YYC Feature: THE ALLIUM
‘WE'RE ROOTED IN PRINCIPLES OF RADICAL HUMANISM AND CO-EMPOWERMENT’
No investors. No bosses. The Allium is unique to the Calgary dining scene in that it has a collective ownership structure—every single staff member is a co-owner. Founder and co-owner Jared Blustein wanted to address deep structural economic issues by putting the power in the hands of the average worker. The restaurant does not exchange with giant corporate producers and sources locally as much as possible, creating a more vibrant local economy with enhanced social capital networks and meaningful community connections. They aim to demonstrate "an alternative form of work and economy, one where liberty and equality coexist to create more capable and empowered people, and more robust societies". The Allium is plant based because they believe in a world where all sentient life is cared for, both humans and animals. Jared is both a go-getter and a change-maker, and he’s ready to share his ideas with the world:
How did The Allium first start? Was it the idea of one person, or was it a group effort from the beginning? How long did it take to go from vision to reality?
The seed of the Allium was planted as a result of a graduate degree completed by Jared Blustein back in 2016. In studying issues of economy, and the fundamental intersectionality of oppression and exploitation, it was recognized that creating robust and dynamic societies begins by empowering and lifting up the working class. The fallacy of trickle down economics is plain for all to see today. Increasing wealth stratification and inequality, run-away household debt dependency, structural issues of racism and social oppressions, and the existential and immediate risks posed by climate change all intersect, and are sustained by our commanding economic system. By building up and empowering the working class we begin to create thriving local economies, enhanced systems of social security and safety, capable and engaged citizens, better overall decisions for community and the planet, and a restructuring of power imbalances that work to enrich few at the expense of many. Jared had a strong desire to address the structural inequities built into our society.
The specific idea was first conceived of in a small bar in the southern state of Chiapas, in Mexico, back in December of 2017. Jared and partner Laura were traveling south in their van after completing their education, discussing practical applications of Jared's graduate degree. It was clear that empowering and unifying the working class was paramount, but after 10 years in the restaurant industry, Jared wanted nothing more to do with it. However, lacking any other clear options, and having great familiarity with the food industry (and a social network tied into it), they ultimately decided upon a worker owned restaurant. In October of 2018, Jared was admitted into a business-development program provided by the non-profit Momentum, where the business plan for The Allium was drafted. Six months later saw the establishment of the core group (6 members in total), and the team acquired their current space in May of 2019. We collectively did almost all of the renovations, interior design, menu developments and marketing. Over the next year The Allium became a reality, with a current total of 15 members, and just over one year of successful operations.
For those who don’t know, could you briefly explain what a cooperative is, and how it works in a restaurant context? Can anyone become a member of The Allium?
Cooperatives have a long and important history across the Canadian prairies. There are many forms, consumer, multi-stakeholder, worker, etc. Most Calgarians are familiar with the consumer form of coops (think MEC, or the Co-Op grocery store). In essence, consumers are nominal owners of a space, can vote at shareholder meetings, and receive a small return on investment at the end of a fiscal year.
Worker coops, by contrast, means that the operators of the business are all owners. This is how worker coops actually reward a person for their efforts. The more they work, the more share of profit they are entitled to. We the workers create the structures and forms of our business. In a traditional capitalist business, there is very little freedom for the worker. You are told when to come to work, what you can wear, what you can say, etc. And if you don't accord with the owner's law, then you are fired. This is extremely authoritative and highly problematic as the worker is the one actively creating the daily surplus value (profit). Think of a restaurant: the chef and bartender bring their intellectual capital to create dishes and drinks that will keep people coming back. The server and host are literal performers who you as a customer interact with, and it is their performance that helps to create the mood and feeling of your experience. All of this (and more) directly produces profit, and dictates whether a business will succeed or fail. While we recognize the necessity of traditional capital, we simultaneously affirm and value intellectual and social capital as equally integral to the process of profit creation, and so also deserve a 'return on investment'. As such, we seek to create true forms of liberty, and true rewards for effort though this worker-owned model. In the restaurant, we utilize a non-hierarchical consensus based structure called holacracy. This essentially allows for a co-empowering work environment in a dynamic and responsive form, and thus avoids the potentially burdensome bureaucratization of such structures. We have hubs and hub leaders who are empowered to make decisions on a day to day basis, and these roles rotate. Membership is set at $5000, and all members must pass a six month probationary period prior to buying in. Anyone can become a member of The Allium as long as they pass probation and buy-in.
In what ways does The Allium attempt to be waste conscious?
The Allium is firmly committed to sustainability and anti-waste, and this goes beyond corporatist affirmations and nominal gestures. In addition to using all parts of the food, and having a Sustainability Hub committed to reducing our waste, The Allium sources as locally as possible, and avoids using or supporting any large corporate distributors or third party app providers. Moreover, principles of cooperativism are firmly rooted in community conservation and ecological awareness. By repositioning the profit motive below our larger goals of co-empowerment, community development and diffused equity, we are better able to achieve our sustainability commitments.
Why plant-based? Why was this an important part of your vision? In what ways does this reflect the values of the owners?
We are committed to non/anti-exploitation of sentient life, which is more accurately achieved by being plant-based. Moreover, we believe that Canadians eat wayyyy to much meat, and have a total lack of fibre. As we say, we make good food that just happens to be plant-based. We want all Calgarians to eat more plant-based, and this can be achieved by creating a welcoming and delicious menu for all!
What would you say in the greatest challenge or obstacle that you’re cooperative has had to overcome thus far in its journey?
Too many to tell. The lack of capital/money has to be up there. No investors, no ability for bank loans, etc. means we have really had to boot strap this puppy. Unlike a capitalist business, where owners can simply fire employees, we are committed to each other and this project. As such, the relations in a coop more accurately reflect a marriage, where we must choose to be together and work through our differences and conflicts. While extremely challenging, it has also been surprisingly rewarding for all of us who have been able to do this.
What is your hope for The Allium over the next 5 years?
That it is continuing to make well paying work for the collective, and that it has helped other worker coops thrive in this city!
What is a valuable piece of wisdom that has helped get you where you are today?
Let go! Things might seem so very important, or may not go exactly as you want them to be, but the most powerful thing to do is just let go. We are all learning how to navigate this world and our place in it, and it is a lifelong journey that ends with the ultimate 'letting go'. Learning that skill now is so important. And also, create don't critique! It's so easy to criticize. Criticize each other, our society, ourselves. However, it ultimately takes energy to do both, so don't waste it on critiquing, creating is so much more rewarding and unifying. Recognize issues in this world, and then do something, anything about it! Lift eachother up, help one another, support anyone doing anything to make the world better, more inclusive, less exploitative, less oppressive. Always create! Don't waste time critiquing!
The Allium website: https://www.theallium.ca/