Together We Grow: Ecoripe Becomes a Worker-Owned Cooperative | Rooted in Love and Shared Purpose
At Ecoripe, food has always been more than a product, it’s a bond that connects people, cultures, and communities. And now, that same belief has shaped the way we grow as a company.
Starting January ****2025, Ecoripe proudly became a worker-owned cooperative, a structure that reflects who we truly are and what we stand for: unity, fairness, and shared love for what we do.
This change isn’t just administrative, it’s emotional. It’s about ensuring that every person who contributes to Ecoripe’s success also shares in its rewards, its decisions, and its future.
Because when everyone is part of something bigger, we all rise together.
A New Chapter Rooted in Love
From Vision to Reality: Why We Made This Change
Since day one, Ecoripe has been guided by a simple but profound belief: people are at the heart of everything we do.
The farmers who grow our fruits, the team that brings them to market, and the clients who share them with their communities, each one is part of our ecosystem of care.
Becoming a worker-owned cooperative was a natural evolution of that philosophy. It means that we no longer see ourselves as a company for people, but a company with people, where every voice counts and every effort has meaning.
Rooted in Love: The Heart of Our Transformation
Our brand’s core value, Rooted in Love, lives through this decision.
It’s about honoring the roots that connect us: respect, empathy, and collaboration.
By sharing ownership with our team, we’re turning love into structure, creating a company where motivation isn’t driven by hierarchy, but by belonging.
We believe that when people feel valued, they give their best. That’s how we grow stronger together.
What It Means to Be a Worker-Owned Cooperative
A cooperative is a business owned and democratically controlled by its members, in our case, the people who work here. Every member has a voice and a vote, and together, we decide how to move forward.
Our transformation is guided by the 7 Cooperative Principles, values recognized worldwide for fairness, inclusion, and community impact:
1. Voluntary and Open Membership
Ecoripe welcomes everyone who believes in our mission. Our cooperative is open, inclusive, and free from discrimination, because diversity is what gives us flavor.
2. Democratic Control: One Member, One Voice
Every team member has an equal vote, regardless of their role or seniority. Decisions are made collectively, ensuring transparency and equality.
3. Economic Participation and Shared Prosperity
All members contribute to and benefit from the cooperative’s success. This shared prosperity motivates our team to maintain the highest standards of quality and service, because the results belong to all of us.
4. Autonomy and Independence
Ecoripe remains independent and self-governed. Our autonomy allows us to make decisions aligned with our values and our clients’ needs, ensuring long-term stability and integrity.
5. Education, Training, and Empowerment
We invest in continuous learning, from sustainability to leadership development, so our members can grow personally and professionally. Empowered people build empowered organizations.
6. Cooperation Among Cooperatives
We believe in collaboration, not competition. Our cooperative seeks to connect with others around the world who share our values of ethical trade, sustainability, and community impact.
7. Commitment to Community and Sustainability
Our purpose extends beyond profit. We work to strengthen local communities, support small farmers, and protect the planet that sustains us. Every decision we make is rooted in our responsibility to care.
How This Makes Ecoripe Stronger — for Our Team and Our Clients
Empowered Teams Deliver Exceptional Quality
When people feel ownership, they take pride in every detail, from selecting the best tropical fruit to ensuring perfect delivery.
At Ecoripe, quality isn’t just a standard; it’s a shared commitment. Because each of us is both a contributor and an owner, our work carries personal meaning and accountability.
Shared Purpose Creates Reliability and Trust
Our cooperative structure means our team is united around the same goal: to serve our clients with excellence and integrity.
Motivation is organic, not imposed. That sense of shared purpose translates into smoother operations, better communication, and stronger relationships ,both within our company and with every partner we serve.
A Business Model That Mirrors Our Clients’ Values
Many of our clients care deeply about sustainability, fairness, and transparency, values we live by.
By becoming a cooperative, Ecoripe mirrors those ideals in action.
When you work with us, you’re not just sourcing premium tropical produce; you’re partnering with a company that practices what it preaches, empowering people, honoring the planet, and delivering authenticity from root to shelf.
Our Promise Moving Forward
Together, We Are Ecoripe
This transformation is more than a milestone, it’s a reflection of who we’ve always been.
Today, every team member can proudly say: “I am Ecoripe.”
We are all owners, caretakers, and storytellers of this shared journey.
This unity makes us more resilient, more passionate, and more connected, not just to each other, but to every farmer, retailer, and community we touch.
Together, we’ll continue to bring the world’s most meaningful flavors to the U.S. with purpose, pride, and love.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What does it mean that Ecoripe is now a worker-owned cooperative?
It means that every team member is also an owner, with equal voice and participation in decisions that shape the company’s future.
2. Why did Ecoripe decide to make this change?
Because we believe in fairness, inclusion, and long-term shared success, values that align with our principle of being Rooted in Love.
3. How does this benefit Ecoripe’s clients and partners?
A motivated, co-owning team ensures greater commitment, consistency, and care, leading to superior quality, reliability, and service.
4. Will Ecoripe’s operations or quality standards change?
Only for the better. Our cooperative model strengthens our existing standards and deepens our commitment to excellence and transparency.
5. How do the cooperative principles guide Ecoripe’s day-to-day work?
They ensure equality, shared responsibility, and sustainability in every decision, from sourcing and logistics to customer service and community impact.
6. What makes Ecoripe’s cooperative model unique in the produce industry?
We are among the few tropical produce importers in the U.S. that operate as a cooperative, proving that success can grow from unity, not hierarchy.
Growing Together Through Shared Roots
At Ecoripe, our story has always been about connection, between people, cultures, and the earth.
Now, as a worker-owned cooperative, that connection is stronger than ever.
Every fruit we share, every partnership we build, and every success we celebrate is the result of collective effort, many hands, one heart.
Together, we are Ecoripe.
Together, we are growing a future where love and purpose take root in everything we do.
Partner with Ecoripe — where every hand that works also helps lead.