Welcome to the Co-op

Our main aims are to provide:

- a diverse range of products which are unprocessed,
- unpackaged produce wherever possible,
- organic, GE-free produce grown as close as possible to Cairns (preferably by small producers).

By purchasing goods through our shop you are not only helping yourself, but also Community Foods and the environment.

How co-ops are special

Seven principles of co-operation are central to the operation and establishment of co-ops. These are:

1. Voluntary and Open Membership
2. Democratic Member Control
3. Member Economic Participation
4. Autonomy and Independence
5. Education, Training and Information
6. Co-operation among Co-operatives
7. Concern for the Community

How is the co-op organised?

The co-op depends on volunteers in all areas - working in the shop, cleaning, finances, maintenance, etc.

The co-op is run by the Management Committee - a team of dedicated volunteers who make consensus decisions about the future directions of the co-op as well as the daily running of the co-op. They also support the co-ordinators.

We also have a shop co-ordinator who is responsible for overseeing the day-to-day running of the shop. The co-ordinator ensures that volunteers have access to information and skills to empower them with the running of the co-op.

We also have a produce co-ordinator who orders and picks up the food and stays in touch with new information about our products.

Our team of volunteers is managed by our roster co-ordinator.

We are now incorporated as a non-trading no-shares co-operative under the Co-operatives Act.