Blue Mountains Food Co-operative Limited is one of the largest and longest running food co-operatives in Australia. Established in 1981 as a tiny buyers group operating from a member’s garage, the Co-op has since grown into a thriving business in the heart of Katoomba, in the Blue Mountains of New South Wales. As of 2021, the Co-op had 2500 members and an annual turnover of over $4 million. It’s come a long way since its early days operating from a garage!
In recent years, the Co-op has frequently been approached by individuals and groups for advice in regard to starting and operating their own food co-operatives. While there are various manuals available on co-ops and their formation, none of these are specific to food co-operatives in Australia. In this, our 40th birthday year, it felt timely to share our experience and expertise by creating a resource document to share. Our hope is that this manual will guide and assist others to create community food co-ops that are as long-lasting and successful as our own.
We wish you all the best on your food co-operative journey!
Sonya Byron, Blue Mountains Food Co-op
