Real Pickles preserves their mission by becoming a worker-owned cooperative

Greenfield, Massachusetts — When the team at Real Pickles, a producer of organic fermented foods, started thinking about the future direction of their business, they knew what they didn’t want: to grow big and then sell the business to a larger company. Instead, they wanted to ensure that the company’s mission lasted and that they could take care of the people who worked there. That’s why they decided to become a worker-owned cooperative. Real Pickles, founded in 2001, became a worker-owned co-op in 2013.

“I think the most rewarding part for me of being a worker-owned cooperative is really believing in what you’re doing, feeling like your voice matters, what you’re doing matters,” said Kate Hunter, a worker-owner of Real Pickles. “I really believe in our products. I believe in our cooperative. I had no idea that becoming a worker-owner of this cooperative could be as life transforming as it was.”

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