River Country Co-op gives back, as business grows

By Julia Wolf

River Country Co-op was started in 1948, by a group of farmers. The company grew and now spans 32 communities, and employs about 600 people.

Bruce Mlsna, CEO and general manager at River Country Co-op, says the cooperative donates roughly $100,000 each year, back into those local communities.

Common causes the organization donates to, are local fire departments, to help with cost of equipment like fire suppression systems and ATV rescue units.

“We donate to schools,” said Mlsna. “We do a lot of FFA donations for, like, greenhouses.”

The cooperative has also supported efforts to update technology in the technology education fields. They also offer scholarships each year, and give to local branches of the Optimists and Lions clubs.

Mlsna says they have never taken an official count, but estimates there are at least 50 people who work with River Country Co-op, who also serve as volunteer firefighters or EMTs, or sit on local government boards.

The set-up of the business itself also allows for redistribution back to the communities, in the form of dividends.

“Because we’re a co-op, our profits get returned back to the communities who patronage,” said Mlsna, which he says comes to about $500,000 of returned profits each year.

Mlsna says River Country is in their second year of the merger with the former Heartland Cooperative, and that it is going well and that they have achieved 80 percent of their goals with the merger, so far.

“So, that’s made us a better co-op, meaning that we’re built for the long-term” said Mlsna.

He says they are growing, have good sales and a strong balance sheet.

Over the past few years, River Country has re-invested in almost all their locations. For example, they put about $400,000 into the Cadott Truck Stop, updating the roof, blacktop and fuel systems. Mlsna says those long-term decisions help keep the co-op on the cutting edge.