Suma: A unique model

Discover why it’s been a busy year for Suma and how there’s more to this wholesaler than meets the eye

Suma is a wholefood collective founded more than 40 years ago in Leeds. Offering 7,000+ specialist and responsibly sourced products, from store-cupboard wholefoods to green cleaning products, Suma has grown to become one of the UK’s largest independent wholefood wholesalers. But this is no ordinary wholesaler. What makes Suma different is it’s a worker cooperative. It may look no different on the outside but inside the business is owned and run by its members, for its members. And as such, Suma is the largest equal pay cooperative in Europe – everyone gets paid the same, regardless of the roles they have. Which is another point of difference: everyone has the option to multi-skill and do different jobs. So a Suma driver might also work in the accounts team, and a rep might also cook in the canteen.

ETHICAL AND SUSTAINABLE

This innovative, completely vegetarian co-op delivers Fairtrade, organic, vegan and biodynamic products, as well as three own brands, to businesses across the UK and internationally. However, there’s more to it than that. As a sustainable business, it donated 12,541kg worth of food to food banks and charities in 2023, none of its general waste went to landfill, 3.92 tonnes of food waste from the canteen was diverted to anaerobic digestion, and the business uses 100% renewable energy for its operations.

A PLAN

Sustainability is embedded throughout Suma’s vision, mission, purpose and values. The wholesaler has always worked hard to minimise its environmental impact and that commitment was formalised with a sustainability strategy, launched in May last year, to focus its actions until 2030.

Developed in collaboration with Suma’s visionary sustainability partners Forum For the Future, the strategy was designed with the long-term future in mind. It’s a promise to future generations and testament to the wholesaler’s ongoing commitment to doing the right thing, not the easy thing.

Suma has identified three pillars of sustainability to focus on for the next six years: suppliers; co-op; and customers, consumers and communities.

1. Suppliers – cooperation and innovation to drive sustainable sourcing approaches. By 2030, Suma will cooperate with its suppliers to help enable the transition to sustainable, climate-resilient and fair supply chains.

2. Co-op – living the company values to be a beacon of ethical and sustainable cooperative business. By 2030 Suma will be an outstanding, ethical and sustainable cooperative, using its actions and influence to inspire members, partners and the wider business world.

3. Customers, consumers and communities – enabling healthier and sustainable living through products and services. By 2030, Suma will have inspired and enabled customers, consumers and the wider community to adopt healthier and more sustainable lives.

In line with these three pillars are the six key areas of action – which will be covered in more detail in future editions of Wholesale News – where the aim is to deliver positive impact. They are: net zero; nature; zero waste; decent work; healthy and sustainable diets; education and engagement.

It’s not just about business for Suma; it’s about creating positive change and leading by example to inspire change for good.