about us
Our story
The climate protests
Coop Centraal came about through a group of climate protesters, tired of being dismissed as finger-pointers wanting to ban meat. Coop Centraal was to become a place where climate justice became a reality: a mini-society that is aware of the limits of our ecosystem and of the fact that not everyone can afford solar panels and electric cars.
the cooperative 'vooruit'
At the end of the 19th century, a group of workers in Ghent started a bakery. They sold high-quality bread at a price just above the market price. Workers could become members of the cooperative for a few pence. At the end of each year, the cooperative's profits were calculated. These profits were distributed in the form of bread cards based on how much each member had purchased from the cooperative. This allowed workers to save a little money. The bakery cooperative was a huge success and was soon followed by a grocery store, central coal distribution and many other facilities. The founders of Vooruit had close ties to social movements and the workers were able to finance the first mutual health insurance funds, pensions and strikes through the cooperatives.
Vooruit thus created institutions that did not oppose social change, but promoted it. Coop Centraal also wants to be part of the infrastructure that enables a fair transition.
Pilot project in patriottenstraat
With the climate protests and the Vooruit cooperative in mind, we opened a shop on Patriottenstraat in Antwerpen Berchem in February 2022. We were able to rent a 32m² retail space at a low price from a friendly organisation, and with twenty people and twenty products, we launched our concept. Because we had zero euro in start-up capital, we set up a webshop where people could place orders and pay in advance. With a bit of juggling, we were able to distribute everything. We repeated this process every two weeks, adding twenty products to the range each time. Eventually, we received financial support from the City of Antwerp and started building up stock. After two years, we had around two hundred members affiliated with our grocery store and were ready for the next step.
Opening of the shop in statiestraat
Our project has been in full swing since March 2025. A new shop, a new website, a new partnership and new software are giving Coop Centraal room to grow. With support from the City of Antwerp and the King Baudouin Foundation, we got a helping hand and dared to take the next step.
By 26 April, we had opened our doors to a wider audience. By the end of the year, we aim to be financially self-sufficient and establish stable operations. In 2026, we plan to recruit an employee to organise the administration and serve as a point of support for volunteers.
