River Country Cooperative
River Country Cooperative is a member-owned cooperative, founded 1935, providing propane, refined fuels, agronomy inputs, custom feed manufacturing, grain storage, and convenience store retail to residential, agricultural, and commercial customers across Eastern Minnesota and Western Wisconsin.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1935
- HeadquartersMinnesota City, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What River Country Cooperative does
River Country Cooperative is a member-owned agricultural and energy cooperative founded March 14, 1935 (originally as Farmers Union Cooperative Oil Association of South St Paul, Minnesota), serving Eastern Minnesota and Western Wisconsin. The cooperative operates across four integrated business divisions: (1) Energy — propane, refined fuels, heating oil, and lubricants delivered via owned bulk trucks, supported by three pricing programs (Automatic Fill, Fixed Price Contract, Even Payment Plan) and a proprietary RCC Gold premium product line; (2) Agronomy — seed, chemical, fertilizer, and crop protection products from major manufacturers (Monsanto, Syngenta, BASF, Corteva, DuPont, Bayer, WinField, West Central), complemented by precision agriculture tools (Adapt-N nitrogen management, R7 Tool, drone survey and mapping, zone mapping, grid sampling, variable rate planting prescriptions) and in-house seed treatment; (3) Feed and Grain — custom feed manufacturing (pelleting, extruding) at the Miesville, MN mill using CPM and AMTS nutrition software, proprietary River Country brand feeds plus Hubbard and Purina resold products, and grain storage/handling at Miesville and Hastings elevators with INTL FCStone broker hedging; and (4) Convenience Stores — nine co-branded Speedway and Holiday retail locations across the Twin Cities area offering fuel, fresh food, and a rewards program.
The cooperative generates revenue across five primary streams: refined fuels and propane delivery (subscription/recurring), feed product manufacturing (product sales and processing fees), grain storage and marketing (storage fees and transaction facilitation), agronomy products and services (product sales and service fees), and convenience store operations (fuel and merchandise sales). Customer segments span residential homeowners, agricultural producers, commercial/construction businesses, and convenience store consumers. Distribution is direct: owned delivery fleet, company-owned agronomy applicators, two grain elevators, one feed mill, and nine retail storefronts. The cooperative is governed by a member-elected Board of Directors led by President John Zimmerman, with management headed by General Manager/CEO John Duchscherer and CFO Eric Hanson.
River Country Cooperative firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- River Country Cooperative
- Legal name
- River Country Cooperative
- Website
- https://rivercountry.coop
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1935
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- River Country Cooperative is a member-owned cooperative, founded 1935, providing propane, refined fuels, agronomy inputs, custom feed manufacturing, grain storage, and convenience store retail to residential, agricultural, and commercial customers across Eastern Minnesota and Western Wisconsin.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
River Country Cooperative industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Agricultural Cooperative Services
- NAICS
- Farm Supplies Merchant Wholesalers (42491), Grain and Field Bean Merchant Wholesalers (424510), Farm Product Warehousing and Storage (493130)
- SIC
- Agricultural Prod-Livestock & Animal Specialties (200), Wholesale-Farm Product Raw Materials (5150), Wholesale-Petroleum & Petroleum Products (No Bulk Stations) (5172)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Member-Owned Food Cooperatives (CRAHALAA)
Keywords
Where River Country Cooperative is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Minnesota City
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices7 records
Markets served
River Country Cooperative business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Refined Fuels and Propane Delivery: Delivery of propane, heating oil, diesel fuel, and related energy products to residential, agricultural, and commercial customers across Eastern Minnesota and Western Wisconsin. Revenue is generated through product sales with multiple pricing programs including Automatic Fill, Fixed Price Contracts, and Even Payment Plans.
- Feed Products and Manufacturing: Custom feed manufacturing, pelleting, and extruding for livestock producers; sale of branded and third-party feed products (River Country Cooperative Brand Feeds, Hubbard Feeds, Purina Animal Nutrition). Revenue generated through product sales and processing fees.
- Grain Storage and Marketing Services: Grain storage, handling, and marketing services through elevators at Miesville and Hastings. Revenue derived from storage fees and grain transaction facilitation, with futures/options hedging facilitated through INTL FCStone.
