Food and Farming

A workers’ co-operative has opened a wholefood store, juice bar and vegan takeaway after receiving a loan from The Co-operative Loan Fund.

Wild Thyme in Southsea, Portsmouth, opened on Saturday 9 May 2015; the result of two years’ hard work from the co-op’s eight members. It is the only wholefood shop in the area, but joins a diverse and exciting landscape of local independent retailers.

The co-operative is committed to offering wholefoods, vegan, fair trade and organic products at affordable prices. The new shop stocks the widest range of natural foods in Portsmouth, including many specialist products not available elsewhere in the area, alongside daily staples like fresh fruit and vegetables, chilled and frozen items, herbs and spices and environmentally friendly cleaning products. Most products are sourced from other co-ops, small farms and local suppliers. Local bike delivery will soon be available, using a cargo bike lent by UK based sustainable transport charity Sustrans.

Since 2013, Wild Thyme has been operating a wholefood takeaway stall at various events around Portsmouth. The members hope that their new, permanent home will become a place for customers to not only shop, but congregate, spend time, learn new things and try new foods. Knowledgeable and friendly staff are on hand to answer questions about food, nutrition and recipes.

Portsmouth has the worst malnutrition rates in Hampshire. With an average 50% of meals eaten outside the home, a healthy alternative to the usual fast food choices is a welcome addition to the high street. The organic and wholefoods sector has grown by 30% in the last year, and continues to prosper.

Wild Thyme member Frances Vigay commented:

Much of food retail lacks concern for how and where food is grown, and the effect it’s having on people’s health. Ethics are at the core of what we do at Wild Thyme – care and concern for the producers, growers, the environment, as well as the people who will be buying our products and consuming them. We want local people to feel empowered about their health and nutrition.

A loan from us was used to refurbish and equip the new shop premises – an old beauty salon on Palmerston Road, Southsea.

Our loan adviser, Ian Rothwell, said: “Co-operative & Community Finance has been a passionate supporter of the organic and wholefoods movement for over 40 years. We’re delighted that this sector has seen such rapid growth and a rise in popularity over recent years. Wild Thyme is a brilliant addition to Southsea.”

Visit www.wildthymewholefoods.co.uk to find out more.

Valley Organics, the specialist grocers in the centre of Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire, opened on 4 June as usual but with new owners – the employees.  With expert advice from The Co-operative Enterprise Hub and finance from The Co-operative Loan Fund they have set up a co-operative and bought the business from the previous owners who are moving on.

Valley Organics is a well-established business that specialises in organic, ethical and local food and goods.  It has built up a very loyal customer base over the last 12 years and managed to bounce back after the shop was devastated in the serious floods that struck the town in 2012.  When the two owners announced that they were planning to relocate the staff immediately started to look at how they could keep the business going.

The Co-operative Enterprise Hub, which provides advice and training, helped the six members to register a workers’ co-operative and negotiate the business transfer.  The members raised the finance to buy the business, fixtures and fittings and lease from a combination of their own money, loan stock from customers and a loan from The Co-operative Loan Fund, which lends exclusively to co-operatives.

One of the members, Sally Hayes, said: “The shop has been selling good organic produce and wholefoods for more than 12 years.  The previous owners, Jackie and Elaine, have done a wonderful job.  When they decided to move on, we jumped at the chance to buy this thriving business.  Recent research by the Soil Association shows that organic shoppers are abandoning supermarkets in favour of independent shops – and our loyal customers bear this out.  The veg box scheme is going from strength to strength, shop sales are on the up and we’re looking at stocking new lines.”

Ian Taylor of The Co-operative Loan Fund said: “I’m confident that this co-operative takeover of an existing business will be a success.  They are a very good team who know the business well and have a deep commitment to organic and ethically sourced food and the environment.  They seem to work well together and have good ideas for improving the business.”

The Co-operative Loan Fund assisted The Bakery Dunbar back in 2011, when Dunbar residents formed a community co-operative with the vision of re-opening the only bakery in their village. The venture attracted investment from over 550 local supporters, and the co-op happily opened its doors (and turned on the ovens) in October 2011.

We’ve watched the bakery grow from strength to strength ever since. Their latest achievement was certainly an exciting one; competing in ITV’s Britain’s Best Bakery over the winter,  and we were delighted to see them reach the final. If you missed seeing them on the show, there’s still a few days to catch up on ITV’s internet player, we must warn you though; watching it will probably make your mouth water…

A massive well done to the fantastic bakers at Dunbar who create such wondrous and delicious things, and to the Dunbar community whose love and support for the venture has paid off so handsomely.

Find out more about The Bakery Dunbar on their website, and connect with them on social media via Twitter and Facebook. You can also read Ross Baxter’s (The Bakery’s Patissier) blog here.

Read more about how we assisted The Bakery Dunbar in this case study.

A Scottish town can continue its 150 year baking tradition by opening the only bakery in the area, thanks to financial assistance from The Co-operative Loan Fund.

The community of Dunbar has a lot to be excited about, thanks to the opening of their new community-owned bakery in October 2011, the only one in town. It all started in 2008 when the long-standing Smith’s family bakery, which had been serving the residents since the mid-1800s, closed when the owner retired. Market research was carried out to determine the need for fresh bread in the area, and the findings were summed up by the sentiment that every high street needs a bakery.

Meetings were held, attracting dozens of people. With the help of the local development trust, the plan to reopen the former Smith’s bakery as a sustainable, community-run enterprise was realised. It would be called Dunbar Community Bakery, and attracted 300 community members who raised almost £40,000 through the purchase of community shares.

Dunbar Community Bakery found a location on a well-located high street spot in a former newsagents shop. The Co-operative Loan Fund gave the bakery a loan to help with renovations and to pay for new, professional baking equipment, including state-of-the-art ovens.

Dunbar Community Bakery specialises in high-quality artisan traditional bakery products with no additives, using quality, locally sourced ingredients. The staff consists of three professional bakers with 65 years of combined experience, along with an appointed front-of-house team.

Aside from providing warm tasty bakery products, the bakery has a social agenda as well. It plans to provide training and employment opportunities for locals, along with developing apprenticeships and support to local schools to share baking skills. Beyond that, all profits will be reinvested back into the community.

Janet Barnes, committee-member and business development consultant and trainer said: “Many of us wanted to be involved in developing a certain bakery, not a chain, that would serve good old-fashioned bread and develop the community at the same time. Without the loan finance it wouldn’t have gone ahead, the assistance has been vital.”

Dunbar is a small, coastal town east of Edinburgh and just north of the English border.

Ian Taylor of The Co-operative Loan Fund said: “Dunbar Community Bakery is the story of a community that has stuck at a plan through thick and thin. I am confident the bakery will be a success, it is run by professionals, located in a good spot and will no doubt bake delicious food.”

For further information about The Bakery Dunbar visit: thebakerydunbar.co.uk