Half bulk-food heaven, half vegan café, half activist clubhouse (yes, that’s three halves, but FoE bends maths like it bends food waste). Since the 1970s, Friends of the Earth has been running Melbourne’s oldest organic co-op — long before kombucha hit Woolies. Scoop your own grains, BYO jars, stock up on plastic-free everything, then stay for a vegan lunch bowl that’s always organic, gluten-free and waste-free. Powered by volunteers, not profit margins, this place is where conscious eating meets grassroots activism.
Friends of the Earth Food Co-op & Café | 50 Years in Collingwood
Video Credit: Green Mindful Living 99 (YouTube) - A short film capturing the legacy of Friends of the Earth Food Co-op & Café — one of Melbourne’s oldest bulk organics hubs, celebrating 50 years of zero-waste food, activism and community.
Location
312 Smith Street, Collingwood VIC 3066
(03) 9417 4382
Open Mon–Sat 9.30am–5pm, Sun 10am–4.30pm
Website: foefood.org
Instagram: @foefoodcoop
The BioHax Take
This isn’t just a café. It’s Melbourne’s longest-running middle finger to plastic bags, industrial agriculture, and soulless supermarkets. Bulk bins brim with everything from buckinis to black quinoa, while the café pumps out daily vegan plates that taste like activism with tahini dressing. It’s scrappy, it’s soulful, and the secret sauce is volunteers — the backbone since day one, trading time for food, discounts, and community. Think Wholefoods, if Wholefoods actually had a conscience.
Photo Credit: Friends of the Earth Food Co-op & Café (@foefoodcoop) - Organic abundance in action — a weekend vegan lunch bowl with baked tofu, tartar sauce, and garden-fresh sides, served alongside seasonal produce and flowers from the co-op.
What’s On Offer
The Co-op (Shop)
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Melbourne’s oldest organic bulk store (est. 1970s)
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BYO jars & containers — scoop beans, lentils, rice, grains, nuts, seeds, dried fruit, herbs & spices
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Vegan pantry staples: tofu, tempeh, miso, krauts, kombucha, vegan cheeses
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Eco-home & beauty: bamboo toothbrushes, refillable cleaning products, cruelty-free cosmetics, plastic-free everything
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Kitchen & lifestyle: beeswax wraps, reusable cups, eco toilet paper, lunchboxes, cookbooks
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Membership discounts & strict ethical buying policy — only the good stuff gets in
The Café (Eat)
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Organic vegan lunch bowls that change daily based on what’s fresh and what needs saving
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Always organic, gluten-free, vegan — no compromises, no greenwash
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Organic vegan pies, pizzas, sweets & hot drinks
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Zero-waste ethos: 15+ years of composting with Fitzroy Primary’s gardens & chickens
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Lunch for volunteers, community vibes for everyone else
Signature Dishes & Experiences
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Daily Vegan Bowl
Grain, veg, pulses, and magic from whatever’s in season or surplus. Always hearty, never boring. -
Organic Vegan Comforts
Think pies, pizzas and sweets with all the flavour and none of the guilt. -
Bulk Bin Heaven
Fill your jars with everything from French du Puy lentils to Loving Earth chocolate. -
Plastic-Free Lifestyle Hub
Stock up on bamboo, beeswax, stainless steel and cruelty-free beauty without the guilt tax. -
Volunteer Lunch
Every rostered helper eats (and learns) on the house.
Photo Credit: Friends of the Earth Food Co-op & Café (@foefoodcoop) - Inside Melbourne’s original bulk food co-op — organic grains, pulses, and plastic-free essentials stacked high, with locals scooping, weighing, and shopping waste-free.
Volunteer With Friends of the Earth
Why Volunteer
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Free organic lunch + drink every shift
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15% off all groceries
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Learn zero-waste hacks, bulk shopping skills & café chops
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Be part of a grassroots community that’s been fighting the good fight since the ’70s
The Roster
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Weekdays & Saturdays: 10–2 or 1–5
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Sundays: 11–3
Mornings = kitchen focus, afternoons = bulk shop magic (but it flexes depending on the day).
What You’ll Do
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Prep and plate the daily vegan bowls, pies & pizzas
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Refill bulk bins, weigh & label jars, help shoppers go plastic-free
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Pitch in on composting, waste-reduction projects, and community campaigns
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Share food stories, trade skills, meet likeminded locals
How To Get Involved
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Drop into the co-op to chat and pick your first shift
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Not local? Call (03) 9417 4382 or email food@foe.org.au
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Training’s provided — you bring the vibes
Sustainability Snapshot
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100% not-for-profit and volunteer-powered
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Bulk, plastic-free shopping model since the 1970s
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Café built on food-waste reduction and composting
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Partnerships with schools and local gardens for waste reuse
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Ethical buying policy ensures everything is cruelty-free & sustainable
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Community-first: profits funnelled into activism and education
Photo Credit: Friends of the Earth Food Co-op & Café (@foefoodcoop) - From smiling volunteers behind the counter to vegan doughnuts, scones, and vibrant daily bowls — Friends of the Earth Café serves activism with every bite.
Ideal For
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Conscious eaters who want substance over marketing
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Vegans and gluten-free diners chasing hearty, cheap, organic eats
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Locals wanting to ditch packaging and go bulk
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Families teaching kids about zero-waste living
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Volunteers keen to swap time for food, discounts & community
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Anyone sick of supermarkets and greenwashing
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Where is Friends of the Earth Food Co-op & Café?
A: 312 Smith Street, Collingwood, VIC.
Q: What’s on the café menu?
A: Daily vegan bowls, organic pies, pizzas, sweets and drinks. Always vegan, organic, gluten-free.
Q: Do I need to bring containers for bulk shopping?
A: Yes — BYO jars, bags or containers.
Q: Can I volunteer?
A: Yes! Shifts are 4 hours (10–2 or 1–5 Mon–Sat; 11–3 Sun). Free lunch, drinks, and 15% grocery discount.
Q: How do I sign up to volunteer?
A: Drop in, call (03) 9417 4382, or email food@foe.org.au.
Q: What happens to the café’s food waste?
A: Sent to Fitzroy Primary’s gardens & chickens instead of landfill.
Q: Is it family friendly?
A: Yes — casual, community vibe, perfect for kids.
Q: Is this part of the global Friends of the Earth?
A: Yes — FoE Melbourne has been active since the 1970s.
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Article originally published: 29 August 2025, by Editor
