Organisation will sell vegetable bags and dried foods every week from the Oasis Centre
A FOOD co-op is being launched to bring down prices in the communities of Splott, Tremorfa and Adamsdown.
The launch will take place at Oasis Centre courtyard in Splott on November 25 between 5pm and 7pm, and will continue weekly.
It has been organised by 10 people who hope to give communities buying power and provide access to healthy and affordable food.
Founder and suppliers organiser Alice Taherzadeh was inspired by Cooperation Town, a network of community led food co-ops. It describes food co-ops as not-for-profit organisations which are owned by their members, unlike food banks.
“Our model is slightly different as it’s more like a shop. I just put a post out on the Splott and Adamsdown mutual aid Facebook Group, saying ‘This is a cool idea, does anyone want to do it?’, and I got quite a bit of interest,” said Alice.
The co-op aims to provide access to affordable quality food to everyone in the community. It will sell organic vegetable bags for between £10 and £20, a basic vegetable bag for £3 and dried foods at wholesale prices.
Alice said that having access affordable, healthy food has been an issue for the community, particularly during the pandemic.
“The number of people signing up for food packages in Splott, Adamsdown and Tremorfa was really high-one of the highest in Cardiff,” she said.
But she thinks food banks can be a problem.
“People don’t really get a choice of what they get. Our big focus with it was making a space that isn’t stigmatised – everyone can come to this place, we’re selling all different types of food. People can pay forward for other people’s veg boxes – not as a sense of charity, but as solidarity.”
The co-op has already received interest from over 20 people already looking to sign up and the group has also crowdfunded over £900 towards the project.
Proceeds raised will go towards better equipment and food safety training for members.
“Moving into Splott it’s really noticeable [compared to] other areas of Cardiff how strong the sense of community is here” said Alice.
“Splott and Tremorfa are longstanding communities in Cardiff, and they have a really strong sense of support and solidarity.”
However, the group hopes to bring even more people together through members becoming involved in the running of the co-op, and even get local groups and businesses involved where possible.
The co-op has already formed links with local allotment holders who they hope could bring home-grown produce to be swapped or donated.
“There’s space for the whole community to be part of it,” said Daniel Pass, one of the core organisers involved in communications and storage.
“We are … making a sustainable venture that people can rely on over time, so it should be something that should outlive all of us.”
