SUMA

"Suma is the UK’s largest independent wholefood wholesaler-distributor. It is also a radical workers’ cooperative, with an equal pay policy and a democratic structure, like Unicorn! Specialising in vegetarian, fairly traded, organic, ethical and natural products, they also have their own successful brand of products. We stock several – including tomato puree and apple concentrate - keep an eye out for more…"

‘Fair trade’ has been central to the company since its inception in the 1970s. Here's an example of fair trade in practice. Suma sources its fair trade adukis and black beans from the Mato Grosso region of southern Brazil, where beans, maize and sugar have been grown for centuries. More than 700 producers in the region have formed a cooperative so now profits from the sale of produce are fed back into the region that produced the goods, and into the pockets of the people whose hard work produced them. A simple principle that makes a real difference. 

"Ethics form the basis of everything we do at Suma, it is not just a buzzword brought into play for its marketing value. These days you can’t open a newspaper or switch on the TV without hearing about companies ‘doing their bit for the environment’- less charitably known as ‘greenwashing’- in an attempt to win the hearts and minds of consumers with a conscience.

Ethical trading was Suma’s starting point and is now woven into the fabric of the business. From the way we heat and light our premises, to the structure of our workforce and the wages paid to our aduki bean growers in Brazil, ethical trading is a recurring theme in every aspect of the Suma brand. Even our telephone network is supplied by the Phone Co-op, an environmentally friendly and socially responsible cooperative business guided by ethical principles.

At Suma ethics just will not be compromised – even in the name of profit. If a course of action is not ethically justifiable, regardless of its commercial appeal, then we’ll choose another course. It’s just as simple as that."

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