the big food producers and beating them with high quality products at better prices and value through our integrated supply chain. We are tipping the scales back towards the favor of smaller, local farmers, and the communities (including all demographics, especially traditionally underserved communities with less access, less options, less alternatives.)
What:
What: As a cooperative our goal is to help producers lower costs and increase quality and supply of better quality foodstuffs and fibers. We aim to educate the community, guiding them towards better health and nutrition decisions at amazing price points. We'll provide access to these tools and the products allowing members to achieve better health goals and eat delicious, nutritious food along the way.
How:
By collectively bringing together suppliers/producers and the broader consumer community, across a wide array of demographics and locations, we improve economies of scale creating a win-win in efficiency and cost-effectiveness. This benefits all members and creates a repeatable process to improve overall health and well-being. This includes gathering our network of farmers, producers, and processors as members on one side and providing access to their goods to our members on the consumption side, all with like-minded interests and goals, we can create a much more powerful driving force in the agricultural community to compete with the existing structures. Improving inputs helps the environment while creating sustainable, regenerative methods and improved outputs benefits the community at large.
Partners/Members We Seek:
Urban agriculture producers Local farms Organic, transitioning to organic producers, farmers, and processors. Health, wellness-conscientious consumers looking for value. Historically underserved communities with traditionally less access to quality products. Community-positive proactive members from all demographics looking to better local, regional interaction centered around quality foods at reasonable prices.
Overall
On the production side, the cooperative seeks those committed to quality inputs and outputs promoting healthy food choices with a mind towards sustainability and regenerative practices considering the environmental impact. On the consumer side, those who seek to build lifelong good nutritional habits centered around a healthy lifestyle and a knowledge base to promote that lifestyle further.