What Cooper A1 does

Cooper A1 (legal name: Cooperativa A1) is a private, member-owned Brazilian agricultural cooperative founded on October 1, 1933, in Palmitos, Santa Catarina, by agronomist Otto Erich Winckler and 18 other farmers. It is recognized as the oldest continuously operating agricultural cooperative in Santa Catarina and operates under Brazilian cooperative law with over 7,000 member producers (cooperados) and approximately 900 employees (collaborators) distributed across units in 16+ municipalities in western Santa Catarina and the Médio Alto Uruguai region of Rio Grande do Sul, with recent expansion into Paraná.

The cooperative's core operations span five agricultural business lines: poultry farming (avicultura), dairy cattle (bovinocultura de leite), swine production (suinocultura), grain/cereal production (cereais), and feed manufacturing (Fábrica de Rações). Production is technically supported by experimental hybrid testing areas, partnerships with Epagri and EMBRAPA for research transfer, and specialized programs including the Cobre e Solta swine welfare system aligned with Aurora Coop directives and the Terra Boa state-level incentive program coordinated with Fecoagro. Commercial integration with Aurora Coop — Brazil's third-largest animal protein group — provides assured offtake and processing for poultry and swine, including access to Aurora's Shanghai distribution channel.

Beyond agricultural production, Cooper A1 operates a diversified retail network comprising supermarkets, agricultural supply stores (lojas agropecuárias), fuel stations, furniture and appliance stores, and a new specialized machinery/implements store carrying the Husqvarna and Ipacol lines. Revenue is generated through margins on agricultural input sales to members, procurement-and-commercialization margins on member agricultural output, feed manufacturing sales, and direct retail transactions with end consumers. Marketing and member engagement rely on community-driven channels: the Informativo A1 weekly radio program, quarterly digital magazine, tabloid promotional campaigns (tablóides), field days (dias de campo), and social programs such as Mulheres Cooperativistas, Casais A1, QT Rural, De Olho na Qualidade Rural, and Multiplicadores de Conhecimento (the last reaching 1,221 students across 53 schools).

Name

Cooper A1

Legal name

Cooperativa A1

Website

https://coopera1.com.br

Company type

Private

Founded year

1933

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Cooper A1 is a 1933-founded Brazilian agricultural cooperative serving 7,000+ member producers across poultry, dairy, swine, and grain operations, with integrated feed manufacturing, supermarkets, agricultural stores, and fuel stations across southern Brazil.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Agricultural Cooperative Services

NAICS

Support Activities for Animal Production (11521)

SIC

Agricultural Prod-Livestock & Animal Specialties (200), Agricultural Services (700), Wholesale-Farm Product Raw Materials (5150)

akta.pro primary industry

Member-Owned Food Cooperatives (CRAHALAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Multi-Stakeholder Grocery Cooperatives (CRAHALAD)

Keywords

• Agricultural cooperative services
• Animal feed manufacturing
• Poultry swine dairy production
• Grain storage commercialization
• Rural retail supply

Headquarters

HQ city

Palmitos

HQ country

Brazil

HQ region

Latin America

Offices27 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Agricultural Input Sales: Cooper A1 supplies agricultural inputs including seeds, fertilizers, pesticides, feed, machinery parts, and implements to member farmers. Revenue is generated through markups on sales of these inputs to the cooperative's 7,000+ member producers.
2. Agricultural Product Procurement and Commercialization: The cooperative purchases agricultural outputs (grains, poultry, swine, dairy) from member producers and commercializes these products, either through processing partners like Aurora Coop or directly in markets. Revenue derives from the margin between procurement and sale prices.
3. Retail Operations (Supermarkets, Agricultural Stores, Fuel Stations): Direct retail sales to end consumers through supermarket chains, agricultural supply stores, fuel stations, and furniture/appliance stores distributed across multiple municipalities.
4. Feed Manufacturing (Fábrica de Rações): Production and sale of animal feed and concentrates manufactured at the cooperative's feed factory, sold to member producers and other customers in the agricultural sector.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels9 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Cooper A1 is a diversified agricultural cooperative that supplies agricultural inputs (seeds, fertilizers, pesticides, feed, machinery) to its member producers, procures and commercializes their agricultural outputs (poultry, swine, dairy, grains), manufactures animal feed at its own Fábrica de Rações, and operates a multi-format retail network of supermarkets, agricultural supply stores, fuel stations, and furniture/appliance outlets across 16+ municipalities in southern Brazil. The cooperative also delivers technical assistance, training programs, and community/social programs to its 7,000+ farmer-members.

