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.[1][2] 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.[2] 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 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.[3] 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.[2]
Concerns about the Pearse Street premises limiting the Co-op's scope for development remained a recurring theme over subsequent years.[2] 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 near St. Patrick's Cathedral.[4] 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.[5]
Newmarket 2007-2018
The former Dublin Food Co-op building at 12 Newmarket, Dublin 8
In July 2007, the Co-op switched operations to a large former warehouse at 12 Newmarket, Dublin 8[6] and added Thursday trading at the new venue from September.[7] It was formally opened in October 2007 by Minister for the EnvironmentJohn Gormley to coincide with Ireland's National Organic Week.[8]
The Co-op also made its hall available for hire and became home to regular events including the monthly Dublin Flea Market,[9] Fusion Market[10] and Newmarket Brocante, plus the annual Independents Day.[11][12] In April 2013 a new five-year lease for the Newmarket premises was signed.
In the final period at the venue the Co-op moved away from a reliance on market traders for fresh produce and increasingly sourced it directly on behalf of members. Use of the hall was discontinued due to structural issues at a time when the premises were already earmarked for re-development. The 'precarious' situation of the Co-op[13] was resolved with a move to a new location, supported by a crowdfunding campaign.[13]
Kilmainham 2018-
In September 2018, the Dublin Food Co-op announced it had purchased permanent premises in Kilmainham, Dublin 8. Co-op members played a major role in funding the move, raising €60,000 through a 'Help Us Grow' campaign in addition to monies received from Community Finance Ireland.[14] The new store opened on Saturday 10 November 2018. Unlike Newmarket, this location does not incorporate a community space but nearby venues are now used for associated activities.[13]
Activities
The vast majority of food the Co-op sells is organic and particular emphasis is placed on Fair Trade and environmentally-friendly produce. The fit-out of the new shop in Kilmainham has placed an added focus on sustainability and Zero Waste.[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.[citation needed]
The Co-op's membership has seen a significant increase following the move to Kilmainham and numbered 2,870 in April 2019.[13]
Distinctiveness
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-op 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]
The Urban Co-op in Limerick was subsequently established as an additional consumer food co-operative in Ireland, after commencing as a buying club in 2013. Within Dublin, a buying club and community-supported agriculture project provide other non-profit food alternatives, but Dublin Food Co-op remains the sole retail food co-operative.[13]
^ abcdMurtagh, Aisling and Ward, Prof. Michael Food Democracy in Practice: a case study of the Dublin Food Co-op Journal of Co-operative Studies, Volume 42, Number 1, April 2009, pp. 13-22
^ abcd Douthwaite, Richard (1996). Short Circuit: Strengthening Local Economics for Security in an Unstable World. Dublin: Lilliput Press. ISBN978-1-874675-60-0.
^Dublin Food Co-op website 22 February 2014 at the Wayback Machineref. About Us
^(PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 1 October 2011. Retrieved 28 August 2011.
^Morris, Stephanie. Saturday morning cure at the Natural Foods Market 18 November 2007 at the Wayback MachineNewsFour, October 2007
^Mooney , Sinead. Food Shorts: New home for food co-op The Irish Times., 7 July 2007
^(PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 January 2011. Retrieved 23 April 2013.
^Kelly, Michael. What's going on The Irish Times, 20 October 2007
^Carroll, Jim. Etc. The Irish Times, 5 December 2008
^ abcdefMcGuire, Erin. "Dublin Food Co-op Settles into New Home in Kilmainham", Dublin InQuirer, Dublin, 17 April 2019. Retrieved on 26 April 2019.
^"Dublin Food Co-op finds its feet at new space in Kilmainham Square". greennews.ie. Retrieved 13 November 2018.
