Carrickfergus Community Greengrocer Annual Report
*For the period ending 31 March 2024*
Three years have passed since a group of us first envisioned a community greengrocer in Carrickfergus town centre. This blog reflects on our journey from idea to reality.
The concept of Carrick Greengrocers emerged from discussions held by Positive Carrickfergus in 2021, as part of Mid and East Antrim Borough Council’s Sustainable Food Places project. These conversations highlighted the lack of affordable, quality, locally grown food in Carrickfergus, sparking the idea of a community-owned greengrocer.
In November 2021, a diverse group of nine individuals came together to make this vision a reality. Guided by our mentor, Tiziana O’Hara of Cooperative Alternatives, we worked to establish clear goals and a cooperative approach to decision-making. Our initial focus was on market research, financial forecasting, governance, and securing premises.
The Community Shop Model:
After thorough research, we decided on a Community Benefit Society model, which ensures the business is owned and managed by local people. This structure guarantees that profits are reinvested back into the business and the community, rather than benefiting a few private owners. We officially registered as Carrickfergus Community Greengrocers Limited on 29 July 2022, under the Co-operative and Community Benefit Societies Act. This model of operation ensures that everyone has a say, with “one member, one vote.”
As we researched successful models, we connected with other cooperatives and community businesses, gaining invaluable advice from groups like Bethany Fruit & Veg in East Belfast, Unicorn Grocery in Manchester, and Dig in Bruntsfield in Edinburgh. This support helped us refine our plans and stay motivated.
By October 2022, we held our first public meetings, generating excitement and support for the project. We then focused on drafting our business plan, which was critical for securing funding and demonstrating our commitment to building a sustainable, community-centered business.
We worked with a local designer, Ian McKenzie, to create our brand and website. As part of this we needed to decide on a trading name. We played with lots of different ideas, around words like rooted, nurture, green, fresh. Chris Dobbs helped us with our overall identity when we suggested the strapline ‘community owned, locally grown’. This was one of those moments of magic that happens when you’re deep in the midst of a process like this. Someone just slightly outside the inner group can see more clearly – once we heard those words, so many things clicked into place. Our shop name became Carrick Greengrocers – we can’t imagine it any other way.
Carrick Greengrocers – Community Owned, Locally Grown.
In April 2023, we launched our share offer, with a target to raise between £25,000 and £60,000. The response was overwhelming—by June, we had raised £34,410 from 434 members, including supporters from as far as Denmark and New York.
With funds secured, we began preparations to open the store. After a delay with our original premises, we secured a location on West Street. Volunteers and local businesses rallied to help us transform the space, with significant contributions from community members like Ritchie, who donated and installed equipment.
On 19 July 2023, Carrick Greengrocers officially opened its doors. Despite early challenges, including working with paper price lists and a makeshift till system, the response was incredible, with long queues on our first days.
By the end of our first financial year, we had taken over £96,000 in revenue from over 9,000 transactions, far exceeding expectations. The shop is home to products from over 20 local suppliers, including fresh produce, jams, sourdough, vegan products, and more. We’ve also welcomed donations from the community, which helps reduce food waste and support local producers.
Volunteers have been essential to our success. We are deeply grateful for their time and effort, from setting up the shop to assisting with daily operations. We’ve also offered volunteer placements, working with AEL (Larne) to provide work experience for young people.
Although we are a cooperative and really believe that the work all cooperatives are doing is important and valid, we were quietly chuffed to be nominated for an award this year. In October 2023, we were nominated for and won the Outstanding Voluntary team Award at the Social Enterprise NI awards. There is no ‘best’, there is only ‘doing our best to make a difference. That said, the award was a powerful recognition of the work of our volunteers in particular.
We opened Carrick Greengrocers to support local farmers and provide the community with access to fresh, affordable, and sustainable food. As we continue to grow, our aim is to increase the proportion of local produce we sell, track this growth, and contribute to regenerating Carrick’s town centre.
Our focus for the upcoming year includes further developing our relationship with members, offering new benefits, expanding our product range, and strengthening our volunteer network.
You can see our full annual report here
And our accounts for the period ended March 2024 can be found here Carrick Greengrocers Accounts Mar 2024