Australian co-operatives range in size from small not-for-profit organisations
with 5 members to billion dollar enterprises serving national and
international markets.
The following is a list with website links to the top 50 co-operatives
incorporated
under
Australian
co-operatives law, and is sourced from Co-operatives Australia's
Top 100 Co-operatives, Credit Unions and Mutuals
(April 2011) and co-operative annual reports.
The list is dominated by co-operatives in the wholesale (19) and retail
(15) trade industries. Co-operatives engaged in wholesale trade include 14
enterprises
which market
agricultural products and seafood, and 5 in other goods wholesaling.
Three co-operatives provide agricultural
support services, 3 each in the hospitality and manufacturing
industries, 2 each in employment and transport,
and one each in the water, health and
interest group industries.
One enterprise not on the list is
Murray Goulburn Co-operative Co. Ltd
from Victoria. Murray Goulburn is a dairy manufacturing company formed
in 1950
before the state had a co-operatives act. Murray Goulburn is a farmer owned
business which is recognised as a co-operative
by Australia's peak co-operative bodies. If Murray Goulburn was incorporated
under
co-operatives law, it would rank number 2 with annual revenues
of more than $2 billion.
