Community food enterprises (CFEs) are part of a movement to address systemic issues in the food system in a way that is dignified and redistributive. 

At Open Food Network, we’ve seen the regenerative power of quality food, produced by local producers and distributed through short supply networks. Unfortunately, the food system has significant inequalities built into it, making access to quality food more difficult for some. The effects of this unequal access are far reaching. Joe McCrohon, a member of the OFN UK admin team and a researcher on this topic, explains it like this:

“Aside from hunger, one of the most pernicious aspects of food poverty is an inability to access and afford good quality food. As a result, people are pushed towards poorer quality food, which has long term impacts upon individuals’ health and wellbeing, particularly in children. Experiencing food shortages as a child can impact learning, education outcomes and in turn future prospects.” 

In recent years, this food gap has only widened. The COVID-19 pandemic was especially hard on communities already facing economic insecurity. Post pandemic, these communities are now struggling with the effects of inflation, especially the rapid rise in food prices. 

Combating food insecurity and inequality

Community food enterprises encompass a diverse range of locally-owned and locally-controlled food businesses that are focused on making a positive impact for the communities they serve. One of the essential ways they do this is by combating food insecurity and inequality, often through a holistic approach that recognises food poverty as part of a more general state of poverty. This approach can not only help create food equality, but in many cases help to deal with the other issues associated with poverty, such as loneliness. In addressing food poverty in a dignified manner, CFEs help to strengthen their communities by simply bringing people together. 

For example: 

• Offering free delivery for those who wish
• Implementing a pay it forward scheme, available to producers as well as consumers
• Letting other groups within the community use their infrastructure; for example, delivering food to community fridges, as part of deliveries that would happen anyway
• Paying the Living Wage for their area
• Working with food poverty networks 
• Creating a visible presence in communities to establish a platform where issues such as food inequality can be discussed. 

Diverse models for diverse communities

In contrast to the one-size-fits-all model the industrial food system runs on, creating food equality requires that groups take into account and address the needs of their unique communities. The result is a range of models and organizational structures, often built from the ground up. What these enterprises share is the drive to ensure those who require it can access quality, regionally sourced food for a reasonable price.

One example of this mission in action is St. James Town Community CO-OP, located in a diverse and densely-populated neighbourhood of Toronto. Operating a food hub, buying club, intergenerational food and wellness collective, and more, the grassroots cooperative is run “For the community; by the community.”

“We’re working to bring together community members from different languages, experiences, and socio-economic positions to share food and meaningful engagement that prioritizes collective learning and well-being. We strive for food security, resilience to climate crisis, economic stability, and collective community processes in our neighborhood.”

Get involved

If reading this blog has whetted your appetite for change, there are a variety of things you can do to support the movement for equitable, high quality food. 

• Talk to a friend, family member or neighbour about what you just read, or discuss it on social media. 
• The living wage across the country varies. If you employ people, consider how you could pay them the living wage if you don’t currently. 
• Read up about the cooperative movement and consider if it would suit your business to become a cooperative. 
• Get involved in one of the many slow food groups that stretch across the globe. 
• Find out about gleaning (harvesting leftover crops from a farmers’ field) and see if you could be involved in offering or running a program with local farms. 
• Find out your local mutual aid group near you. 
• Get involved in your local food poverty alliance, create your own, or get involved in the nearest community fridge. 
• Educate yourself and others on food insecurity to help end stigma against those experiencing it.