Residents come together to save local butchers

21 May 2015

In the small town of Birchip in Western Victoria, the local town was facing the closure of its local butcher shop to retirement, the locals became financially involved to make sure the business continued. Using the co-operative model, locals or members bought the shop and the neighbouring building and guaranteed regular custom for the shop.

The butcher’s shop will supply meat they have sourced from local producers to the supermarket, the hospital, the sporting clubs, pubs, service clubs and other functions around the area. Members run the business not for dividend reasons, but rather to see it succeed.

The shop continues to employ local residents

Latest news

11 July 2024

UN holds soft-launch event for the 2025 UN International Year of Cooperatives

The International Year of Cooperatives (IYC2025) celebrations kicked off on 9 July with a soft-launch event at the UN Headquarters in New York.
10 July 2024

This alternative to supermarkets can help you save on groceries, but most people don't know it exists

Families are making significant savings by forming small shopping co-ops but cooperative business structures account for less than 1 per cent of the supermarket sector in...
08 July 2024

The big idea to take away from the UK election

BCCM CEO Melina Morrison discussed what the government can do to level the playing field for co-ops and mutuals in the UK and Australia with ausbiz.