New Coop Society launches: creating a purpose-led family of businesses

• OurCoop brings together over 500 food stores, alongside travel, funeralcare, Early Years and mobile, energy and broadband businesses, to create greater impact for colleagues, Members and communities

• More than one million Members and 13,000 colleagues across the UK

• Businesses come together under the global Co-op marque to strengthen impact, investment and long-term co-operative growth

A new co-operative society has launched, bringing together a family of established co-operative businesses to create a stronger, purpose-led organisation serving Members, colleagues and communities across the UK.

OurCoop brings together Central Co-op, Midcounties and Chelmsford Star, building on more than 150 years of shared co-operative values that shape how the Society is governed, how decisions are made and how value is shared. The new Society provides a stronger platform to invest, compete and support the long-term growth of co-operative businesses, while remaining firmly member-owned.

Bringing together three long-established co-operative societies creates a powerful network, opening up new opportunities for Members, colleagues and suppliers.

As a family of co-operative businesses, value generated through trading creates surpluses, which are reinvested to reward Members, meet more of their needs over time and strengthen the places and causes people care about. This creates a virtuous circle of co-operation, generating value together and reinvesting it to deliver long-term benefit for Members, colleagues and communities.

Debbie Robinson, Chief Executive Officer of OurCoop, said: “Our new Society brings together co-operative businesses that support people through everyday life and life’s bigger moments – from feeding families and caring for children, to keeping the lights on, helping people travel and supporting them through difficult times.

By coming together, we can offer our Members an even greater breadth of products and services that meet their needs. We have the scale and connection to generate more value through our businesses, reinvest it for the long term and return more of that value to Members in ways that matter. That’s the power of co-operation – a system where participation creates benefit and the more Members participate and trade with us, the greater the impact we can have together.”

By working together, the Society can better understand and meet Members’ needs, help meet more of them over time and return a greater share of the value created through trading back to Members.

That’s why, to mark the launch, the Society is introducing a programme of Member rewards and incentives across its family of businesses. These are aimed at giving Members more value in practical ways that can help them with everyday life as well as some of life’s bigger moments.

There will be new incentives and rewards announced regularly, creating more opportunities for Members to save and helping the Society deliver even greater positive impact.

Elaine Dean, President of the new Society said: “The launch of our new Society is an historic moment for the co-operative movement. OurCoop reflects what makes co-operatives so different and so powerful: by working together and participating, we can create a meaningful difference.

Our unique family of businesses supports Members everyday and throughout their lives, and through our networks our partnerships we can help other co-operatives to flourish as our Society continues to grow.” 

This launch marks the start of a journey, with the new Society inviting Members, colleagues and communities to help shape the future of a modern, member-led co-operative model — rooted in local life and focused on sustainable growth.

Debbie Robinson concluded: “We are building a modern, member-led Society with bold ambitions. What matters most now is how we grow our Society together, staying true to our beliefs while creating real value for Members, colleagues and customers. We’re just getting started and I’m excited about what we can achieve together.”

ENDS

 

Notes to Editors

About OurCoop

OurCoop is the UK’s largest independent co-operative Society, with more than one million Members and 13,000 colleagues operating in communities nationwide. It was formed by bringing together Central Co-op, The Midcounties Co-operative and Chelmsford Star Co-op to create a stronger, member-owned organisation rooted in shared co-operative values.

The Society trades nationally through its family of businesses while remaining deeply rooted in local communities. Its footprint spans Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, Wiltshire and Bedfordshire in the South and West; the Midlands including Derbyshire, Staffordshire and Northamptonshire; the North including Cheshire, Greater Manchester, Lancashire and Yorkshire; and the East of England, including Essex, Norfolk and Suffolk.

OurCoop and its family of businesses are trading names of Central England Co-operative Limited.

OurCoop family of businesses

OurCoop brings together a family of established co-operative businesses operating across food retail, travel, funeralcare, Early Years and utilities:

• FoodCoop – Over 500 stores at the heart of high streets across the UK and serving communities with quality, responsibly sourced products.

• TravelCoop – More than 70 branches plus online services, helping people explore the world while supporting ethical tourism.

• FuneralCoop – Over 150 funeral homes, providing dignified, compassionate support when families need it most.

• Little Pioneers – More than 40 Early Years nurseries giving children the best possible start, run on co-operative principles.

• EnergyCoop, MobileCoop and BroadbandCoop – The UK's only co-operative utilities provider, demonstrating that essential services don't need to prioritise shareholder dividends over customer needs.

 

Member launch rewards include:

• FoodCoop: 10% off everything, all day on Friday 30 January 2026

• TravelCoop: Up to £600 off Touring and Adventure holidays, with a further £75 off when booked in-store at a TravelCoop branch

• Little Pioneers: £26 registration fee, reduced from £100, when booking via the online Famly registration system by 6 February 2026. Child must start nursery between 26 January and 31 March 2026 inclusive.  

• MobileCoop: Unlimited data, calls and texts on SIM only packages for £26 a month (around 33% below standard pricing) available as part of our launch offers

• BroadbandCoop: Any broadband package available for £26 per month throughout 2026, delivering savings of up to 35%

• FuneralCoop: Up to £175 back on funeral plans. Funeral plans are provided by Central Co-op Funeral Plans*. Full terms and conditions apply. 

 

Membership

Membership of OurCoop is available through existing Central Co-op and Midcounties membership channels while systems are integrated. Members can apply via the Central Co-op app or online, with Midcounties membership applications continuing through existing digital sign-up routes.

Further information on membership and sign-up options is available via existing Central Co-op and Midcounties channels.

www.members.coop or https://mid.coop/signup

*Central Co-op Funeral Plans is a trading name of Central England Co-operative Funeral Plans Limited which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and part of the Central England Co-operative Group. Central England Co-operative Funeral Plans is registered on the Financial Services Register under number 963168. Registered Address: Central House, Queen Street, Lichfield, WS13 6QD. Telephone: 01543 414140.