Imagining a Society to Match the Scenery: Cole Mannix on founding Old Salt Co-op, Festival & food system revolution

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Cole Mannix was featured in the New York Times a couple of months ago as part of a series called ‘Making It Work’, about ‘small-business owners striving to endure hard times’. The title read: Montana Has More Cows Than People. Why Are Locals Eating Beef From Brazil? The by-line followed: ‘Cole Mannix, [co-founder] of Old Salt Co-op, is trying to change local appetites and upend an industry controlled by multibillion-dollar meatpackers.’ And it seems local appetites are ready for it too – with both eaters and producers lining up for a taste of things, apparently just in need of a model that works.
It’s early days, but with a family legacy steeped in stewardship, some hard lessons from past efforts, and Cole’s personal journey from the ranch to theology and other revelations, the co-op is off to a rocking start. Literally. Soon after it formed in 2021, The Old Salt Outpost burger shop was set up in a famous old bar in downtown Helena. Though when I visited Cole, we started in the cruisier country vibes of the new restaurant and retail outlet across the street, called The Union. And we culminate back there with four of my favourite minutes ever on this podcast.
They happened to be prompted by Fred Provenza's presentation at the Old Salt Festival, a gathering to bring the whole lot together. So many essential aspects of systemic, regenerative change. Though as I was to learn, with one critical piece of the puzzle to come. And just the right sources of finance to make it happen.
This episode has chapter markers and a transcript, if you’d like to navigate the conversation that way (available on most apps now too).
Recorded 20 July 2024.
Title slide: Cole & AJ entering the Old Salt Outpost burger shop (pic: Olivia Cheng).
See more photos on the website, and for more from behind the scenes, become a member via the Patreon page.
Music:
Green Shoots, by The Nomadics.
Regeneration, by Amelia Barden, from Regenerating Australia.
The RegenNarration playlist, music chosen by guests (thanks to Josie Symons).
Find more:
Old Salt Co-op’s page on Steward
Hear Dan Miller from Steward on episode 161, Regenerating Investment in Food & Farming.
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Hoofdstukken

1. Music, Preview, Introduction & Supporter Thanks (00:00:00)

2. A taste of things at the restaurant (with Andrew Mace) (00:04:15)

3. The Old Salt Coop mission (00:10:15)

4. Not taking ownership too seriously (a family story) (00:11:14)

5. Meeting Fred Provenza & some theological common ground (00:13:15)

6. First Nations connection (00:16:45)

7. A revelation on how to help (travelling Latin America) (00:19:45)

8. How the previous coop formed … & ended (00:22:15)

9. Going to work for the Western Land Owners Alliance (how to make it pay to manage land ecologically?) (00:25:15)

10. Taking a walk through the restaurant ‘gallery’ & its stories (photos on Patreon) (00:29:00)

11. How to genuinely shift systems? (walking the streets) (00:31:00)

12. Entering a rockin’ Old Salt Outpost burger shop (00:35:00)

13. Growing the coop to meet the growing demand from eaters - and producers (00:35:35)

14. Back in the restaurant – Starting a Revolutionizing Cooperative Meat Company Structure (00:40:00)

15. Investors have to be a certain type of person (00:47:15)

16. How it all works (inc. starting a restaurant and processing so soon after starting up) (00:49:15)

17. What’s the work you want to die in? (It’s not a company made to grow & sell off) (00:53:10)

18. Saying no to some investors (00:56:45)

19. The 5 year goal (inc. e-commerce, subscription model etc.) (00:57:35)

20. Connecting with the public (comparing notes across subscriber media too) (00:59:45)

21. Launching the Old Salt Festival (where there’s no wifi!) (01:00:45)

22. Imagining a society to match the scenery (01:04:15)

23. How to run a meat festival in bear country? (01:06:15)

24. Fred Provenza’s talk delivers, and prompts 4 of the best minutes on this podcast (01:08:15)

25. Music – Jason & Pharis Romero (01:12:35)