Central Co-op welcomes MAFECO to the UK to celebrate the impact of Our Malawi Partnership

Posted by lauryn mellor | Published: 10/07/2025

Central Co-op recently hosted representatives from the Malawi Federation of Co-operatives (MAFECO) for a special visit to the UK, to see first-hand the impact of the Our Malawi Partnership - a unique, international initiative that is helping to transform lives through fair trade, sustainable development and community empowerment.

John Mulangeni-Nkosi, Executive Director of MAFECO, and Jeruzye Munthali (known as Jeru), MAFECO’s Project Manager, arrived in Lichfield, Staffordshire - home to Central Co-op’s Support Centre – during Co-op Fortnight in June. They were accompanied by Dr Sarah Alldred, Head of International Partnerships at the Co-operative College.

After taking in the sights of Lichfield, the delegation visited Central Co-op’s Support Centre, where they met with colleagues who helped launch Our Malawi Partnership in 2022, as well as the commercial teams who keep the partnership thriving today.

During their visit, John and Jeru toured Central Co-op’s Boley Park supermarket and Streethay convenience store to see Our Malawi Partnership products on the shelves, including Kilombero rice and the UK’s first Fairtrade macadamia nut products, and to speak with store colleagues about the tangible benefits these products bring to Malawian farmers and co-operatives.

One of the visit’s most heart-warming moments came during an assembly at Streethay Primary School, co-led by John, Jeru, Central Co-op’s Member and Community Relations Officer, James Knight and Community and Communications Manager, Paul Reece. Last year, the school completed the “90kg Rice Challenge”, purchasing over 103kg of True Origin Kilombero rice to fund a Malawian child’s secondary school education for over a year. Students eagerly engaged with John and Jeru, asking thoughtful questions about Fairtrade, co-operation and community development in Malawi.

John and Jeru also visited Central Co-op’s funeral home in Wednesfield to learn how colleagues support local communities in the UK, and how the Planting Promise - now a core part of Our Malawi Partnership - is making an environmental impact by supporting tree planting initiatives in Malawi.

Central Co-op’s Our Malawi Partnership was launched in 2022, linking Malawian producers with communities here in the UK. It includes a range of products available in Central Co-op stores, with proceeds helping farmers in Malawi improve their livelihoods. Since its launch, Our Malawi Partnership has achieved remarkable impact:

• Increased production of coffee and macadamia nuts
• Delivered agricultural training to hundreds of farmers
• Supplied thousands of macadamia seedlings to co-op members
• Supported women farmers in growing and marketing their crops
• Founded Malawi’s first tea co-operative union
• Influenced national policy, securing Cabinet-level endorsement
• Delivered clean water to over 37,000 people
• Helped Highland Macadamia Co-op regain Fairtrade certification
• Introduced the UK’s first Fairtrade-certified macadamia nut product
• Combined Central Co-op’s Planting Promise, pledging a tree planted in Malawi for every funeral conducted
• Worked with local communities and WESM to plant trees that restore forests, support wildlife and create sustainable income

Every time someone chooses an Our Malawi Partnership product in a Central Co-op shop, they’re helping to create real change - supporting farmers, funding education, planting trees and building a more sustainable future. For further details, head to malawi.centralengland.coop, details on becoming a Central Co-op Member can be found at Members.coop.

ENDS

For press information

Press Office
pressoffice@centralcoop.co.uk

Lauryn Mellor, PR and Media Specialist at Central Co-op
lauryn.mellor@centralcoop.co.uk
07385 048004