ecologic: a healthy food store, not a health food store

�We�re a healthy food shop, not a health food shop�. So says John Dunne, founder of Eco Logic in Dundrum. On the face of it, Eco logic looks a lot like one type of health food store: the more food-focused health food store. This type is certainly in the minority, as they tend to foreground food and background the more convenient and profitable pills, potions and body building powers.

There are distinct differences between Eco Logic and these more earthy health food stores, however. For one thing there are no pills, potions or powers here at all � none. For another, this shop is certified organic.

�We went for organic certification so our customers would be in no doubt about the products we stock. I know myself, I found it annoying to have to be constantly reading those tiny labels�.

He had to go to a lot of effort, with plenty of visits from IOFGA and the Department of Agriculture. Perhaps these two groups were wary, after the well publicised and long running case involving Marc O� Mahony and the shop that called itself the Organic Shop in the English Market in Cork city. O� Mahony was prosecuted for labelling a non-organic turkey as organic under the European Communities (Organic Farming) Regulations 2004. O'Mahony pleaded guilty in Cork District Court, where Judge David Riordan fined O'Mahony �2,500 and awarded costs of �2,000 to the Department.

Back to Eco Logic. Citing climate change as a major motivator, John moved from a career in media and IT into selling home composters at farmers markets. Some of the customers he had at the markets followed him to the Dundrum shop he established with Linda McDonnell two years ago.

The shop itself is an A-Z of organic, with fruit and veg, meat, dairy products, seeds, pulses, non-alcoholic drinks, dried goods, sauces, along with some chilled, frozen and convenience products such as cereals, ice-creams, sweets and so on. There are also some non-food items, all of which maintain an environmental theme, such as Lilly�s cleaning products, Klee paper�s stationary and various personal care products.

But food dominates. Many of the newer, smaller Irish organic companies have their products stocked here, including Rossinver porridge, sauces and relish; Tipperary ice-cream; Wilde�s chocolates, and Blazing Salad�s breads.

�It breaks my heart to have to sell imported organic cheddar cheese and butter� John tells me. And herein lies a conundrum: whether to stock Irish artisan or imported organic. In John�s case, however, he can�t choose � he has to go with the certified organic.

I spent an hour or so in the shop, talking to John while taking breaks to let him deal with his customers. He seemed to know all of them by name, which is never a bad sign. They also spanned an age range that seemed to go from 20 to over 70.

I asked John about his customers: �they break down into three categories: there�s the healthy environmental ones, the parents with young kids and a group I wasn�t necessarily expecting, people with health problems�.

John�s customer base isn�t necessarily massive, but they are very loyal: he suggests that they come from a fairly wide geographical area, and tend to do a large amount of their shopping with him.

My own initial experience of the shop backs this point up: I was staying with a friend in Rathgar, who recommended Eco Logic to me. She does a weekly shop there. And I know from cycling from her house to the shop in the rain that it isn�t exactly around the corner.

Despite the south Dublin location, John hasn�t been overrun with extremely wealthy shoppers: �generally speaking, they do seem to be reasonably well off, but I�d say that they are more intelligent than rich�.

There is much research to back this latter point up, along with varying interpretations as to what it might mean. For John, in practical terms it means that he gets plenty of banter, feedback and recommendations from his steadfast shoppers.

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