Our story so far

We’re more than a business. We're a co-op.

That means we're owned by our Members, the colleagues who work alongside us; plus, the hundreds of thousands of people who shop in our supermarkets and florists or are helped through our funeral services.

We’re an independent Co-operative Society, made up of lots of smaller societies over our 175-year history.

Central Co-op was created by the merger of the Anglia and Midlands Co-operative Societies, making us one of the largest independent retail co-operatives.

That means we’re different from The Co-op Group, but we’re guided by the same co-operative principles.

Our Heritage

Our story began over 150 years ago, when in 1844 a group of Lancastrians set up the Rochdale Pioneers Society, a co-operative movement which was to spread across the country.

At its peak in 1960 there were around 950 retail Societies in the UK. Over the years, we’ve merged together to form fewer, larger Societies.

Central Co-op Today

You’ll find us in 21 counties across Central England, with over 7,500 colleagues and over 300,000 Members.

Our food business has 244 shops, 20 petrol stations and 7 Insomnia coffee shops. Our funeral business has 176 funeral homes, our funeral plan business, 9 florists, a crematorium, a coffin factory, and a masonry business, offering end to end care for our families.

We’re working together to create a sustainable Society for all.

Our relationship with other co-operative societies

We’re part of the wider co-operative movement, and in the true spirit of co-operation we work with each other so that, as part of a larger unit, we have the buying power of much bigger companies through economies of scale.

Find your fit

Location
BIRMINGHAM
Position
Funeral
Advertising Salary
£13.06 per hour
Vacancy Type
Fixed Term
Hours Per Week
30
Company Name
FUNERAL OPERATIONS WARWICKSHIRE - 520830
Contract Dates
05/01/2026-07/06/2027
Location
HALESOWEN
Position
Funeral
Advertising Salary
£13.06 per hour
Vacancy Type
Fixed Term
Hours Per Week
25
Company Name
FUNERAL OPERATIONS HALESOWEN - 523827
Contract Dates
12 Months Fixed Term
Location
Leicester
Position
Customer Services Assistant
Advertising Salary
£12.40 per hour
Vacancy Type
Fixed Term
Hours Per Week
8
Company Name
ANSTEY SUPERMARKET - 100840
Contract Dates
3 month fixed term
Internal Advertising End DateInternal Advertising End Date:
04 Jan 2026
Location
DERBY
Position
Customer Services Assistant
Advertising Salary
£12.40 per hour
Vacancy Type
Permanent
Hours Per Week
8
Company Name
REPTON ROAD, WILLINGTON - 100769
Location
Burton-on-Trent
Position
Funeral
Advertising Salary
£13.06 per hour
Vacancy Type
Permanent
Hours Per Week
30
Company Name
BRETBY CREMATORIUM - 520030
Location
BIRMINGHAM
Position
Food Retail
Advertising Salary
44528.64
Vacancy Type
Permanent
Hours Per Week
39
Company Name
KINGHURST MARSTON DRIVE - 100449
Location
OXFORD
Position
Funeral
Advertising Salary
13.49
Vacancy Type
Permanent
Hours Per Week
39
Company Name
FUNERAL OPERATIONS OXFORD - 523832
Location
DERBY
Position
Food Retail
Advertising Salary
£12.40 per hour
Vacancy Type
Fixed Term
Hours Per Week
8
Company Name
LITTLEOVER CAFE - 100146
Contract Dates
6 months
Location
BIRMINGHAM
Position
Funeral
Advertising Salary
£13.06 per hour
Vacancy Type
Permanent
Hours Per Week
25
Company Name
ACOCKS GREEN FUNERAL - 520257
Location
DISS
Position
Customer Services Assistant
Advertising Salary
£12.40 per hour
Vacancy Type
Fixed Term
Hours Per Week
10
Company Name
RICKINGHALL STORE - 100652
Contract Dates
FTC 6 months
Location
BICESTER
Position
Funeral
Advertising Salary
£13.06 per hour
Vacancy Type
Permanent
Hours Per Week
25
Company Name
BICESTER FUNERAL - 523040
Location
SUTTON-IN-ASHFIELD
Position
Customer Services Assistant
Advertising Salary
£12.40 per hour
Vacancy Type
Fixed Term
Hours Per Week
10
Company Name
MANSFIELD ROAD, SKEGBY STORE - 100798
Contract Dates
3 month rolling contract
Internal Advertising End DateInternal Advertising End Date:
04 Jan 2026