On Saturday the 2nd December, there was a nip in the air, but the atmosphere was warm and welcoming at the brand new Foodprint store in Sneinton. After many months of hard work with Enactus Nottingham, the group of 9 UoN students were ready to showcase their labour of love. Their mission: to create “a sustainable network redistributing food locally and affordably”.
“The store allows locals to access affordable groceries every week”
The unfortunate truth is that 30% of children live in food poverty in Nottingham, and that more than ¼ of food in the UK goes to waste. Foodprint is a not-for-profit social enterprise, responding to these issues. The store allows locals to access affordable groceries every week. Moreover, the project addresses the larger-scale issue of food waste, by selling products that would have been destined for landfill. Some are just a tiny bit past their ‘best before date’, while others simply came in an odd batch number and so cannot be shelved by the main retailers (but are well within date!).
On Saturday, those who arrived to see the Sheriff of Nottingham open the store, would have noticed the palpable pride and excitement of the team behind Foodprint. All beaming and ready to chat to curious locals, it would be hard to leave the store without a smile yourself.
Those who came on Saturday had first-pickings of the bargain goods on offer, and a chance to enjoy some festive treats and a cup of tea. The store is starting off by offering a selection of all the things you would find in any other grocery store. They are sourced fresh, and cupboard goods from major food retailers in Nottingham and local producers.
“The store will be open every Friday-Monday, 9-5pm”
If you weren’t able to attend the opening, fear not. The store will be open every Friday-Monday, 9-5pm for customers to explore what they have to offer, which will inevitably slightly change each week (and variety is the spice of life, so that makes shopping at Foodprint even more fun!).
In the future, the group want to establish a café and a cosy seating area for locals to socialise and share posters and leaflets about local events and organisations which benefit the community. The store is in its early days, but has reached the finals of Green Gown Awards, recognising the exceptional initiative of the project, and the vast array of social and environmental benefits it will bring.
The team are dedicated to expanding what Foodprint offers, and hoping to inspire other similar enterprises to establish in the UK. The team are excited to welcome new volunteers to help grow Foodprint, and serve customers in the store on Fridays.
Many local people who are struggling to find daytime activities while seeking employment, have shown an interest in helping out. However, the team would love more UoN students to get involved. You can learn more and keep up-to-date with their work on Facebook and at https://www.foodprint.io/.
We at Impact love this project, and congratulate the team on all they have achieved. We can’t wait to watch the business flourish!
Current product range: 7/10
Marketing and promotion: 9/10
Atmosphere: 10/10
Service: 9/10
Layout: 9/10
Location: 8/10 (a bit far from Uni Park Campus but worth the journey!)
Potential for expansion/diversification: 9/10
Lucia Amoroso
Images courtesy of Lee Taylor
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