Community Shop to open second store funded by McCain

Social enterprise Community Shop is set to open a second store funded by McCain Foods, two years after the first.

The new store is set to open in Hull on 11 December, creating 12 local jobs.

McCain, the UK’s largest manufacturer of frozen potato products, is also celebrating the second anniversary of the opening the first store in its partnership with Community Shop.

The store in Eastfield, North Yorkshire, is funded by McCain through product donations, which have reached over £2.3m since it opened in 2023.

Community Shop is a network of 15 UK stores aiming to tackle food insecurity by selling deeply discounted food and essentials to members meeting means-tested criteria. The model uses surplus products donated by its stock partners.

McCain said the Eastfield store had helped 7,300 local residents access affordable essentials and provided 20,000 free meals for children.

The new store in North Bransholme in Hull will feature a Community Hub, offering members personal development programmes such as cookery clubs and home budgeting classes, plus a Community Kitchen, including a café serving home-cooked meals where children can eat for free every day.

“McCain has called Eastfield home for over 50 years, and it’s a privilege to support an initiative like Community Shop that in only two years has helped over 7,300 people, served more than 20,000 free kids’ meals, and saved the community over £1.8m,” said Jillian Moffatt, McCain regional president for GB&I.

“The impact of the store, hub, and kitchen speaks volumes, and we’re delighted to further strengthen our partnership with Community Shop through the opening of the new store in Hull next month.”

Community Shop executive chairman Gary Stott said: “McCain’s support for Community Shop Eastfield is helping make a significant positive difference to local people and the wider community.

“Its continued commitment to provide surplus products means we’re also able to bring a new Community Shop to North Bransholme, and extend the support we offer through our store, hub and kitchen, helping people to develop their own capabilities and deliver a positive future for themselves.”