Organico call time on café due to Covid restrictions

THE sisters behind Bantry’s award-winning ‘Organico’ have announced their decision to close their café but retain their shop.

Rachel and Hannah Dare posted a video on social media explaining how they arrived at the decision.

‘Over the past few months, especially with the restrictions that are coming into place,’ Hannah said, ‘we realised that our café, in its current format, is not viable.’

It is, however, business as usual in the store that has won awards for its innovative approach to retail. Organico has also been something of a leader in its approach to reducing packaging waste by establishing a dedicated refill station.

During the most extreme of the Covid-19 lockdown restrictions, the owners of Organico, and their hardworking staff, found a way to meet the needs of all their customers, including cocooners, by establishing a nationwide postal delivery service.

‘Our online shop actually started about 12 years ago,’ Hannah explained to The Southern Star, ‘but we only really developed it in recent years with the help of Enterprise Ireland and the West Cork Enterprise Board, so, when Covid-19 hit, and people were concerned about going shopping in person, it was all ready to go.’

Part of the success of Organico’s online business is that they are able to deliver to parts of Ireland that might not have a large healthfood shop.

Rachel’s husband, Keith Hurley, also set up Bantry’s NeighbourFood initiative, an outlet, like Organico, that continues to be a lifeline for local producers.

Meanwhile, another popular restaurant, Geroideans Restaurant at Pearse Street in Clonakilty, announced on Facebook that it will only be operating as a take out food business.