Dublin Food Co-op

Dublin Food Co-operative Society Limited is a food retailer based in a large former warehouse in The Liberties area of Dublin, Ireland. It was founded in 1983 and is constituted as a consumer co-operative, with a focus on organic and wholefood products.^[1]

The main trading day at the Co-op venue is Saturday, when the majority of sales are made by independent stallholders. Whilst similar to a farmers’ market in some respects, its operating model pre-dates the later popularity of farmers' markets in Ireland.^[2] It further differs from farmers’ markets by excluding ‘meat and meat products’, in keeping with its constitution.^[1]

The Dublin Food Co-op venue also opens on Thursdays and Fridays and hosts independent market events on most Sundays.

History

Beginnings 1983-1987

The origins of the Co-op lie with a group of activists brought together by the successful campaign against the construction of a nuclear power plant at Carnsore Point in County Wexford. In 1983, a number of those involved met together to form an organisation through which members could 'shop in an ecologically sound way' and 'promote the rational use of the earth's resources'. Thus, a buying club for the collective purchase of wholefoods was established.^[3][1][4] For one Saturday each month, the Co-op used a succession of locations in Temple Bar as a focal point to allow members to collect pre-ordered wholefoods and to socialise. In 1986 some members who were also producers began to provide fresh organic produce for sale directly at the Saturday events.

Pearse Street 1987-2007

In 1987, the Co-op arranged to rent the hall at St. Andrew's Resource Centre on Pearse Street, Dublin 2, every second Saturday and switched from monthly to bi-weekly order collections after that.^[3][5] This location became the Co-op's base for the next two decades. When the Co-op settled into the new venue, the process to formally incorporate as a co-operative limited company under the rules of the Industrial and Provident Society Acts 1893-1978 was initiated, and Dublin Food Co-operative Society Limited thus came into being in February 1991.^[6] In 1995, the Co-op switched away from the pre-order-only system, began carrying a range of stock for general purchase and moved to weekly trading.^[3]

Concerns about the Pearse Street premises limiting the Co-op's scope for development remained a recurring theme over subsequent years.^[3][7] Other alternatives were explored but it was not until 2007 that relocation occurred, after the Co-op received planning permission and signed a lease on full-time premises at Newmarket, further to the west of the city centre.^[8] Many members and local shoppers wanted to continue shopping at St. Andrew's and one of them started a Saturday dry goods and producers' market at the venue - The Super Natural Food Market. This commenced as a weekly event in August 2007, the month after the Co-op departed. ^[9]

Newmarket 2007-

In July 2007, the Co-op switched operations to its current home at 12 Newmarket, Dublin 8, near St. Patrick's Cathedral. and added Thursday trading at the new venue from September .^[10][11] It was formally opened in October 2007 by Minister for the Environment John Gormley to coincide with Ireland's National Organic Week.^[12]

Much of the work to needed to open and subsequently develop the site was accomplished through the volunteer labour of members. In April 2013 a new five-year lease for the Newmarket premises was signed. However, the possibility of the Co-op buying its own alternate premises has been under active exploration since 2011 and this option continues to be provided for by a break-clause in the lease.

Activities

The vast majority of pre-packed food the Co-op sells is organic and particular emphasis is placed on Fair Trade and environmentally-friendly produce. During Saturday trading (09:30 to 16:30), stallholders extend the dry goods range to include organic vegetables and fruits, organic cheeses, eggs and dairy, organic wine, baked goods, organic clothing, books and other non-food items.^[4] The Co-op also opens on Thursdays and Fridays with more limited availability of fresh produce. In addition, the Co-op offers its dry goods range for sale on market Sundays.

The number of member-shareholders of the Society at the end of 2012 was recorded by the annual accounts at 876.^[13] Members receive a 5% discount on purchases, which increases to 15% if they also volunteer on a rota system to assist with tasks such as shelf stacking.^[14]

Since securing its own permanent space and making it available for hire, the Co-op has become home to regular events including the monthly Dublin Flea Market,^[15] Fusion Market ^[16] and Newmarket Brocante, plus the annual Independents Day.^[17][18]

Operating Model

A 2009 academic study described Dublin Food Co-op as "distinctive on the Irish scene" because of its organisational structure.^[1] At that time, it was one of only two Irish wholefood retailers established as co-operatives and the only one to take the form of a consumers' co-operative (the other, the Quay Co-operative in Cork, was organised as a workers' co-operative).

The study also argued that the Co-op had "a different pricing structure to conventional businesses, only adding the margin needed to cover its operating expenses".^[1] This was, however, questioned in a 2011 critique.^[19]

Criticism

A critique of the Co-op published in May 2011 argued that it was no longer living up to key principles and was operationally 'dysfunctional'.^[20] An April 2013 assessment highlighted the extent to which product provision is 'outsourced' to private traders (accounting for more than 50% of turnover on the premises), arguing that this situation does not serve the interests of the membership and is at odds with the consumer co-operative model of direct product provision to members.^[21]

References

External links

• Dublin Food Co-op website

Coordinates: 53°20′16.56″N 6°16′36.96″W / 53.3379333°N 6.2769333°W / 53.3379333; -6.2769333