Our Malawi Partnership | Central England Co-operative

How the partnership works

From Malawi

Farmers and co-operatives across Malawi grow products including coffee, tea, rice and macadamia nuts. The Partnership helps strengthen businesses and access to markets.

To our shelves

Selected Malawi-linked products reach customers through OurCoop, connecting everyday purchases with the people and co-operatives behind them.

Trade opportunities

The Partnership helps develop products, strengthen co-operatives and create longer-term opportunities through co-operative trade.

And back again

Value is reinvested into locally led work in Malawi, helping farmers and producers build stronger livelihoods and greater resilience.

Since 2022 we've...

Launched the Regional Honey Co-operative Union in June 2026.

Established four secondary co-operative unions.

Started to explore new trade opportunities in honey, macadamia oil and Malawian chocolate.

Supported HIMACUL to achieve Fairtrade certification, helping build fairer prices for producers.

About Malawi

70%

Almost 70% of people live below the national poverty line.

Rain-fed farming leaves crops particularly vulnerable to drought and changing weather patterns.

Most farmers are smallholders, relying on crops such as maize, rice, coffee and groundnuts for their livelihoods.

6th

Malawi is the world's sixth-largest producer of macadamia nuts.

FAQs

How much from the sale of Co-op goods goes to Malawi?

In addition to a proportion of all product sales from the items on Our Malawi Partnership display unit, we’ll also invest a percentage from every Co-op Fairtrade purchase made towards this initiative. We are also providing additional funding to The One Foundation as a result of selling One Water. Over the duration of the first 5 years we aim to invest a combined £600K from Central England alone.

What’s the best way for me to support this initiative?

This initiative is all about support through trading, so buy Co-op Fairtrade products and also choose Our Malawi Partnership products in store to make a difference.

Why Malawi?

We’ve chosen Malawi to be our pilot project, as it’s one the world’s poorest countries with some extremely challenging conditions - but has incredible co-operative and trading potential.

Where will you take the fund next?

Our focus is firmly on Malawi for the next 5 years and we’ll use what we’ve learned and experienced over that time to decide how or where to progress next.

Where can I buy products that help?

You can purchase all of the products in support of Malawi at any of our Central Co-op stores. Just look out for the Our Malawi Partnership logo, choose from our extensive range of Co-op Fairtrade products or ask one of our colleagues.

How long will you support Malawi?

We have committed to supporting Malawi for an initial 5 years, followed by a review period where we’ll assess the progress we’ve made and take it from there.

What’s the ambition?

Our ambition is to develop a deeper understanding of the impact of co-operative and fair trade over aid to deliver sustainability for smallholder farmers that takes Malawian communities out of abject poverty. All supported by our members and customers.

Will you still support other communities in need?

Absolutely, we’re still committed to Fairtrade, Fare Share, Too Good To Go and our Community Dividend fund will continue to support our communities in need.

I’m a Co-op, how can I get involved?

We’re inviting other U.K. co-op societies to engage and support this new initiative so we can do more good co-operatively. Express your interest by dropping us a line at Malawi.partnership@centralengland.coop

How does the fund work?

It’s simple. For every £1 you spend on Co-op Fairtrade products, we will put a proportion aside for the fund. All of the products in the Our Malawi Partnership range will also contribute to the fund when you buy them.

Stronger futures through co-operation