Plymouth’s growing network of neighbourhood food co-ops is helping families stretch their food budgets, build skills, and connect with their local communities. Rooted in the Cooperative Movement and based on the Cooperation Town model, these co-ops provide affordable food and much more: they offer a practical, community-powered response to food insecurity that is built on dignity, inclusion, and solidarity.
Launched in 2023 and supported by NHS Devon and Plymouth City Council, the co-ops are facilitated by Cooperative Food Organiser Kelly Fritzsche, who works with local churches, schools, and community hubs across the city. Each co-op brings together around 20 local residents – parents, grandparents, students, and neighbours – who all contribute a small weekly amount (typically £3–£3.50). That money goes toward a group grocery shop, including surplus fruit and veg from FareShare South West. The food is then distributed equally among members at a weekly meet-up.
Every co-op organiser plays a vital role from buying and organising the food to sorting deliveries and setting up the space. The co-ops are also shaped by those who join them, giving members ownership and a voice in how things are run. This sense of shared purpose creates connection, routine, and a community that supports one another beyond food. One member, Nina, explained: “It’s helped me make friends, it’s helped me in the kitchen, and it’s helped me massively with my shopping bill. You’ll never know the difference it’s made and the confidence it has given me.”
Since opening in July 2023, the Mayflower Food Co-op alone has helped redistribute nearly 5,000kg of surplus food that would otherwise go to waste. Members have attended cookery courses, food hygiene training, and maths classes together – many of them saying they wouldn’t have felt confident going alone. They’ve volunteered at the FareShare depot, accessed Citizens Advice support, and even secured more space at their weekly venue to sit, chat, and enjoy tea and biscuits together.
The co-ops also help people learn new skills, support each other, and feel more connected, while offering a blueprint for sustainable local food solutions. Thanks to UK Shared Prosperity Funding, Plymouth will soon see six more food co-ops open, along with two co-operative social supermarkets and a mobile delivery service. A small-scale food manufacturing pilot is also underway, turning surplus produce into jams and sauces in partnership with JarSquad.
As one co-op member put it, “It’s a lovely chance to meet new friends amongst all the food,
which is the really helpful part.”
To learn more about Plymouth’s food co-ops and how to get involved, visit foodplymouth.org.