Bio Bulk Bende

Bio Bulk Bende is a food cooperative in Rotterdam, run entirely by its members since 2019, that buys organic food together from local producers and distributors.

The fresh produce comes from farmers and suppliers in the Rijnmond region, though which farms they are we couldn't confirm, and the tins and shelf-stable goods come from the organic wholesaler De Nieuwe Band / Odin. Dry goods, from spaghetti to toothpaste, are ordered in bulk, fresh produce can be ordered individually, and a few staples such as oats are kept in stock to save on cost and plastic. Bio Bulk Bende holds no organic certificate; what qualifies it here is that it buys organic food direct from the producer or distributor.

Joining means paying a one-off membership fee and giving about three hours a month to running the co-op in a working group, such as cooking, setting up, orders or finance. New members must first attend an introduction, held at 19:00 on the first Monday of each month at the Huis van de Toekomst on the Jan Kobellstraat. Orders are placed online through Foodsoft and collected and paid for at the same address on the first Monday of the month between 18:00 and 20:00, when the cooking group also serves a vegan meal.

The co-op has no profit motive and runs on members' time, so buying in bulk close to the source keeps prices near wholesale.