Food markets play an important role in the Vancouver Neighbourhood Food Network local food security strategy. Ideally, they support local food redistribution that is more affordable by circumventing the higher costs of food sold in the private for-profit retail sector. Most Food Network markets achieve a much lower cost by purchasing wholesale and by subsidizing the cost of operations through government grants and are designed to help address household food insecurity. While they might be critiqued as a form of subsidized charity, I think of them as a form of wealth redistribution, whereby our taxes are used for the common good.
These community-centred markets of course are not wholly independent of capitalist supply chains so perhaps a more valid critique is the extent to which they can effectively confront or shift exploitative labour practice in the food growing and production end of the supply chain through their buying power. It is worth considering as we work towards a fully just food system. Nevertheless, at the consumer end, particularly for lower-income community members, such alternative markets can increase equity in the system.
But community markets can do more than simply create more just forms of exchange that are non-profit in nature. They build community when people come together to design and operate programs that work to help each other through an ethic of care and self-reliance. One such program is the Grandview Woodland Food Connection’s Britannia Bulk Buy Food Club (BBBFC) that operates out of Britannia Community Centre in East Vancouver.
The BBBFC represents the best of community. Yes, it is meant to ease the financial burden on individuals and households with a tight budget, but it is far from a food bank. Rather, participants in the program purchase food as they would any normal money transaction, but the wholesale costs are 35% – 45% cheaper than retail. Staffing times are not added to the costs but covered through grants. Volunteers, many of whom are also program participants, help keep costs down in a mutual aid way. Quality produce is purchased fresh on the day of the market and additional supplemental food donations are included.
Participants pay $15 for an extra-large bag of produce, far less than the same amount of food purchased at a store. Food costs are revenue neutral and the price participants pay covers the wholesale costs. This financial exchange is important as it completely eliminates the stigma associated with charity hand-outs. Participants in the program feel no shame picking up their food. Equally important is that this market prioritizes quality fresh produce over rescued often older or close to expiry food. While the program also offers a sizeable amount of food rescue, this is optional. The BBBFC departs from the false and misleading narrative that recovered food surplus is even a good solution to reducing household food insecurity.
To be clear, raising people’s incomes is the principal key to solving hunger, not surplus food redistribution.
And what about community? The BBBFC is really one big happy family currently serving 154 individuals or households who pool their money to purchase at bulk prices. Participants come from all walks of life and backgrounds. Many are working and may not even consider themselves low income, but household budgets in a very expensive rental market are tight and people want to save money. The program does not discriminate nor means test to prove poverty, unlike food banks. The experience of picking up food is a happy one where people come and go, hang out and chat. It is homier and more personal than shopping at a store. It is a chance for people to connect and build friendships, especially for participants who are feeling isolated. Located at a community centre, this program can also provide a point of entry to other community centre programs including social, education, health related or recreational.
In 2020 the COVID pandemic shut down the city including many food stores and restaurants. Ironically, even the “emergency” food banks shut down for over 3 weeks until they figured out safety protocols. Where no city emergency plan existed for this type of pandemic let alone an emergency food plan, the BBBFC was able to pivot its program within days of the shutdown and drawing on its many community relations, knowledge of those community members most vulnerable, its food procurement systems and core of volunteers, the newly designed Britannia COVID Emergency Food Program was delivering food to people’s doorsteps immediately and eventually reaching over 740 households 7 days a week for over 14 months.
This is what community resilience and food security looks like where food distribution and control of our food system is developed within the community. For their effort during COVID, the BBBFC and the entire community who stepped up to help deserve a medal. This is the power of community building, resilience and the importance of community-centred food markets within a local food security strategy.