External links
Dublin Food Co-op website
February 28, 2023
dublin, food, coordinates, 3423451, 3101959, 3423451, 3101959, erative, society, limited, consumer, operative, founded, 1983, based, kilmainham, dublin, with, focus, organic, wholefood, products, part, worldwide, operative, movement, erative, society, limitedt. Coordinates 53 20 32 N 6 18 37 W 53 3423451 N 6 3101959 W 53 3423451 6 3101959 Dublin Food Co operative Society Limited is a consumer co operative founded in 1983 and based in Kilmainham Dublin with a focus on organic and wholefood products 1 The Dublin Food Co op is part of the worldwide co operative movement Dublin Food Co operative Society LimitedTypeConsumers cooperativeFounded1983 1983 HeadquartersDublin IrelandProductsOrganic wholefoods sustainable personal care and household productsWebsitedublinfood coop Contents 1 History 1 1 Beginnings 1983 1987 1 2 Pearse Street 1987 2007 1 3 Newmarket 2007 2018 1 4 Kilmainham 2018 2 Activities 3 Distinctiveness 4 See also 5 References 6 External linksHistory EditBeginnings 1983 1987 Edit 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 1 2 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 Edit 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 2 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 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 3 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 2 Concerns about the Pearse Street premises limiting the Co op s scope for development remained a recurring theme over subsequent years 2 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 near St Patrick s Cathedral 4 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 5 Newmarket 2007 2018 Edit The former Dublin Food Co op building at 12 Newmarket Dublin 8In July 2007 the Co op switched operations to a large former warehouse at 12 Newmarket Dublin 8 6 and added Thursday trading at the new venue from September 7 It was formally opened in October 2007 by Minister for the Environment John Gormley to coincide with Ireland s National Organic Week 8 The Co op also made its hall available for hire and became home to regular events including the monthly Dublin Flea Market 9 Fusion Market 10 and Newmarket Brocante plus the annual Independents Day 11 12 In April 2013 a new five year lease for the Newmarket premises was signed In the final period at the venue the Co op moved away from a reliance on market traders for fresh produce and increasingly sourced it directly on behalf of members Use of the hall was discontinued due to structural issues at a time when the premises were already earmarked for re development The precarious situation of the Co op 13 was resolved with a move to a new location supported by a crowdfunding campaign 13 Kilmainham 2018 Edit In September 2018 the Dublin Food Co op announced it had purchased permanent premises in Kilmainham Dublin 8 Co op members played a major role in funding the move raising 60 000 through a Help Us Grow campaign in addition to monies received from Community Finance Ireland 14 The new store opened on Saturday 10 November 2018 Unlike Newmarket this location does not incorporate a community space but nearby venues are now used for associated activities 13 Activities EditThe vast majority of food the Co op sells is organic and particular emphasis is placed on Fair Trade and environmentally friendly produce The fit out of the new shop in Kilmainham has placed an added focus on sustainability and Zero Waste 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 citation needed The Co op s membership has seen a significant increase following the move to Kilmainham and numbered 2 870 in April 2019 13 Distinctiveness EditA 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 op 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 The Urban Co op in Limerick was subsequently established as an additional consumer food co operative in Ireland after commencing as a buying club in 2013 Within Dublin a buying club and community supported agriculture project provide other non profit food alternatives but Dublin Food Co op remains the sole retail food co operative 13 See also EditList of food cooperativesReferences Edit a b c d Murtagh Aisling and Ward Prof Michael Food Democracy in Practice a case study of the Dublin Food Co op Journal of Co operative Studies Volume 42 Number 1 April 2009 pp 13 22 a b c d Douthwaite Richard 1996 Short Circuit Strengthening Local Economics for Security in an Unstable World Dublin Lilliput Press ISBN 978 1 874675 60 0 Dublin Food Co op website Archived 22 February 2014 at the Wayback Machine ref About Us Dublin Food Co op Newsletter February March 2007 PDF Archived from the original PDF on 1 October 2011 Retrieved 28 August 2011 Morris Stephanie Saturday morning cure at the Natural Foods Market Archived 18 November 2007 at the Wayback Machine NewsFour October 2007 Mooney Sinead Food Shorts New home for food co op The Irish Times 7 July 2007 Dublin Food Co op Newsletter October 2007 PDF Archived from the original PDF on 25 January 2011 Retrieved 23 April 2013 Kelly Michael What s going on The Irish Times 20 October 2007 Dublin Flea Market website New market comes to Newmarket Irish Times 5 May 2012 Retrieved 20 June 2012 Independents Day Blog Carroll Jim Etc The Irish Times 5 December 2008 a b c d e f McGuire Erin Dublin Food Co op Settles into New Home in Kilmainham Dublin InQuirer Dublin 17 April 2019 Retrieved on 26 April 2019 Dublin Food Co op finds its feet at new space in Kilmainham Square greennews ie Retrieved 13 November 2018 External links EditDublin Food Co op website Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Dublin Food Co op amp oldid 1140517757, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
