Food Co-ops: Making Local Food Work

We are working in partnership with a number of other organisations: Soil Association, Somerset Community Food, London Food Link, Food Chain North East, Greenwich Co-operative Development Agency, Newham Food Access Partnership, F3, and Co-operatives UK.

Sustain advocates food and agriculture policies and practices that enhance the health and welfare of people and animals, improve the working and living environment, promote equity and enrich society and culture. To find out more about our work visit our website http://www.sustainweb.org

Making Local Food Work is funded by the Big Lottery Fund as part of the Changing Spaces programme. The objective is to explore community enterprise approaches to: 'reconnecting people and land through local food and increasing access to fresh, healthy, local food with clear, traceable origins'. The Making Local Food Work programme is run by partnership of organisations including Sustain, the Soil Association, Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE), Country Markets Ltd, Co-operatives UK, National Farmers' Retail & Markets Association (FARMA) and is managed by the Plunkett Foundation. To find out more about Making Local Food Work visit http://www.makinglocalfoodwork.co.uk/

Small food co-ops or buying groups work by collecting together everyone’s orders in advance, whereas other models operate more like other food businesses in that they order the produce from suppliers and then sell it to their customers via stalls, bag or box schemes, mobile stores, shops or other types of outlet.

• Are run by the community for the community
  
• Aim to supply produce at affordable prices
  
• Are run on a not for profit basis
  
• Generally rely on the support of volunteers, either in the day-to day running or on the committee

However, that is where the similarity ends, as every food co-op is unique, and the way it runs will depend on the community it serves and the people who run it. Food co-ops can differ in almost every way including:

• What they sell e.g. a lot of food co-ops sell fruit and vegetables, whereas others focus on organic wholefoods and some also sell a eggs, meat, dairy produce or other foods.
  
• When they sell it e.g. many food co-ops only run one day a week, some meet once a month, and others are open every day.
  
• How they sell it e.g. some sell their produce loose on stalls, whereas other sell it pre-packed in bags or boxes.
  
• Where they sell it e.g. food co-ops run it a wide range of locations e.g. schools, community centres, church halls or even have their own shops.

This is because in many areas to is actually quite hard to buy healthy and sustainable foods, such as fresh fruit and vegetables, local and organic produce, bulk wholefoods or exotic ingredients.

• There are no shops where you live, whether that is a rural village or an urban estate.
• Nearby shops have a limited choice of food that may be expensive or poor quality.
• To get to a decent shop you have to get a bus, taxi, or drive, which makes shopping more expensive.
• You want to buy unusual foods that supermarkets or other shops do not stock.
• You would prefer to buy food direct from farmers or ethical suppliers, rather than support large supermarkets.
• A good shop has just closed and you want to replace it.

Food co-ops can also have lots of other benefits for the community, such as providing healthy food at an affordable price, opportunities for volunteers, and a sociable place to shop and meet local people.

If you would like more information, are interested in setting up a food co-op or buying from an existing one, visit http://www.sustainweb.org/foodcoops/ - alternatively, contact:

Lizzie Fellows - Yorkshire & Humber Regional Food Co-ops Advisor (two days a week)

lizzie@sustainweb.org
0113 2427148
07814 756511