The Power of Community: Mach Vegbox is bringing you some good news in these dark months!
By Ann Owen
The festivities have passed, the last of the wine has been drunk, and the chocolate’s been eaten and we’re barely halfway through the month of January! None of the news is particularly cheerful and most of us are feeling the pinch due to higher food and energy costs. The growers and workers at Mach vegbox have been wondering how we can continue to bring healthy, fresh, sustainable produce to our community and keep the vegboxes at affordable prices.
For the last twelve months, the production price of our veg has been going up, mainly due to higher fuel and labour costs, but also the price of wholesale veg has risen. Somehow, we’ve managed to keep the price of our bags down, in part because our growers have not sought a price rise for their produce while times are hard, but also thanks to loyal customers keeping our member numbers steady. The more bag members we have, the lower our production and admin costs are per bag and thus we don’t need to raise prices.
We know that some of you are finding it hard to keep your commitment to Mach Vegbox going, due to financial constraints. Some of you might be thinking of leaving, and that would have a cost impact on all the members of Mach Vegbox and on the ongoing resilience of growing chemical-free food locally.
So here is the good news: unlike the big energy producers, our local renewable energy company, Bro Dyfi Community Renewables, have decided to share their windfall profits with their community and Mach Vegbox is one of the many local initiatives that are benefitting from a grant they have generously donated to us. This means that we can now offer a number of reduced-price bags to members who need some help over the coming months. If cost is becoming an issue, then get in touch with our administrator, Sabrina (01654 700115 or admin@machvegbox.co.uk), and she will make sure that you will get the reduced cost vegbox (£10) to see you through the next 6 months. It’s our normal mixed vegbox (£15.50) that you will receive at the reduced rate. Please take us up on this offer and stay with us. We are stronger together and we aim to not just fill bellies, but also to make these dark months a little easier on the soul.
If you know of anybody who’s not a Mach Vegbox member yet but would like to be, if only the bags were a little cheaper, send them our way, we have some places available for brand new members at the reduced rate as well. Remember: with each new Mach Vegbox member number we become more resilient to any future challenges!
Dyfi Dairy is also joining us by offering a number of reduced cost milk shares. If you are interested, get in touch with Sophia at Dyfi Dairy.
But that’s not all: thanks to further donations by some of our own long-time customers and the food security group “Just Food”, we are able to extend this offer beyond the winter months, into spring and even summer, so hopefully we can make a real difference to our members, at least until summertime and the living is easier!
