Wholefood Planet, a new wholefood shop in Norwich, is going to be officially opened by Kevin Brennan, Minister for the Third Sector, on 18th March 2009. The store is registered as a Community Interest Company (CIC) and it is set up as a Social Firm which will create good quality paid work for people with learning disabilities from Norwich.
The novel approach of Wholefood Planet is what has attracted the Minister’s interest, and that of the entire third sector. It is the first Social Firm retail outlet in Norwich, it is the first Wholefood Planet store to open in the whole of the UK, it is the first joint venture between Norfolk County Council and Norwich City College to develop a Social Firm, it is the first social licensee to open in the whole of the UK as a Social Firm retail outlet and, in addition to everything else, it is promoting healthy eating and organic products within its local area and therefore meeting other social agendas.
The company was created out of a partnership between Norfolk County Council and Norwich City College, both of which are active in seeking innovative ways to employment for people with learning disabilities in the county. They decided jointly to create a separate legal entity which could then take on the licensed business opportunity offered by Social Firms UK, the national support agency for Social Firm development, with the Wholefood Planet brand. Wholefood Planet as a business model is based on the ongoing successful social enterprises of Daily Bread Co-operatives based in Northampton and Cambridge.
Wholefood Planet Norwich CIC is located in Oldhall Road (NR4 6FF) – Units C & D Yarefield Park. It is open Monday to Saturday 9am till 5.30pm and has plenty of car parking available.
Wholefood Planet is a social licence opportunity developed and offered by Social Firms UK, the national support agency for Social Firms around the country. A Social Licence is a commercially licensed business but between two social enterprises rather than the private sector. It is a wholefood retail outlet business based on the model of Daily Bread Co-operatives in Northampton and Cambridge. For more information about Wholefood Planet see www.wholefoodplanet.com
Wholefood Planet Norwich CIC is the first Wholefood Planet retail outlet to open under social licence in the UK. It is a Social Firm company created under partnership by Norfolk County Council and Norwich City College. For more information see www.wholefoodplanet.com/norwich or call Kevin Joyce, the manager, on 01603 457093.
Wholefood Planet is also seeking individuals with skills in business, finances, marketing, HR and legal to join its board of directors and drive the enterprise forward over the next few years, so if anyone has the relevant skills to assist then please send an email expressing interest to info@socialfirmsuk.co.uk