Suma (co-operative)

53°41′44″N 1°49′35″W / 53.6956°N 1.8264°W / 53.6956; -1.8264

Triangle Wholefoods Collective Limited
Suma
Company typeWorker co-operative
IndustryWholesaler
Founded1977 (1977)
Headquarters
Elland, West Yorkshire
,
United Kingdom
Area served
United Kingdom
ProductsWhole food, organic food and natural products
Revenue£58.7 million (2019)[1]
Members200 employee-owners (2019)[1]
Websitesuma.coop

Suma is the trading name of the Triangle Wholefoods Collective Limited, a worker co-operative wholefoods wholesaler. It was founded in Leeds in 1977 and is now based in Elland, West Yorkshire. It is the largest independent wholefood wholesaler in the United Kingdom[2] as well as the country's largest common ownership co-operative. The co-operative specializes in vegetarian, fairly traded, organic, ethical, ecological and natural products.

Its turnover for the year ending 2019 was reported as £54 million, ranking it 49th among British co-operatives.[1][3]

History

A Suma delivery lorry in Hackney, London

Suma was started in 1975 by Reg Tayler, who had worked with wholefoods in London. In Leeds, he opened a retail shop. In August 1975, at a meeting with all the wholefood shops in the north of England, he proposed they set up wholefoods wholesaling co-operative in order to supply each other.[citation needed]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c "Annual Return and Accounts 2019" (PDF). Mutuals Public Register. Triangle Wholefoods Collective Limited. Financial Conduct Authority. 29 September 2019. Retrieved 21 February 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  2. ^ Museum Links with Food Firm by Henryk Zientek, Mar 13 2008, Huddersfield Daily Examiner
  3. ^ "Co-op Economy 2020" (PDF). Co-operatives UK. 10 June 2020. p. 12. Retrieved 21 February 2021.