Flourishing Co-Operative Business

July 3 1863 was the founding date of the Co-operative Wholesale Society in Manchester. The roots of the co-operative movement are in England. In 1844 seven weavers founded the Rochdale Equitable Co-operative Society. By buying and producing collectively, workers were able to get around the retailers.

Members of the co-operation participate in ownership and share the profits. The co-operative movement flourished especially in Great-Britain. In 1909 120,000 people were employed in this business, which, apart from its many flour mills and shops, included a tobacco firm, tomato greenhouses, and a tea plantation. In 1963, one hundred years after it was founded, the CWS had a membership of 13 million.