What is the Real Food Store?

Welcome to the Real Food Store, Exeter’s first community owned food business. The Real Food Store offers good, fresh food and drink from sustainable sources at an honest price. We aim to give you an enjoyable, alternative shopping experience! You will find in one lovely and inter-connected space the:

  • Store for all your grocery needs
  • Bakery for your daily bread
  • Take-Away counter for your grab and go coffee or lunch & with a small sit-down area
  • Café & gallery upstairs for a delicious sit-down experience (You can also view local art!)

The Real Food Store opened on 30 March 2011 and is open Mon-Sat 9-6pm.

(The café has slightly different opening times).

HOW DID WE DO IT? THE REAL FOOD STORY IN BRIEF:

  • The Real Food Store is owned by Exeter Local Food Ltd. which is a Community Benefit Society with over 300 members, one of the largest community-owned food enterprises in the country.
  • All the members have invested their own money to help set up the business – between them they raised over £153,000.
  • Each member has one vote at Annual General Meetings, and the membership elects a Board of Directors, responsible for the strategic management of the business.
  • The Real Food Store managers and the staff team run and develop the business on a daily basis; do talk to any Real Food member of staff about any aspect of the store, we are always happy to take on board your suggestions and comments.
  • You can find out more about how this type of community investment works on our website where all the Exeter Local Food Ltd information is available.
  • Real Food was initiated by Transition Exeter in March 2009 at a public meeting about local food where people wanted to create a dynamic food hub in the city.
  • By December 2009 a small working group had produced a detailed Business Plan.
  • By March 2010 suitable premises to lease were found.
  • With advice from Wessex Community Assets, a share offer was launched in June 2010 inviting people to invest in Exeter Local Food Ltd.
  • By the end of September 2010 thanks to the member investors we had raised over £153,000 and were able to launch the business!
  • During winter of 2010/11 an amazing team of all trades transformed a building site into a beautiful & fully functioning store and café.
  • The newly appointed store managers & staff team worked tirelessly with Real Food Store member-volunteers assisting them to get the store and café ready for opening.
  • The first batch of Emma’s Bread loaves baked just days before the store opened.
  • Local growers and producers delivered their first batch of stock to the store.
  • The store opened its doors for trading for the first time on Wednesday 30 March!

Click here for more on the Real Food Store backstory.