Glasgow-based ethical grocery business Locavore has been placed in administration after its expansion into new stores and a larger warehouse facility incurred significant set-up costs and after being adversely impacted by rising costs.
Founded in 2011 and based in Glasgow, Locavore is a not-for-profit social enterprise that seeks to build a more sustainable local food system which benefits its local economies, the environment and its communities.
The company operated four zero-waste organic supermarkets in Govanhill, Partick, Kirkintilloch, and Edinburgh.
In November 2022, Locavore launched a £50,000 crowdfund to help it survive the cost-of-living crisis, which eventually raised £73,726.
However, Blair Nimmo and Geoff Jacobs from Interpath Advisory have now been appointed joint administrators to Locavore Community Interest Company.
Prior to the appointment of the administrators, a transaction took place which saw The Chard Holding Group CIC acquire the stores in Govanhill and Partick, as well as the vegetable box business and the Locavore brand.
It is understood 77 members of staff transferred to The Chard Holding Group CIC as part of that transaction. The Edinburgh store closed earlier in January 2024, the administrators closed the remaining store in Kirkintilloch, which resulted in five redundancies, with one other employee also made redundant.
Jacobs said: “It is disappointing that, despite the investment made, this not-for-profit enterprise has not been able to make its expansion plans come to fruition.
“We will be providing support to those members of staff who have been made redundant, as well as seeking buyers for the remaining assets.”
