Suma announced as recipient of Queen’s Award

The worker’s co-operative, Suma, has been awarded the prestigious Queen’s Award for Enterprise in the International Trade category.

The Queen’s Awards are amongst the most prestigious awards in the UK, designed to celebrate outstanding achievements in business.

And as its marks 40 years in business in 2017, Suma has been recognised for strong, continued growth in international sales, as well as its co-operative ethos and great employment benefits, such as equal pay for all workers and flexible working.

Suma, an ethical wholefood wholesaler located near Halifax, in West Yorkshire, serves both the UK and export market with a range that extends to more than 7,000 lines of ambient, chilled and frozen goods. With a growing workforce of more than 250 people, the business contributes to local employment in the Calderdale area and brings many benefits to the local economy, such as providing £2,500 worth of food to support the victims of the Boxing Day floods that struck the area on Boxing Day 2015.

Stephen Newton, a member of Suma’s International Sales Team, commented: “We’re really thrilled at the amazing growth of our international sales, and that we can make delicious, ethical vegetarian food available to a wider audience. By winning this award, we’re proud to prove that our local business can hold its own against the big players in international trade.”