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

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 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.

In 2019, they secured Fair Tax Mark certification.

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

External links