We have news.
If you’ve been following us over the last few years you’ll know that we have been struggling through financial difficulties following an ambitious and ill timed expansion which saw us scale up; opening new shops and a central distribution hub.
A year back loads of you supported our crowdfunder which bought us time to try to turn things around. We knew it was an extremely challenging task but gave it our best to stop losses, reduce costs, and make the enterprise profitable. Our team worked incredibly hard and managed to grow custom while savings were made. That brought Locavore to a point where it was breaking even month to month.
Unfortunately this has just come too late. The debt we built up while trading at a loss is beyond what we can repay, and we’re shackled into leases we can’t afford, or exit. There’s now no route through the situation for Locavore CIC.
After 13 years of developing a social enterprise that helps build the sustainable, local food networks that we need, it is has been tough to give up; and we’ve not. We have found a way to safeguard much of Locavore’s activities including the Partick and Govanhill shops, veg boxes, and local food growing. Earlier today these parts of the business were acquired by a new social enterprise (The Chard Holding Group) set up by Locavore’s founder, this secured 77 jobs.
Sadly it is the end of the road for everything else that remains of Locavore CIC. We have put the company into administration. This has led to the immediate closure of the Kirkintilloch shop, following the recent closure of the Edinburgh branch. We’re really sorry we couldn’t make these locations work and want to apologise to the team and supporters for not being able to secure a future for these shops. We’ll support the team members impacted by these changes to ensure they receive everything they are due.
Thank you to everyone who has supported Locavore, and our wider mission to build the sustainable local food networks that are required now and into the future. We hope you’ll continue backing the new incarnation by using the Govanhill & Partick shops, or getting a veg box.
Reuben & Doro (Locavore & Chard Directors)
Geoff Jacobs and Blair Nimmo were appointed Joint Administrators of Locavore Community Interest Company – in Administration on 30 January 2024.