Alfalfa House


Alfalfa House Community Food Cooperative Ltd is a not-for-profit food cooperative in Enmore, Sydney, Australia. It is a registered cooperative. Alfalfa House began in the front room of a terraced house in Erskineville in 1981.
According to its introductory material for new members, the main aim of the cooperative is to provide minimally-packaged and minimally-processed organic food and low-impact common household products, processed in ways that minimise harm to both people and the environment.
WWW alfalfahouse.org

Policy

Alfalfa House is managed by a board of directors, the Members' Council, elected at the cooperative's Annual General Meeting. The council oversees the financial management and general ongoing policy-making of the co-op. According to its Rules of Incorporation, any financial surpluses are to be re-invested in the co-op to improve services to the membership.

Objectives

According to its Rules of Incorporation, Alfalfa House aims to
  • provide a retail source of wholefoods so that members may have some control over the sources of their food supply
  • provide information on and promote the use of: low-cost, ethically-produced and packaged wholefoods; cruelty-free foods; vegetarian foods; vegan foods; organic foods; and genetically modified-free foods
  • run an ethical, not-for-profit business
  • minimise resource wastage and, hence, encourage reuse and recycling
  • support other cooperatives whose objectives are similar or related to the objectives of the cooperative
  • stimulate community development, foster community spirit and promote sustainable living