Carrickfergus Friendly Food Club

What: A local retail pilot that enables people experiencing a low income to buy organic fruit and vegetables from a greengrocer at a 50% discount via a membership model: the Friendly Food Club. The pilot is running from July 2024 to June 2025.

Where: Carrickfergus, Northern Ireland

Which of the six approaches this pilot takes: Local retail, voucher

Demonstrating: 

• Uptake of the Friendly Food Club by people who were not previously attending the Greengrocers due to the price barrier.
• Sense of wellbeing as a result of access to pesticide free fruit and veg.
• Proportion of basket that is now organic compared to before.

Story: In 2023 an enterprising group of people raised over £34,000 through a community share offer to open Northern Ireland’s first community owned greengrocers. Carrick Greengrocers is a cooperative owned by its 434 members. 

Later that year Bridging the Gap started working with Carrick Greengrocers through co-design sessions led by Nourish NI. The pilot was co-designed with people who had experience of using emergency food providers in Carrickfergus, and the community running and using The Larder in East Belfast.

In celebration of the greengrocer’s first birthday in July 2024 Carrick Greengrocers launched the pilot, calling it the Friendly Food Club, which offers people experiencing a low income the opportunity to buy fresh, local, organically grown produce at the rate of non-organic produce. The aim is to enable everyone from the town no matter what their income is to buy from the greengrocer and support local farmers. On a high street that lacks other similar outlets there is now a local retailer selling Northern Irish produce that pay farmers a fair price.

Beth Bell, one of the founding directors at Carrick Greengrocers, explained:

“We are delighted to be part of Bridging the Gap, because we know that nature-friendly food tastes better, lasts better, is better for our wellbeing, and is better for the planet. It is not right that people on low incomes can’t access this food as it is not always affordable, and this is why we have established the Friendly Food Club. Having affordable access to nutritious, delicious, locally grown veg is a human right, and we are proud to be working with local growers and farmers to make this happen in Carrick.” 

One of the growers supporting the programme is Chris Dobbs, who owns a market garden using chemical free, no dig methods in Carrickfergus:

"As a farmer my aim is to grow crops that are rich in flavour and nutrients. Consumers are keen for a healthy and sustainable option but unfortunately, it’s not always affordable. I’m particularly excited by this project as it will allow more people to connect with healthy, local and sustainable food."

Project partners:

• Carrick Greengrocers 
• Positive Carrickfergus

Supporters:

• Nourish NI

Next steps: Expanding the membership model.