This week's Website of the Web is FoodCoops.org (www.foodcoops.org) - the home of food co-ops on the web. If you would like to nominate a regional or local site with an environmental flavour please contact info@yhref.org.uk

On FoodCoops.org you will find the food co-ops finder, details of how you can add your group to the database, as well as a food co-op toolkit containing all the information you need to set up your own food co-op.

About Food Co-ops

The main principle behind all community food co-ops is that by pooling their buying power and ordering food in bulk direct from suppliers, a group of people can buy good food at a more affordable price.

Small food co-ops or buying groups work by collecting together everyone’s orders in advance, whereas other models operate more like other food businesses in that they order the produce from suppliers and then sell it to their customers via stalls, bag or box schemes, mobile stores, shops or other types of outlet.

The main things community food co-ops have is common are they:

• Are run by the community for the community
• Aim to supply produce at affordable prices
• Are run on a not for profit basis
• Generally rely on the support of volunteers, either in the day-to day running or on the committee

However, that is where the similarity ends, as every food co-op is unique, and the way it runs will depend on the community it serves and the people who run it.

The Food Co-ops and Buying Groups programme is managed by Sustain, the alliance for better food and farming, as part of the Making Local Food Work programme.