What makes this food co-op a co-operative?’ -‘We just are’:

Findings from a three-year evaluation of food co-ops in England, 2009-2012

Julie SmithGeorgia MachellMartin Caraher

Centre for Food Policy, City University, London

Overview of presentation

• Project background• Policy context• Methodology• Findings• Case studies• Emerging issues

Project background

Policy context

Methodology

• Phase 1: Visit 3 co-ops in 3 areas – London, Somerset and the North East

• Phase 2: Visit 2 co-ops in each of the 9 English regions

• Look at a range of co-ops

• Develop case studies on co-ops and look specifically at the perceived impact

• Use of a range of methods: observation, interviews, reports, website data, graffiti walls and surveys.

Key Findings

• 80% (n=18) of food ‘co-ops’ visited not food co-ops in traditional sense

• Spectrum of food co-op types• 83% (n=18)of food co-ops that were evaluated

were reliant on volunteers and funding• long-standing food co-ops (that operated formal

co-operative structures) had taken steps to become financially secure, they developed business plans and used a mixture of paid workers and volunteers.

Types of food co-ops (n=18)

Organisational Structures (n=18)

Formal co-op membership22%

Community Interest Company

11%

Not for profit11%

Part of health initiative39%

Community-led17%

Community led

Health initiative

Bringing it all to life – community led

Case study 1

• Region: Yorkshire and Humberside

• Type of Co-op: Stall• Outlet: Church• Focus: Working with

young people in the community

• Organiser: Church youth club

Bringing it all to life – health initiative

• Region: London• Type of Co-op: Weekly

fruit and vegetable stall • Outlet: at a community

centre (part of wider NHS project)

• Date established: 2005• Focus: Promoting 5-A-

Day• Organiser: NHS

Co-ops and food

• ‘like once they (the wholesaler) put in courgettes and aubergines – people don’t want it. They just want their staples - which are potatoes, onions, carrots, cauliflowers – where the prices are lower’.

• ‘yes, we go for local if we can but here we are deprived, and so price matters.’

Why are we a co-op?

“We don’t have a legal status as a co-operative but we rely on people and that, I have to say, is the key stress point for us”

“We co-operate with our supplier”

“We just are”

Emerging issues

Full evaluation report available from:

Julie.Smith.1@city.ac.uk