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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
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Overview of presentation
• Project background• Policy context• Methodology• Findings• Case studies• Emerging issues
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Project background
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Policy context
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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.
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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.
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Types of food co-ops (n=18)
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Organisational Structures (n=18)
Formal co-op membership22%
Community Interest Company
11%
Not for profit11%
Part of health initiative39%
Community-led17%
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Community led
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Health initiative
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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
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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
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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.’
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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”
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Emerging issues