Discovery Lab
Our core Cook for Change programme is based in London, but we’re also keen to introduce its principles to as wide an audience as possible. So in September 2026, we launched a new online pilot, Discovery Lab, to help community food leaders across the UK find a clearer, more confident path to sustainability.
What is Discovery Lab?
Discovery Lab is a free online pilot for community food organisations that are working with housing association residents across the UK. These include food banks, pantries, community cafés, food shops and estate-based hubs.
It explores whether and how trading could support the work these organisations already do. The aim is to help leaders become less dependent on short-term grants and have more control over where their money comes from.
Why are we doing it?
For the same reasons we are running our core Cook for Change programme. Grant funding for community food is getting less secure. Demand is rising, food costs are up, and too much often rests on a small number of founders and volunteers. Many leaders are curious about trading and social enterprise, but there’s a big gap between being interested and feeling confident enough to act.
Our full Cook for Change programme supports leaders who are ready to build a social enterprise. Discovery Lab sits earlier in that journey. It’s a lighter way in for organisations to explore what’s possible before they commit. It’s free to take part in, and participants receive a contribution towards their expenses.
What we heard from community leaders
Before designing the pilot, we interviewed 12 community food leaders, referred by our housing partners, from organisations across England. They told us:
These findings shaped the pilot directly. The result is a programme that combines honest founder stories, learning from other leaders, practical testing and coaching that builds confidence.
How it works
Discovery Lab runs from September 2026 to January 2027.
Four three-hour online sessions
After a check-in on what participants have tested since the last session, we’ll share a founder’s story with plenty of time for questions, followed by group discussion. Each session ends with participants deciding what they’ll find out or test next.
Finding out and testing
Participants do something real with real people to learn something they didn’t already know. A personal learning journal helps them track their progress as an entrepreneur.
One-to-one coaching
Confidential coaching for participants who have engaged throughout.
Sharing what we’ve learned
Who is supporting it?
Our partners in Discovery Lab are The Guinness Partnership, The Hyde Group and Peabody. The pilot is also supported by Fusion21 Foundation and the Wates Family Enterprise Trust through the wider Cook for Change programme.
What we hope to learn
Discovery Lab is a learning pilot. We want to understand:
- 01
Whether learning from other founders, real-world testing and coaching, builds leaders’ confidence and clarity about trading
- 02
What trading ideas, barriers and support needs come up
- 03
Whether leaders feel better able to bring trustees and colleagues with them
- 04
What we should change in any future version of Discovery Lab
We’ll share what we find with our partners and the wider sector, and use it to shape the future of Cook for Change.
