Cindy Houlden is a cooperative development specialist with the Nebraska Cooperative Development Center at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

On the surface, a cooperative grocery store may look no different from any local market, with aisles of food, perishable departments and checkout registers. But, behind the scenes, cooperatives are not run like a typical grocery store. They are owned and controlled by their users, who, in turn, benefit from keeping the business running. Houlden explains how co-ops function as well as their benefits to members and the community. 

Her article on the subject is available here.