Product overview

Cooper A1 is an agricultural cooperative operating a diversified multi-channel business model. The cooperative offers retail operations (supermarkets, agricultural supply stores, furniture/appliance stores, fuel stations, construction materials), agricultural production services (poultry farming, dairy cattle, swine production integrated with Aurora Coop, cereals/grains storage and commercialization, feed manufacturing), and communication platforms (audio news program Informativo A1, digital magazine, promotional flyers). The retail outlets serve end consumers while agricultural operations support farmer-members with technical assistance, inputs, and market access. The cooperative acts as both a retail provider and an agricultural aggregator, connecting thousands of small farmers to regional and national markets through its affiliated Aurora Coop processing network.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Avicultura (Poultry Farming) Poultry production operations supporting member poultry farmers with technical assistance, feed supply, and market access, integrated with Aurora Coop's processing facilities.
• Bovinocultura de Leite (Dairy Cattle) Dairy cattle farming operations providing feed, technical guidance, pasture management support, and milk commercialization for member dairy producers.
• Suinocultura (Swine Production) Swine production operations including UPD (piglet production units) and fattening, integrated with Aurora Coop for processing; incorporates the Cobre e Solta animal welfare system.
• Cereais (Cereals/Grains) Grain storage, processing, and commercialization of cereals including corn and soybeans produced by member farmers, leveraging warehouse infrastructure across multiple municipalities.
• Fábrica de Rações (Feed Factory) Animal feed manufacturing facility producing rations and concentrates for poultry, swine, and cattle operations; sells to member producers and external customers through dedicated factories in Palmitos and Itapiranga.
• Supermercados Cooper A1 (Retail Supermarkets) Retail supermarket operations offering groceries, food products, and household goods across 20+ units in Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul.
• Loja Agropecuária (Agricultural Supply Stores) Agricultural supply stores providing seeds, fertilizers, pesticides, animal health products, equipment accessories, and technical consultation for member farming operations.
• Postos de Combustível (Fuel Stations) Fuel stations offering gasoline, diesel, and other petroleum products to customers across the cooperative's operational areas.
• Móveis & Eletro (Furniture and Appliance Stores) Furniture and appliance retail stores offering household goods, electronics, and furniture to consumers across multiple municipalities.
• Compra Premiada (Purchase Sweepstakes Loyalty App) Promotional sweepstakes app that lets retail customers participate in prize drawings based on purchases made at Cooper A1 stores, supporting loyalty and retention.

