Benalla food co-op marks 15 years with community celebration

A group of 23 members attended the celebration, including six who joined recently.

Benalla Food Co-op manager Sonia Burke said it was a wonderful success.

“Many members commented on how much they enjoyed the day and the opportunity to connect with fellow co-op members,” she said.

“Guests shared an impressive spread of homemade dishes, many of which were prepared using products from the co-op.”

During the celebration, Christine Holmes, one of the founding members, gave a brief presentation reflecting on the history of the co-op and acknowledged Ms Bourke for her ongoing work and dedication in her role as co-op manager.

The lunch celebrated 15 successful years and highlighted the strong sense of community that continues to make the Benalla Food Co-op a valued local organisation.

“The Benalla Food Co-operative remains committed to enabling members to purchase mainly Australian-produced, non-perishable foods without packaging,” Ms Burke said.

“Supporting local and regional producers whenever possible is a key focus of the co-op, along with reducing packaging and supporting Australian growers to cut down on food miles and costs.”

Non-perishable items such as flour, cereals, seeds, rice, sugar, beans, dried fruit and nuts are available in bulk, with an increasing range of organic products offered.

Fair trade organic tea and coffee are also available, and members can purchase any quantity of products they need.

To further reduce waste, members are encouraged to bring their own containers.

To learn more about the Benalla Food Co-operative and find out how you can support sustainable food practices, community members are welcome to email foodcoopbenalla@gmail.com or pop in during one of the four monthly open sessions:

You can find the Benalla Food Co-op in the kindergarten hall at the Benalla Uniting Church, Carrier St, Benalla, opposite Coles.