Who are we?
We are a live-work cooperative in Gwynedd, North Wales, working to establish a viable and sustainable agroecology model for local vegetable production.
What do we do?
We operate a veg box scheme, farm shop, bakery and wholesale supply to local shops and caterers. We also provide a training garden for a local secondary school and run a popular traineeship program. We have a reputation for quality, value, being friendly and collaborative.
Quick facts
| Website | Tyddynteg.com |
| Industry | Agriculture |
| Founded | 2015 |
| Turnover | £200,000 |
| Workers | 14 |
| Members | 14 |
| Who are the members? | Employees |
| Governance | Sociocracy |
| Pay | Equal pay |
| Legal form | Co-operative Society |
How do we operate?
All worker members are directors. Decisions are made by consensus using sociocratic decision making. Working groups have delegated decision making powers and are accountable to the Board. All employees are members and there are 14 members currently.
Where did we come from?
With initial director loan funding, the co-op took on the management of the farm in 2015. Once it was more established Tyddyn Teg purchased the farm in 2021, after raising funds through issuing loan notes. In 2023 the co-op launched a share offer to fund investment and to start repaying the loans. The first phase of the share offer has exceeded its target, with the second phase to be launched in spring 2024.
Tyddyn Teg brought together a motivated group of people with backgrounds in farming, community development, agricultural research, environmental management, retail and hospitality. The aim has been to bridge the disconnect between food, land and people, while developing a viable, sustainable and reproducible model for local food production.
Why are we a co-op?
Hierarchical management is very much the norm in fruit and vegetable production, frequently resulting in poor quality jobs, where the expertise and experience of workers is not valued. We prioritise worker wellbeing and the importance of everyone having agency and the opportunity to learn new skills. The result is a very high retention of staff, despite low incomes and frequently cold and wet working conditions.
Lessons learned
In our first year we elected someone to be the overall manager. This resulted in conflicts that were resolved as we moved to policy driven, sociaocratic management with a horizontal management structure. This made it possible to refine our shared vision and work as a structured organisation driven by strong process, rather than strong personalities.