Quantifiable outcome

• Near 450 women have graduated from the Mulheres Cooperativistas program
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Aurora CoopcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAurora Coop is the primary processing and market integration partner for Cooper A1's agricultural production. As the third-largest animal protein group in Brazil, Aurora processes poultry, swine, and other products from Cooper A1's member producers. The partnership includes technical collaboration on swine production systems (including the Cobre e Solta animal welfare initiative), piglet quality programs, and market access for member products. Aurora's international expansion includes a unit in Shanghai, China.
• Fecoagro (Federação das Cooperativas do Paraná)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFecoagro is a federation of cooperatives that coordinates state-level agricultural programs including Terra Boa, which Cooper A1 participates in. The partnership provides access to statewide agricultural incentive programs and policy coordination.
• SESCOOP/SC (Serviço Nacional de Aprendizagem do Cooperativismo de Santa Catarina)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSESCOOP/SC develops the Programa de Desenvolvimento da Governança e Gestão das Cooperativas (PDGC) for Santa Catarina cooperatives. Cooper A1 participates in the SomosCoop Excelência em Gestão program through SESCOOP/SC, which provides governance assessment, management development, and recognition programs.
• Epagri (Empresa de Pesquisa Agropecuária e Extensão Rural de Santa Catarina)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEpagri is the agricultural research and extension agency of Santa Catarina. Cooper A1 collaborates with Epagri on the Terra Boa program, experimental areas for hybrid testing, and technical guidance. Epagri provides research support including corn pest monitoring and agricultural best practices.
• SEBRAE/SC and SEBRAE/RScoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSEBRAE provides support for Cooper A1's rural entrepreneurship development programs including De Olho na Qualidade Rural and QT Rural (Qualidade Total Rural). These programs train member farmers in property management, 5S methodology, and agricultural best practices.
• SENAR (Serviço Nacional de Aprendizagem Rural)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSENAR provides rural vocational training support for Cooper A1's agricultural producer education programs, contributing to QT Rural, De Olho na Qualidade Rural, and other producer training initiatives.
• Sicoob and SicrediminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCredit cooperatives that partner with Cooper A1 on the Mulher A1/Sicoob project (Women's Cooperativist Nuclei), providing financial education and cooperative development support for women in member families.
• CresolminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCresol is a cooperative bank that participates in joint community events with Cooper A1, such as the Jornada pelos Valores do Cooperativismo celebrating International Cooperativism Day.
• EMBRAPA (Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuária)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBrazilian agricultural research corporation with which Cooper A1 shares information related to agricultural issues, contributing to technical knowledge transfer for member producers.
• IpacolminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAgricultural equipment and implements manufacturer that is the sales leader in Brazil for forage harvesters, distributors, and wagons. Cooper A1 serves as a distribution channel for Ipacol products, providing member farmers access to quality agricultural equipment.
• HusqvarnaminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCooper A1's new machines and implements store in Palmitos offers the full line of Husqvarna products including agricultural equipment, tools, and gardening products.
• ARAMAUminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCompany responsible for proper disposal of empty pesticide packaging collected through Cooper A1's campaigns. ARAMAU forwards materials to INPEV for recycling or incineration according to packaging type.
• OCESC (Organização das Cooperativas do Estado de Santa Catarina)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerState-level cooperative organization that Cooper A1 is affiliated with, providing representation and coordination for Santa Catarina's cooperative sector.
• SomosCoopminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational cooperative development program through which Cooper A1 participates in the Excelência em Gestão recognition and receives support for cooperative governance and management improvement.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• JBS S.A. JBS is the world's largest meat processor with operations across beef, poultry, pork and prepared foods. As a broad incumbent in protein processing and procurement, JBS competes for the same producer supply pool that Cooper A1 aggregates.
• BRF S.A. BRF is one of the largest animal protein processors in Brazil and globally, with poultry, pork, and processed foods. While Cooper A1 supplies into the value chain BRF dominates, BRF is a broad incumbent in the same animal protein category Cooper A1's members feed.

Direct peers

• C.Vale: C.Vale is a major agricultural cooperative in Toledo, Paraná, with diversified operations including grain origination, animal protein processing, retail supermarkets, and agricultural input distribution. Highly comparable in multi-vertical cooperative model and southern Brazil footprint.
• Lar Cooperativa Agroindustrial: Lar is a large cooperative in western Paraná operating grain origination, animal feed, supermarkets, agricultural inputs, and meat processing. Directly comparable as a diversified member-owned agricultural cooperative serving southern Brazilian producers and consumers.
• Cotrijal Cooperativa Agropecuária e Industrial: Cotrijal is a large agricultural cooperative in Rio Grande do Sul serving grain, dairy, and agricultural input needs of member producers. Directly comparable as a multi-vertical cooperative in southern Brazil with overlapping geographic market.
• Coopavel: Coopavel is a large multi-purpose agricultural cooperative based in western Paraná, operating across inputs, grain storage, animal production, supermarkets and fuel stations. It is directly comparable to Cooper A1 in business mix, regional focus, and member-driven model.
• Aurora Coop: Aurora Coop is the central Brazilian animal protein cooperative (third-largest in Brazil) and Cooper A1's primary processing and offtake partner. Both are member-owned agricultural cooperatives headquartered in Santa Catarina serving overlapping producer and consumer bases in southern Brazil.
• Coamo Agroindustrial Cooperativa: Coamo is one of the largest agricultural cooperatives in Brazil, headquartered in Paraná, with grain origination, agricultural input distribution, and industrial processing. It is a relevant peer in the multi-vertical member-owned cooperative model serving SMB farmers.
• Frimesa: Frimesa is a Brazilian dairy and meat processing cooperative operating in Paraná and southwestern states, integrating swine and dairy production with processing and branded products. Comparable to Cooper A1's swine and dairy integration model anchored in member producers.

Regional players

• Sicredi: Sicredi is a Brazilian cooperative financial institution serving agricultural and rural members in southern Brazil, including partnerships with Cooper A1 on the Mulher A1/Sicoob project. Comparable as a cooperative peer in the same regional ecosystem serving overlapping rural member base, though operating in credit rather than agricultural production.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cooperativa-a1

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Cooper A1