ABOUT US

Hearty Squirrel is a volunteer-run, not-for-profit food cooperative at the University of Edinburgh. We strive to provide local, organic and affordable food to students and staff, as well as a unique and informative experience for our volunteers. Our goals also include promoting and educating on food sustainability, running food workshops, and supporting other groups.
COVID UPDATE: We are currently unable to hold our usual Thursday stall or place bulk orders with Greencity for members. Join the mailing list (sign-up below) for updates! In the meantime, why not explore and support some of the other Good Food places in Edinburgh? Here's our list of favourites:
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  • New Leaf Co-operative: a whole food workers' cooperative in Marchmont, stocking fresh organic produce and a range of scoop-your-own ingredients, snacks, cleaning products
  • SHRUB Co-op: a community-led living laboratory of circular economy ideas, including a food sharing hub with rescued food operating on a pay-as-you-feel basis
  • Dig-In: a community greengrocer in the heart of Bruntsfield with all the favourites: fresh produce, good snacks, nice people
  • Whitmuir Farm: the OG of locally grown produce - get a weekly veg box delivered to your door by them!
  • East Coast Organics: west coast best coast? East Coast best boxes! Doesn't rhyme as neatly, but they do have a nice veg box delivery scheme as well
  • The Refillery: Newington-based zero-waste shop with an impressive (yes, impressive) range of weigh-and-pay products
  • Eco Larder: social enterprise with ambitions to create a plastic-free Edinburgh, in Fountainbridge, they are also riding the podcast-wave!​

​We are completely run by volunteers, so we need YOU to get involved! Cooperatives are an alternative to supporting the profit-driven model of most major supermarkets. Hearty Squirrel is a great way to ensure you are supporting ethical suppliers and it is heaps of fun too!
Of course, procuring and supplying good food is not all we do at the Hearty Squirrel! Our volunteers and committee members also form a vibrant community and organise plenty of fun socials – for example visits to Whitmuir Farm (our veg bag supplier) or zine-making workshops! In 2012, members created and published a food politics zine (downloadable below).
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