- Agronomy Products and Services: Sale of seed, chemical, fertilizer, crop protection products, and precision application services (variable-rate application, drone mapping, tissue sampling). Revenue generated through product sales and service fees.
- Convenience Store Operations: Nine co-branded convenience store locations operating under Speedway and Holiday brands, generating revenue from fuel sales and in-store merchandise including fresh bakery, sandwiches, hot foods, and automotive lubricants.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Pay-as-you-go | Automatic Fill Program |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Fixed Price Contract |
| Subscription | Monthly | Even Payment Plan |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Propane Bulk Truck Driver (Full-time) |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels5 records
River Country Cooperative product offering
Product offeringCore offering
River Country Cooperative is a member-owned cooperative selling propane and refined fuels, agronomy inputs (seed, chemical, fertilizer) with precision agriculture services, custom-blended livestock feeds (including Hubbard, Purina, and River Country Cooperative brands), grain storage and marketing with futures/options hedging, bulk lubricants, and co-branded Speedway/Holiday convenience stores to residential, agricultural, and commercial customers across Eastern Minnesota and Western Wisconsin.
Product overview
River Country Cooperative is a multi-divisional agricultural and energy cooperative operating since 1935. The core offerings include: (1) Energy Products and Services — propane and fuel delivery, RCC Gold premium diesel and lubricants, and home heating programs with various payment options; (2) Agronomy Products and Services — seed, chemical, fertilizer (starter, dry, trace elements), crop protection products, precision technology (drone mapping, grid sampling, variable rate application, Adapt-N, R7 Tool), and certified crop advisors; (3) Feed and Grain — custom feed manufacturing (pelleting, extruding), proprietary River Country brand feeds and third-party feeds (Hubbard, Purina), grain storage and marketing services with FCStone hedging; and (4) Convenience Stores — nine branded locations (Speedway and Holiday) offering fuels, food, and rewards programs. These divisions serve agricultural producers and residential/commercial customers across Eastern Minnesota and Western Wisconsin.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- RCC Gold: Premium line of energy products including RCC Gold High Performance Diesel Fuel and RCC Gold Premium Lubricants.
Quantifiable outcome
- Extruded corn/soy feed delivers nearly twice as much digestible starch to the cow's rumen compared to finely ground corn; dairy herds showed higher milk production and better reproduction; reduced bypass protein by more than 50% using 6.5 lbs. of corn/soy per head per day.
Companies that use River Country Cooperative
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
River Country Cooperative technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature8 records
River Country Cooperative partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- INTL FCStonecoreRiver Country Cooperative utilizes INTL FCStone as its broker for grain transactions. FCStone provides clients in the agricultural industry with a comprehensive range of customized financial services and tools to help them protect their margins and manage volatility.
- Hubbard FeedscoreRiver Country Cooperative resells Hubbard Feeds products including Hubbard Life and Exclusive pet foods. Hubbard Feeds is a leading animal nutrition producer.
- Purina Animal NutritioncoreRiver Country Cooperative resells Purina Animal Nutrition products. Purina is a major animal nutrition brand providing feed for livestock and companion animals.
- MonsantominorRiver Country Cooperative carries Monsanto crop protection products as part of its agronomy offerings.
- SyngentaminorRiver Country Cooperative carries Syngenta crop protection products as part of its agronomy product lineup.
- BASFminorRiver Country Cooperative carries BASF crop protection products as part of its agronomy product lineup.
- Corteva (Dow)minorRiver Country Cooperative carries Dow (now Corteva) crop protection products as part of its agronomy product lineup.
- DuPontminorRiver Country Cooperative carries DuPont crop protection products as part of its agronomy product lineup.
- WinField (CROPLAN)minorRiver Country Cooperative carries WinField (CROPLAN) products including plant performance inoculants and foliar feed products.
- West CentralminorRiver Country Cooperative carries West Central crop protection products as part of its agronomy offerings.
- Bayer CropScienceminorRiver Country Cooperative carries Bayer crop protection products as part of its agronomy product lineup.
- SpeedwaycoreMultiple convenience store locations co-branded as Speedway: Cambridge, St. Francis, Inver Grove Heights, New Prague, Lakeville, Kenyon, Miesville, and Apple Valley. River Country Co-op operates these c-stores.
