Ethical Partnerships
West Lothian Food and Health Development (WELFEHD) was set up in 2006 as a Company Limited by Guarantee.
It is the supplier and distributor of fresh fruit and vegetables for community food co-ops in West Lothian as well as community food networks in East Lothian, Midlothian, Edinburgh and Aberdeen. The organisation is a social enterprise and has charitable status. Its objective is to create 'a healthier West Lothian where affordable fresh fruit and vegetables are more widely available and the benefits of eating a healthy, balanced diet are recognised.'
WELFEHD delivers to fifteen co-ops, three of which it owns, and also to a number of private customers. The organisation has a turnover of around £619,000. Almost three quarters of its income is from sales. In the last financial year, 21% of its sales were of local produce, and it aims to develop this further over time.
WELFEHD works with a number of local producers, particularly farmer David Dickson, who supplies a substantial amount of its root vegetables. As a result of that partnership, WELFEHD estimates that £17,000 has been kept in the West Lothian local economy. By working with local farmers, the organisation has access to high quality products, which are not travelling large distances to customers.
Another benefit to the organisation of sourcing locally, is that the quality and the provenance of the products means that it can deliver healthy, fresh and tasty produce to consumers who would not be able to buy it otherwise because of cost and availability. In addition, WELFEHD is reducing food miles by working in partnership with David. He has clear views about the benefits of collaborating with WELFEHD.
As well as the agreed price, David benefits from the stability that a regular customer offers. The annual pricing means he can budget better and, as he gets direct feedback from the customer, he is learning more about market requirements and can alter production to meet these needs.
Feedback on the quality of the products also allows him to monitor his production methods and crop varieties so that he can meet quality standards.
The organisation has recently been awarded a grant from Big Lottery to acquire new premises and equipment. The organisation aims to increase its supply of locally grown produce over the years to come and would also like to expand its sales to private customers and other local businesses, as well as to the co-ops it works with. It is also very keen to find many more suppliers like David with whom it can work.
Key Points from this case study:
- fair pricing means security of supply and stability for the producer
- feedback to the supplier ensures quality
- feedback from the customer aligns production to customer demand
- openness and transparency are essential in developing a collaborative relationship
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