About Combined Building Supplies Co-operative
Mike and Carl wanted to help small builders get better deals on building materials by leveraging their collective buying power.
As individual small builders, they struggled to get good prices from merchants compared to the big builders.
They explored forming a group where builders could come together to negotiate better deals. But merchants wanted a single buying entity/account, not just an informal group.
This led to the idea of creating a co-op structure.
Setting up the legal co-op structure took a lot of pro bono work and perseverance after getting rejected by merchants early on. But Carl & Mike stuck with the idea because they believed in its merits.
The co-op model creates a stable, member-owned long-term structure where members buy a share and get an ownership stake.
This gives them a vote, say, and asset.
From small beginnings 7 years ago, the co-op now has nearly 1400 shareholders and 30+ supplier partners.
CBS is growing rapidly as the benefits like discounts and rebates help members and their families.
Why Join?
Builders/tradies should join because they likely won’t get better deals on materials elsewhere. The $1000 buy-in gets access to group discounts and potential rebates.
Our Shareholder Benefits Include
Ready to save with the CBS Co-op?
Join hundreds of tradies throughout New Zealand benefitting from the the top tier pricing discounts across an extensive supplier collective.
