Growing Communities

Background

Growing Communities is a long‑standing, mission‑driven organisation helping Londoners feel good about their food choices since 1996. Based in Hackney, they run the UK’s only all‑organic weekly farmers’ market alongside a thriving subscription veg bag scheme and the not‑for‑profit wholesale arm The Better Food Shed — all designed to support sustainable farming, fair pay and healthier local food systems.

The challenge

Growing Communities operates a collection‑only, zero‑waste veg bag model across North and East London, serving dozens of local collection points with fresh, organic seasonal produce. Managing veg bag orders, distribution and pickup check‑ins across multiple locations — while staying true to their sustainability and community mission — required a flexible, purpose‑built platform that could support bespoke workflows and social‑impact features.

The Solution

Growing Communities went live on Growing Good in March 2024, alongside multiple enhancements to the platform to support collection point management, including storefront experiences and admin checklists for order compilation and pickup recording. The system also enables mission‑aligned features like custom discount codes used to support low‑income households and pensioners, and holiday donation functionality, allowing members to donate the value of skipped deliveries directly to local food banks — making charitable giving easy and transparent.

Mission-led Impact

More than a food delivery service, Growing Communities is a social enterprise for good — ensuring fair wages for farmers (with at least 50% of member spend going directly to growers) and extending positive impact well beyond produce. Their veg scheme members have helped raise tens of thousands of pounds for local food banks via their Food Credit programme, reinforcing accessibility to healthy food while building community resilience.

Beyond veg bags, Growing Communities connects people with fresh seasonal food through the all‑organic farmers’ market in Hackney and supports ethical supply via The Better Food Shed — distributing produce from small organic growers to local shops, schools and services.