does anyone here belong to any sort of food co-op or know anything about them? i have been musing with a friend about excess packaging etc and i just wondered if buying in bulk between a handful of people would be the answer..its dried wholefoods really we need, and poss meat..i already get fruit and veg from a box scheme and we grow our own too..
i asked on our local freecycle cafe group if there was anything locally already, doesnt appear to be but there seemd to be some interest from people on there..now that would involve people i dont know, so not sure how that would work as oppsoe to a friends scheme…
obviously we need a space to store, which i havent got, but that i guess can be sorted somehow..I’m more interested in how it would actually work on the ground..a membership scheme or just simply pay as you go type of thing..i’ve no idea where to start.
just wondered fi anyone had any experience to share?
cheers
mummyk x

I have been thinking along similar lines - Ipswich Ripple Food Coop have an interesting site - I don’t know what the implications/regulations are when opening things up outside of an informal arrangement between friends.

Awaiting a more useful response with interest!

Nelly x

hi there
i have recently joined a local one set up by one of the mums at my boys school. We use SUMA, and its fab. You do need a few friends together as you have to order over £350 pounds. But then you only order every 2 or 3 or whenever months. All the nuts and lulses and flours come in big sizes too.

HTH

Sustain have a tool kit that you can download that covers everything regarding every type of food coop. http://www.sustainweb.org/foodcoops/ I’m looking to start one in my area soon, and I’ll certainly use this site.

Hope this helps.

x

ripple food coop in ipswich would be happy to help. i see someones already said about the site. run by volenteers and iv been active with them before by son was born. there a bunch of great ppl and are very keen in spreading the knowledge. i pay £12 a year and save soooo much plus u can pay £1 on the day for a day pass, anyway its best if u contact them directly as things could have changed.  x

shame i dont live near Ipswish..tho DH would love to as he is an ITFC fan (dont ask why, when we live in Surrey!!)
thanks for all the links and ideas..sustain link really helpful..am really quite fired up about the idea..just got to figure out how to get one started..cant do it on my own..hmm thinking cap on

mummyk

lol i hear they need all the support they can get! (ITFC)

in your area if your a part of a community group i.e community allotment group or radical routes. absolutly any group then u could organse it that way as the ppl who set up the ips coop done just that. they r good friends of mine and once again i know they would be happy to help. there is a new system in ips now were the volenteers - volenteer for 6 sessions (which r everyother sat) and get a further reduction, so its more an insentive for ppl to help out. the stock is locked away in the C A B.  i personally orded 8 packs of this amazing tofu and it would have been the same price for 3-4 in the shops!
food coops really r a good thing and r clearly needed everywere. im positive they theres so ,many ppl out there who r thinking the same as u.  local anarchist group!?
all the best x