How Walmart is Devouring the Food System (Infographic)

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27. Winco Foods is employee owned

While it doesn't carry a wide range of brands, it is actually cheaper than Walmart on many items.

"Similar to warehouse membership stores like Sam's Club and Costco, and also to successful discount grocers with small stores like Trader Joe's and Aldi, WinCo stores are organized and minimalist, without many frills, and without the tremendous variety of merchandise that's become standard at most supermarkets," writes Brad Tuttle for TIME.com. "WinCo also trims costs by not accepting credit cards and by asking customers to bag their own groceries."

This unique business model, according to expert analysis, allows WinCo to offer its employees generous, "livable" wages -- that is, wages that are enough to live well above the poverty line and actually raise a family. Beyond this, WinCo also offers health benefits to all of its employees who work at least 24 hours per week, and even reserves an amount equal to 20 percent of their annual salary for a special pension fund.

How does this translate into real-life earnings and financial security for WinCo employees? Well, according to information recently shared by a company spokesman with the Idaho Statesman, there are currently more than 400 non-executive WinCo employees -- that is, everyday store workers like produce stockers and bagging clerks -- that hold company pensions worth more than $1 million individually.

http://www.naturalnews.com/041901_worker-owned_grocery_high_wages_Winco_Foods.html