Application Process

1. Please send to our Membership Committee electronic copies of (1) your completed application (2) at least one letter of recommendation from an existing Cooperative Coffees member (3) a detailed report of total green bean purchases during the last 12 months and (4) examples of your company's promotional materials. Applications are accepted throughout the year by our Membership Committee. The committee meets and reviews applications every other month.

2. The Membership Committee will review all applications, request additional information as necessary and assign you a committee contact person. Your contact will keep you informed of the progress of your application and will answer any questions that you might have along the way.

3. Once the Membership Committee has collected all necessary information concerning an applicant, the committee will present the new member application with the corresponding recommendations to the Board of Directors at the next scheduled meeting. The Board will make the final decisions regarding the acceptance of new members into the cooperative. The Board meets every other month.

4. New members will be accepted on a one year provisional basis under one of the following categories:  (a) New business – Minimum of six months operating history but less than one year. Agree to purchase a minimum of 120 bags of green coffee annually through the cooperative, representing at least 50% of their total green volume. (b) Existing business – Over one year of operating history of roasting coffee. Agree to purchase a minimum of 120 bags of green coffee or 30% of total purchase, whichever is greater, through the cooperative during the next 12 months. Participation must rise to at least 50% of all green coffee purchases in the second year of participation.

5. At the time of provisional acceptance by our board, all new members are required to purchase one share of Cooperative Coffees common stock, valued at $2,500. If full membership is denied or not desired at the end of one year, $2,250 of this fee will be refunded ($250.00 will be retained as an administration fee).

6. Credit is extended to provisional members equal to the dollar value of their investment in the cooperative. Orders exceeding this limit must be pre-paid.

7. At the end of the provisional year, the relationship will be reevaluated. At that time, either the new member or the Board of Directors may decide that there are compelling reasons to annul the relationship. If not, the provisional member becomes a permanent member upon purchasing $5,000 of Preferred Stock. An additional $10,000 of Preferred Stock must be purchased after the second year of membership and payment terms may be arranged with the new member.

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