EROSKI has joined the COALEA Cooperative Entrepreneurship Centre as a collaborating partner to promote cooperative entrepreneurship in Navarre. It is doing so through an agreement with ANEL, the Association of Social Economy Enterprises of Navarre. Together, they will develop initiatives to support new cooperatives, promote business collaboration, and raise awareness of the cooperative model as a driver of economic and social development.

COALEA, promoted by ANEL and UCAN, the Union of Agri-Food Cooperatives of Navarre, is a reference centre for cooperative entrepreneurship and collaboration among social economy enterprises. The centre brings together advisory, training, and business support services, along with collaborative workspaces, to foster the creation of new cooperatives and strengthen existing ones.

With this partnership, EROSKI will participate in a range of COALEA initiatives to support entrepreneurs interested in establishing new cooperatives, share knowledge and business best practices, and promote collaboration between cooperatives and worker-owned enterprises across Navarre.

Planned activities include conferences, workshops, experience-sharing events, and training programmes, as well as awareness-raising initiatives to promote the value of the cooperative model as a competitive, participatory, and sustainable business model.

Eder Mena, EROSKI’s Institutional Relations Manager, said: “We want to share our experience as a leading cooperative by making the knowledge and expertise we have gained over more than five decades available to entrepreneurs and other organisations within the cooperative ecosystem.”

Ignacio Ugalde, President of ANEL, added: “COALEA has become a benchmark centre for the cooperative movement in Navarre, and having EROSKI’s active support confirms the excellent work we are doing while further strengthening our commitment to a business model with a strong future.”

The centre is also designed as an open meeting point for businesses, social organisations and public institutions to promote initiatives that highlight the economic and social contribution of the cooperative movement.

This agreement helps EROSKI and ANEL strengthen their collaboration to continue promoting cooperativism, the creation of stable employment, regional development and social innovation, while further strengthening the cooperative entrepreneurship ecosystem in the Autonomous Community of Navarre.