SAOS | What We Do - Co-operation

About us

Scotland’s experts on farmer co-ops and food industry collaboration, we work with food and farming businesses to make them more profitable, competitive, and sustainable - #workingtogether to shape the future, today.

What we do

All our work helps facilitate farmers and food and drink businesses to work together effectively. Over the years we've expanded and developed subsidiary businesses - getting the right people together and making innovative advancements - to help benefit food, farming and rural Scotland.

Events & Training

Developing staff capability is one of the most effective ways to improve a co-op’s performance. Check out our events and training programme - most of which are open to non co-op members too.

Coming soon!

Membership

As a development organisation, owned by our members, we provide a range of specialist services not available elsewhere, to assist them in developing their people and their businesses. Get in touch to find out how we can help you.

What's New

See below for all the latest news, views and updates from us here at SAOS. Find all our latest videos on YouTube at: SAOS - working together in food and farming

Quarterly Newsletters

Annual reports

Co‑operative values and principles are key to how all co‑ops go about their business. These are firmly based on self-help, self-responsibility, democracy, equality, equity, and solidarity.

There are seven co-operative principles, these are the guidelines for all co‑ops to help them put their values into practice, putting the needs of their members first. You can read about them here

How do we help?

Much of SAOS's work is centred on co-operatives, but all of it is about co-operation. We enable farming, food and drink, and rural businesses to benefit from the advantages achievable by working together more effectively. We are trusted and valued partners who help get things done.

Advice and support

We are experts on co-operative strategies, structures and management. We can help you set up a new co-op, or advise on the best ways to make your co‑op more effective.

Speak to someone

About Co-ops

Co‑ops work in a different way to other types of business. Their values are very important. These are based on self-help, self-responsibility, democracy, equality, equity, and solidarity.

More about co-ops

The Co-operative Solution

SAOS believes that co‑ops and co-operation are the solution for achievable, sustainable agricultural and rural development and that government support for increasing farmer co-operation is vital to fulfilling its own needs.

Find out more