A community food co-op is broadly defined as being a group of community members bulk ordering food together to obtain lower prices. There are currently no food co-ops (that we’re aware of) in Linlithgow, but here are a few links:
West Lothian Council supports food co-ops in various locations through their Community Health and Care Partnership. Food is supplied via West Lothian Food and Health Development (WELFEHD), aiming to make affordable fruit and veg more widely available. Any community group in West Lothian can approach WELFEHD and work with them to set up a food co-op. March 2010: WELFEHD has gone into liquidation.
The website FoodCoops.org provides good information on what a food co-op is, how it might be organised – and you can search for your nearest one
This Food Co-ops Toolkit aims to provide an overview of the important things you need to do when setting up and running a food co-op
The following Community Food Networks currently exist in Scotland: Community Food Initiatives North East (CFINE), East Lothian Roots and Fruits, Edinburgh Community Food Initiatives, North Glasgow Community Food Initiatives, Lanarkshire Community Food and Health Partnership, West Lothian Food and Health Development (WELFEHD)
Community Food and Health Scotland aims to promote healthy eating and has a searchable directory of local initiatives
Food For All is a Bristol based shop, aiming to supply affordable, healthy food to local residentsvia the co-op structure – members get a 10% discount and are encouraged to volunteer in the shop.
Future Farms is a not for profit farming co-op in Hampshire, aiming to grow as much produce for local residents as possible, with a twice weekly shop in the village hall and an honesty barrow on the main street on other days
The True Food Community Cooperative is an interesting community enterprise with 110 members based near Reading, staffed mainly by volunteers, with a shop open 6 days plus evening markets at four other local venues.
The Co-operative Group is the largest consumer co-op in the world and is owned by its members, originating from a small shop in Lancashire in 1844 - this pdf file is their current Ethical Food Policy
The Community Shares Programme is a two-year action-research project launched in England in Jan 09 to investigate how members of the public can invest in enterprises serving a community purpose.