Limerick Community Grocery CLG, trading as Urban Co-op, is a consumer co-operative based in
Limerick
Limerick ( ; ga, Luimneach ) is a western city in Ireland situated within County Limerick. It is in the province of Munster and is located in the Mid-West which comprises part of the Southern Region. With a population of 94,192 at the 2016 ...
,
County Limerick
"Remember Limerick"
, image_map = Island_of_Ireland_location_map_Limerick.svg
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = Ireland
, subdivision_type1 = Province
, subdivision_name1 = Munster
, subdivision ...
providing local, organic groceries to its members and local community.
History
The Urban Co-op has its root in attempts by Meitheal Mid West to address the challenges of unemployment in Limerick taking inspiration from the successful
Mondragon Corporation
The Mondragon Corporation is a corporation and federation of worker cooperatives based in the Basque region of Spain.
It was founded in the town of Mondragon in 1956 by José María Arizmendiarrieta and a group of his students at a technical ...
. After assessing that the conditions in
Ireland
Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...
were not conducive starting worker co-operatives, the collective "turned
heir
Inheritance is the practice of receiving private property, titles, debts, entitlements, privileges, rights, and obligations upon the death of an individual. The rules of inheritance differ among societies and have changed over time. Officiall ...
attention to something more . . . practical . . . something more achievable" such as a community grocery.
The Urban Co-op began as an informal buying club before evolving into a full service community grocery and retail hub.
Activities
The Urban Co-op provides an extensive selection of organic products, with a focus on supporting local, small producers. Since moving to its 600 sq/m premises in Eastway Business Park, it has been able to support a 7 day a week operation alongside a 'Wellness Hub' offer therapy rooms for rent.
See also
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List of food cooperatives
The following is a list of food cooperative grocery stores and buyers groups, current and defunct. Many of the second-wave food cooperatives formed in the 1960s and 1970s started as buying clubs.
This list is not exhaustive, and is limited to no ...
References
{{Reflist
Food cooperatives
Cooperatives in Ireland
Cooperatives in the Republic of Ireland