GUELPH, ON, Oct. 28, 2013 /CNW/ - The Co-operators announced today that Café Cambio Coopérative de Travail of Chicoutimi and Les Grands Rangs, coopérative de solidarité des terroirs de Portneuf, based in Ste-Catherine-De-La-Jacques-Cartier have each won $25,000 as the Quebec Region winners of The National Co-op Challenge.

The social media contest showcased 16 emerging co-operatives, with four finalists selected in each of four regions across Canada. Each finalist produced a short video about their co-op, how it benefits their community and the projects that would be supported with the prize money. The public was given the power to choose the winners in each region by voting for their favourites either on Facebook or a contest microsite, from September 18 to October 18.

"All of the contestants are small and emerging locally owned and controlled co-operatives that respond to needs in their communities," said Kathy Bardswick, president and CEO of The Co-operators. "They mirror the diversity of the co-op sector in Canada, showing that there are values-based alternatives driven not by profit, but by a desire to serve their members and promote a more fair, equitable and inclusive society. Congratulations to all!"

Café Cambio Coopérative de Travail is a health food restaurant and coffee house in downtown Chicoutimi that promotes organic fair trade coffee and hosts cultural events. Its mission is to foster sustainable development through the promotion and sale of fair trade items, regional products and healthy, affordable meals. The co-op plans to use its prize money to develop and implement a marketing plan for the café and the promotion of fair trade, nutritious food, the local cultural community and the co-operative business model.

Les Grands Rangs, coopérative de solidarité des terroirs de Portneuf is a co-operative with 90 artisan-farmer members and 450 consumer members in the area around Quebec City. It supports local producers and artisans in the food and forestry sectors by working to ensure their goods can be processed, acquire added value and benefit from a more structured market. With its prize money, Les Grands Rangs plans to create a local menu and grocery offering sourced 100 per cent from within a 250 km radius, which is adapted to the local institutions and retail markets in the area surrounding Quebec City.

About The Co-operators:
The Co-operators Group Limited is a Canadian-owned co-operative with more than $33 billion in assets under administration. Through its group of companies it offers home, auto, life, group, travel, commercial and farm insurance, as well as investment products. The Co-operators is well known for its community involvement and its commitment to sustainability. The Co-operators is listed among the 50 Best Employers in Canada by Aon Hewitt; Corporate Knights' Best 50 Corporate Citizens in Canada; and the Top 50 Socially Responsible Corporations in Canada by Sustainalytics and Maclean's magazine. For more information visit www.cooperators.ca.

SOURCE The Co-operators