- Holiday StationstorescoreMultiple convenience store locations co-branded as Holiday: Hector, Lakeville, Lake Elmo, and East Bethel. River Country Co-op operates these c-stores.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves11 records
Expansion highlights5 records
River Country Cooperative competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Crystal Valley Cooperative: Minnesota-based member-owned agricultural cooperative offering agronomy, energy, feed, and grain services across southern Minnesota. Highly comparable in scale, geography, and integrated business model to River Country Cooperative.
- Co-Alliance Cooperative: Indiana-headquartered member-owned cooperative offering agronomy, energy, feed, and grain services. Similar multi-divisional structure and member-ownership model serving Midwest agricultural producers; comparable scale and service portfolio to River Country.
- NEW Cooperative: Iowa-based member-owned agricultural cooperative providing agronomy, energy, feed, and grain services to north-central Iowa farmers. Comparable mid-sized regional cooperative with similar integrated service offering and member-ownership governance.
- Landus Cooperative: Iowa-based member-owned agricultural cooperative offering agronomy, grain, feed, and data-driven agronomy services. Comparable in providing integrated farm services to Midwest row-crop producers with a focus on precision agriculture.
- Heartland Co-op: Iowa-based member-owned agricultural cooperative offering agronomy, grain, and energy services across central Iowa. Comparable regional cooperative with similar integrated service portfolio and member-ownership model.
- Pro Cooperative: Iowa-based member-owned cooperative providing agronomy, energy, feed, and grain services. Similar Midwest regional cooperative profile with comparable integrated service portfolio to River Country.
- Central Farm Service: Southern Minnesota-based member-owned agricultural cooperative providing agronomy, energy, and grain services. Highly comparable in scale, geography, and integrated business model to River Country Cooperative.
Broad incumbents
- CHS Inc. One of the largest U.S. agricultural cooperatives, providing agronomy, energy, grain, and food ingredients with global reach. Overlaps with River Country's energy, agronomy, and grain service lines but operates at vastly larger scale and broader geographic footprint.
- GROWMARK: Large Midwestern agricultural cooperative providing agronomy, energy, and grain marketing services across multiple states. Comparable business model and member-owned structure, but operates on a multi-state scale with a broader retail footprint.
Regional players
- Agriculture & Energy Solutions (AES) / Ag Processing Inc: Iowa-based agricultural cooperative engaged in grain processing and agronomy services. Less directly comparable in scope but operates in adjacent ag-input value chain and member-cooperative model serving Midwest farmers.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
River Country Cooperative social profiles
Digital presenceRiver Country Cooperative compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
River Country Cooperative financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
River Country Cooperative leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles12 records
River Country Cooperative funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
River Country Cooperative M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about River Country Cooperative
What does River Country Cooperative do?
River Country Cooperative is a member-owned cooperative selling propane and refined fuels, agronomy inputs (seed, chemical, fertilizer) with precision agriculture services, custom-blended livestock feeds (including Hubbard, Purina, and River Country Cooperative brands), grain storage and marketing with futures/options hedging, bulk lubricants, and co-branded Speedway/Holiday convenience stores to residential, agricultural, and commercial customers across Eastern Minnesota and Western Wisconsin.
Is River Country Cooperative a public or private company?
River Country Cooperative is a private company. It is classified as management employee owned and is currently operating.
When was River Country Cooperative founded?
River Country Cooperative was founded in 1935. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is River Country Cooperative based?
River Country Cooperative is headquartered in Minnesota City, United States, in the North America region.
How does River Country Cooperative make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Refined Fuels and Propane Delivery is the primary driver. The others are feed Products and Manufacturing, grain Storage and Marketing Services, agronomy Products and Services and convenience Store Operations.
Who are River Country Cooperative's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Crystal Valley Cooperative, Co-Alliance Cooperative, NEW Cooperative, Landus Cooperative, Heartland Co-op, Pro Cooperative and Central Farm Service. Broad incumbents are CHS Inc. and GROWMARK. Agriculture & Energy Solutions (AES) / Ag Processing Inc is listed as a regional player.
Does River Country Cooperative have an API?
No public API is recorded for River Country Cooperative.
What industry is River Country Cooperative in?
River Country Cooperative's product category is Agricultural Cooperative Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRAHALAA, Member-Owned Food Cooperatives. Its NAICS code is 42491 and its SIC code is 200.