A community food co-op opens in Attard

A cooperative food shop set up in Attard is testing a new model for food retail in Malta, one that prioritises local suppliers, minimal markups and member ownership. 

The shop, known as The Food Co-op, sells seasonal fruit and vegetables, eggs, meat, dairy, baked goods, condiments and traditional items such as Maltese coffee.

We are sourcing food directly from [Maltese] farmers and herdsmen,” said Daniel Schembri, who helped found the co-op next to the Pitkalija market in Attard.

The initiative currently partners with over 900 crop farmers, 80 herdsmen, 80 olive growers, five sheep farms and five mushroom farms.

Products sold at the Food Coop

Schembri said the aim is to make healthy food more accessible while supporting local producers.

Prices are kept low at the co-op since it aims to sustain itself rather than amass profits. For example, one head of lettuce sells for €1.25, compared to around €1.99 in some supermarkets.  A carton of six eggs is about 30 cents cheaper.

Beyond affordability, the project also aims to reduce the environmental impact of food retail by avoiding imports. Goods are transported from local farms, limiting their carbon footprint.

Schembri said he was inspired by the success of local food co-ops in other European countries and figured it was time to start one in Malta.  

Koperattivi Malta currently incubates the co-op, but the goal is for it to become a self-sustaining operation, run entirely by the community.

Local produce at the Food Coop. Photo: Jonathan Borg.

“A normal citizen can become an owner of the business,” he said, explaining that people can buy a share in the co-op for a small fee.

So far, the co-op has 39 members, and 75 others have registered their interest online.

This membership allows them to attend annual meetings where they can have a say in how the shop runs by approving or disapproving motions. They also decide how much products should cost.

“It has to be enough to run the shop but not too much to accumulate extra profits,” Schembri said.

Customers can shop at the Food Coop from Monday to Friday 8:00-19:00. The weekend hours are Saturday and Sunday from 8:00-13:30.