The Ipswich Ripple Food Cooperative is set to start trading this Saturday
21st April, after six months of preparation.

The first ever trading session will take place from 10am-1pm at the Salvation Army Hall, 121 Bramford Rd, and will be followed by a launch party from 2pm in the Arboretum pub on High Street, where there will be wholefood tasting and musical entertainment provided by the Suffolk Singer-Songwriters group.

The Food Coop aims to provide the urban Ipswich population with access to
healthy, organic, locally-produced and fairtrade wholefoods at affordable
prices, as well as make available unbiased information about their uses and
benefits. The project works on a non-profit basis and is entirely
volunteer-run, promoting community self-action and empowerment.

Buying as a cooperative enables purchasing items in bulk at wholesale
prices, which are then be distributed to members at very small markup,
debunking the idea that healthy and organic foods are by nature expensive,
luxury goods. It also increases the range of goods that people can access,
some of which have been very hard to find since Ipswich’s only independent
wholefood shop, Fruits of the Earth, closed last year.

Gemma, one of the organisers of the coop, explains: “The idea for the coop
really came out of necessity, because myself and other people I know, the
vegetarians especially, were having to travel long distances to get products
or just going without. I spoke to people who drove out to Halesworth,
Sudbury and Manningtree once a month to buy wholefood groceries – that’s
incredible considering Ipswich is supposed to be the county town of
Suffolk!”

There will be a photo opportunity both at the opening at 10am and at the
Arboretum at 2.30pm.

for more information contact:
Gemma Sayers
Tel: 07816 146 567
http://www.ipswichripplefoodcooperative.co.uk

http://www.myspace.com/ipswichripplefoodcoop

Notes for editors:

1. In its initial run, the co-op will stock around 120 different products,
from cheap staples such as rice, nuts, seeds, grains and pulses, to
prioducts not readily found anywhere else in the town such as Miso, local
herbs and Red Quinoa. Almost all products will be organic and sold at
near-cost.

2. A membership scheme has been set up which offers a further discount on
foods and allows one-off bulk orders to be made along with the main buy, so
people unable to afford wholesale on their own can buy direct. As of April
13, there are 51 members of the co-op, including local councillors and three
founder-members of the of Fruits of the Earth shop.

3. Trading sessions will happen alongside the Salvation Army’s own coffee
mornings, and the SA will sell fair trade coffee & tea (sourced through the
co-op) to members and people browsing.