Since its inception in 2021, the Malta Food Agency has been actively reshaping the way Maltese consumers think about the food they buy, where it comes from, and who produces it.

What began as a drive to reconnect people with the country’s agricultural offer, has evolved into a structured, long-term strategy to grow appreciation for Maltese and Gozitan produce.

The agency uses storytelling, education, and hands-on market initiatives, to build a culture that values freshness, traceability, and local identity. The launch of The Food Coop, in collaboration with Koperattivi Malta, represents the most ambitious progression of this journey so far.

 “The Food Coop represents the natural next step in our mission to bring local producers and consumers closer together. For the first time, the community has direct ownership of a retail space dedicated to Maltese and Gozitan products. This cooperative model ensures fair value for our farmers while giving consumers access to fresh, seasonal, and traceable local food. It is a milestone for Malta’s food system, one that strengthens our agricultural sector, promotes sustainability, and places the community at the centre of the food chain,” Justin John Camilleri, Chief Business Development Officer at the Malta Food Agency, says.

From its earliest days, the Malta Food Agency focused on making local food visible. In a globalised economy where food also must compete according to open market rules, local farmers and food producers knew they were up against a serious challenge. But they also knew that they brought something special to the table which could be capitalised on, and valorised.

So, instead of treating produce as an anonymous commodity, it placed farmers, growers and small producers at the heart of its communication, creating a tangible and visible link between the food and its origin. Real-life stories were shared, showing the faces and families behind Maltese tomatoes, honey, olive oil and cheeses. These were complemented by seasonal campaigns and practical recipe ideas that demonstrated how local ingredients could be used in everyday cooking, helping consumers rediscover Maltese produce; what it looks like, tastes like and represents.

Through this approach, the agency actively cultivated demand rather than simply responding to it. By consistently spotlighting individual producers, telling their stories, and reinforcing the value of provenance and freshness, it reshaped how consumers thought about local food. The consumer began asking for Maltese products and prioritising more than price alone. What emerged was a cultural shift, fostered by the agency’s long-term vision.

Anticipating the growth it was generating, the agency simultaneously worked to ensure that supply and accessibility evolved in step with demand. It expanded the presence of local produce through alternative markets, strengthened distribution systems, and upgraded digital platforms to create clearer, more reliable connections between consumers and producers. For small-scale farmers and food makers, this meant improved visibility and more predictable routes to market. For consumers, it meant that choosing Maltese was no longer a niche decision, but a practical, accessible and increasingly natural one.

This strengthening of the bridge between producer and consumer laid the groundwork for the next phase of the agency’s strategy: the creation of a dedicated home for high-quality, local and artisanal products. The aim was not simply to provide additional outlets, but to establish an integrated ecosystem where Maltese produce could be presented with context, care, and identity. Over time, this approach has grown into a comprehensive framework that brings together producers, products and people in a way that supports visibility, trust and long-term sustainability for local food.

The Food Coop was developed in partnership with Koperattivi Malta, as a cooperative retail space where the community has a direct stake in the success of Maltese and Gozitan food. Small and artisanal producers are given a platform that respects their scale, their values and the quality of what they produce, while consumers gain access to a curated selection of fresh, seasonal and traceable local goods.

The cooperative model is central to what makes the initiative unique. Rather than being driven purely by commercial margins, The Food Coop is designed around shared value which is enjoyed by the producers themselves. Producers are better rewarded for their work, consumers gain transparency and trust, and the wider community benefits from a food system that is more resilient, sustainable, and locally rooted.

In many ways, The Food Coop also reflects a broader shift in Maltese consumer culture. In an environment where consumers are increasingly aware of their products origins and often actively look for ethical, natural, and guaranteed sources of food for their families, the model fits like a glove. The growing success of farmers’ markets, seasonal campaigns and local food initiatives has shown that this interest is not a passing trend, but a structural change in how consumers relate to food.

By creating a permanent, community-owned space dedicated to local products, the Malta Food Agency is giving that change a physical home. The Food Coop stands as proof that the investment made over years in education, storytelling and market development has paid off, generating a demand strong enough to sustain new, more ambitious retail models.