Edinburgh Community Food Kiosk

What: A local retail pilot that enables people living in a low income community in Leith to access organic fruit and vegetables grown locally and sourced from organic wholesalers discounted at 50% from a pop up stall in a busy part of Leith. The stall runs fortnightly on Thursdays.

Where: Edinburgh, Scotland

Which of the six approaches this pilot uses: Local retail, horticulture strategy.

Demonstrating:

• Interest in and uptake of organic fruit and vegetable offer in a new location.
• Whether people change their shopping habits as a result of the new offer.
• Sense of wellbeing as a result of access to pesticide free fruit and veg.

Story: Edinburgh Community Food is a social enterprise and charity that works with communities to develop food access initiatives. They source and sell the best quality fruit and vegetables, running stalls in Edinburgh’s hospitals and delivering fresh fruit and vegetables across the city.

This pilot is introducing organic fruit and veg at prices that match non-organically grown produce at the old police box in Leith, which is a diverse and low income community. The fruit and veg is supplied from Jock Tamson’s Gairden, a community food project based in Edinburgh next to Arthur’s Seat, as well as Pillars of Hercules Farm in Fife and an organic wholesale supplier.

One happy customer said:

"My wonderful box arrived full of delicious stuff, including cherries...Dead chuffed...A brilliant project...Highly recommended. Thanks to ECF."

Brenda Black, Chief Executive at Edinburgh Community Food says:

“We’re thrilled to lead on the Bridging the Gap pilot in Edinburgh and to have been able to source a wonderful variety of locally grown Scottish fruit and vegetables at affordable prices for the community in North Leith”

Project partners:

• Edinburgh Community Food
• Jock Tamson’s Gairden
• Pillars of Hercules 

Supporters:

• Nourish Scotland