Our latest news, blogs, ideas, tips and opinion pieces
A video showcase of how community food enterprises work
There are many wonderful and different approaches to creating and running a community food enterprise. In this blog, we explore some examples from a webinar in which we invited Locavore Glasgow, New Dawn Traders, Helston Local Food Hub and Y Pantri Glas to talk...
How to build amazing customer relationships
What’s one advantage you are likely to have that supermarkets and big retailers don’t? The opportunity to build great relationships with your customers on an individual basis. And if you make the most of this advantage to develop an ongoing relationship with your...
All card payments through Stripe will require Strong Card Authorisation (SCA) as of 31st December.
To help make card payments more secure the UK Government is rolling out new legislation. In this blog Louise explains how to make sure you are prepared. What is SCA? SCA- Strong Card Authorisation- is an additional security measure, which protects...
How community food enterprises work towards food equality
Community food enterprises are part of a movement to address systemic issues in the food system in a way that is dignified and redistributive. In this blog, Joe McCrohon explores practical steps some food hubs are taking to address food affordability. The Open Food...
Simple ways to design and schedule social media posts for free
If you find you are spending too much time on social media without seeing the results you would like for your food enterprise, then this is for you. In this resource you will find proven tactics for creating attractive posts your customers will love and learn how...
How to survive and thrive through lockdown
The UK is now in a second full national lockdown to prevent the spread of the Coronavirus. The PM said lockdown will expire on the 2nd December, however, there is the potential it could be extended if the infection rate doesn’t decrease enough by this date. ...
How to make the most of Christmas trade for your food enterprise
We don’t need research to prove shopper activity is affected by Christmas, just a quick look at your local high street in December will do! Most customers care about Christmas and your relevant, seasonal efforts show your customers you care about them. In return,...
The Battle Against Chlorinated Chicken: Why food sovereignty and farmers’ rights matters in the UK
Battles over chlorinated chicken, hormone-treated beef, and genetically modified produce have been raging since the Brexit referendum. With the Agriculture Bill in parliamentary ping pong debating the enshrinement of UK standards into law Cobi Akinrele and Lynne...
How Food Producers can inspire the next generation
There is a famous quote that goes something like this: “We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors; we borrow it from our children.” And sadly what we are giving our children are food systems that rely largely on long, complicated supply chains, globalised...
Can Community Food Enterprises change the world?
In this blog Joe McCrohon and Lynne Davis investigate the world of community food enterprises and food hubs to find out the lay of the land from an academic perspective. The Open Food Network supports a vibrant network of food enterprises that are deeply embedded...
Meet Field Bakery and Mill at Gothelney Farm
Meet Field Bakery and Mill and discover how and why the Open Food Network UK is part of the story behind this pioneering field to fork collaboration.
Sustainable Food Procurement Hubs in Wales
Over the past year, the Open Food Network UK has been working on an innovative pilot scheme to demonstrate the feasibility of supplying local food to the Welsh public plate. Working with partners from Social Farms and Gardens, Cultivate, Development Trust...
From Just in Case towards local food resilience
Following an inspiring presentation at Groundswell 2025, Open Food Network UK's Nick Weir reflects on Professor Tim Lang's Just in Case report and explores OFN's role in strengthening local food resilience.
Connections and inspiration abound at Groundswell 2025
Open Food Network UK looks back at an inspiring Groundswell 2025, featuring the Procurement for Good project, the Wild Venison Network and more.
A trip to Cultivate, Powys as part of the Procurement For Good project
The Procurement For Good project team visited Cultivate in Newtown and other inspiring community food hubs in Powys, celebrating local sustainable food initiatives, new grower schemes, and the future of public sector food procurement. On a sunny Wednesday in April,...
Visit to Better Food Shed with Procurement For Good
Continuing our series of hub visits as part of the Procurement For Good project, in April we travelled to London to visit the Better Food Shed
Flower Grower Collective: Collaboration. Community. Creativity.
We are very pleased that The Flower Grower Collective (FGC) has been awarded funding through the prestigious Farming Innovation Programme.
Visit to Propagate & Galloway Food Hub
At the end of January the Procurement For Good (P4G) project team travelled to Dumfries for the first of four hub visits.
The Open Food Network has been invited to be an ambassador of the EU Proximity and Social Economy Platform
The Open Food Network is now an ambassador for the EU Proximity and Social Economy Platform! Diesis is a global network of social entrepreneurs supporting the development of the social economy, social entrepreneurship and social innovation. The Network aims to...
Manda Scott joins OFN UK as an ambassador
We are very pleased to welcome Manda Scott as an ambassador. This is what she said about the OFN: "You're being the change we need to see. At a core level, we need total systemic change and shifting our food/farming system to something based in co-operation and...