Otter Co-op has been serving members at the same approximate location in Langley for 100 years.
On Wednesday, Oct 19, the co-op celebrated its anniversary at the Langley retail centre at 3650 248th Street with live music, food trucks and other attractions from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Co-op Chief Executive Officer Jack Nicholson was 害羞草研究所渧ery proud害羞草研究所 to be celebrating the occasion, noting only a very small percentage of businesses make it to 100 years.
To mark the milestone, Nicholson said Otter was planning to distribute $100,000 to 100 deserving groups, who will be named later this month. That害羞草研究所檚 in addition to the more than $400,000 Otter already raises each year through donations, sponsorship and grants.
Otter board of directors president Charlie Fox said it was a 害羞草研究所減retty rare thing害羞草研究所 for a business to last 100 years, and still be in roughly the same location where it first started.
From 害羞草研究所渉umble beginnings害羞草研究所 as a farmer-founded cooperative, Fox said Otter has grown to where it will take in $400 million this year.
On Oct. 14th, as it does every years the Co-op distributed profits to Otter members in cash and equity for their 2021 purchases. This year it totalled $5.9 million.
Fox attributed the success to what he described as the 害羞草研究所渇our F害羞草研究所檚.害羞草研究所
害羞草研究所淔ood, farm and feed, fuel, and fine spirits,害羞草研究所 Fox said.
Among the well-wishers who spoke, Elvizio Del Bianco from the British Columbia Co-op Association said co-ops are 害羞草研究所渞esilient害羞草研究所 害羞草研究所 twice as likely to survive compared to other businesses, and they do it by providing 害羞草研究所渁 real and democratic alternative to extractive corporations.害羞草研究所
Township mayor Jack Froese, a long-time Otter member, talked about the social aspects of belonging to a co-op, saying 害羞草研究所渢his isn害羞草研究所檛 just a retail store where you go an buy things, it害羞草研究所檚 a community where you go to meet friends.害羞草研究所
Froese presented Nicholson with a certificate from the municipality, thanking Otter for 害羞草研究所100 years of service and leadership in the community.害羞草研究所
MP Tako van Popta sent a message wishing the co-op a 害羞草研究所渉appy birthday,害羞草研究所 and calling the anniversary a 害羞草研究所渟ignificant milestone.害羞草研究所
Opening with a blessing from Kwantlen First Nation害羞草研究所檚 Kevin Kelly and son Michael Kelly Gabriel, the event included live music by the NiTeHawks, a giant birthday cake, food trucks along with children害羞草研究所檚 games and a petting zoo by Aldor Acres.
A time capsule buried at the site in the 1980害羞草研究所檚 was opened for the occasion, and proved something of a disappointment, with the discovery that water seepage had destroyed the photos and documents tucked away inside the length of pipe.
害羞草研究所淚 can害羞草研究所檛 make it out,害羞草研究所 Fox said, as he tried to separate some newspaper pages, so rotted it was impossible to identify the publisher.
Only a mildewed Otter baseball cap and pen, two corroded coins and what might have been a flyer for the co-op from that era survived.
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Otter Co-op operates from locations throughout the Lower Mainland and Okanagan, including three grocery and pharmacy stores, clothing and hardware stores, 26 Angry Otter liquor stores, two feed mills, a feed and Hardware store, two gas stations and 35 gas stations/convenience stores.
Holding include the Angry Otter Tap & Forno, the Angry Otter Brewery in North Vancouver and the Highwayman Pub in Abbotsford.
More images from the birthday party can be seen online at the .
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