HOSCO is a sustainable food and sustainable community economic development cooperative founded in St. Louis. designed to stimulate economic growth locally by training individuals to become cooperative business owners. Our focus is incubating and supporting food-based cooperative businesses and the supply chain industries that support them. Beginning with farming we try to provide a complete skillset that will allow individuals to work in several food system related fields. All while working towards ownership through a coopertive based membership styled structure. This allows members to take advantage of the collective resources and lower pricing for products or services produced by the cooperative.
HOSCO began in 2010, it’s first cooperative product was “Kurbiskernol” Pumpkin Seed Oil. Having lived in Austria on a pumpkin 100-hectare farm. During this time I learned the techniques of producing seed oils and wanted to bring this knowledge back to the local St. Louis community to empower other individuals into developing their own products. We soon began training others in the local community on the process of pressing seed oils and then how to sell these oils to provide an income by developing their own products. Since then we have grown our operations to include sustainable farming, food production, food systems development, education, training and community development. HOSCO specializes in growing over 20 types of micro greens, sold throughout St. Louis and found in local restaurants and grocers. The company now produces 6000 pounds of micro greens yearly and is one of St. Louis’ largest micro greens producers.
Through partnerships with our clients we now offer training in culinary and fine dining industry with some of St. Louis’ top restaurants, country clubs and catering companies. In addition we have formed partnerships with the St. Louis Science Center, Missouri Botanical Gardens, St. Louis Public Schools and several other organizations in order to provide training to individuals that have been unemployed or on public assistance. Our focus is to provide education and training to individuals based on rebuilding the local food system and providing jobs within the food industry. By doing so we hope to not only transform lives but also the food system.
Our goal is to create sustainable communities beginning with the food system and community development through job training and education. Simply put, we are committed to food justice, making food more available and affordable to people, and empowering others to grow our local food economy while providing paths to entrepreneurship through cooperative creation.
We believe self sufficiency through cooperatives will rebuild communities and serve as a model for how businesses and communities can work together to create a brighter future.
