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
CHATTERIS
Position
Funeral
Advertising Salary
£13.06 per hour
Vacancy Type
Permanent
Hours Per Week
12.5
Company Name
J.H. LANDIN & SON FUNERAL HOME - 522079
Location
DESBOROUGH
Position
Funeral
Advertising Salary
£13.06 per hour
Vacancy Type
Fixed Term
Hours Per Week
25
Company Name
DESBOROUGH FUNERAL - 520007
Contract Dates
12 months
Latest

Team Leader

Location
Kettering
Position
Food Retail
Advertising Salary
£14.07 per hour
Vacancy Type
Permanent
Hours Per Week
24
Company Name
HIGH STREET DESBOROUGH - 100015
Location
Lancashire
Position
Customer Services Assistant
Advertising Salary
£12.40 per hour
Vacancy Type
Fixed Term
Hours Per Week
10
Company Name
THORNTON CLEVELEYS STORE - 100298
Contract Dates
02-12-25 to 30-01-26
Location
Leicester
Position
Customer Services Assistant
Advertising Salary
£12.40 per hour
Vacancy Type
Fixed Term
Hours Per Week
8
Company Name
KIBWORTH STORE - 100818
Contract Dates
6 month ftc
Location
Leicester
Position
Customer Services Assistant
Advertising Salary
£12.40 per hour
Vacancy Type
Fixed Term
Hours Per Week
12
Company Name
HOUGHTON ON THE HILL STORE - 100209
Contract Dates
6MONTHS
Location
MELTON MOWBRAY
Position
Funeral
Advertising Salary
£13.06 per hour
Vacancy Type
Permanent
Hours Per Week
39
Company Name
RICHARD BARNES FUNERAL DIRECTOR - 520009
Location
MELTON MOWBRAY
Position
Funeral
Advertising Salary
£13.06 per hour
Vacancy Type
Fixed Term
Hours Per Week
25
Company Name
RICHARD BARNES FUNERAL DIRECTOR - 520009
Contract Dates
6 months fixed
Location
Lichfield
Position
IT
Advertising Salary
45000
Vacancy Type
Fixed Term
Hours Per Week
39
Company Name
IT AND SERVICE - 240200
Contract Dates
6 month Fixed Term
Internal Advertising End DateInternal Advertising End Date:
31 Jan 2026
Location
Burton-on-Trent
Position
Customer Services Assistant
Advertising Salary
£12.40 per hour
Vacancy Type
Fixed Term
Hours Per Week
10
Company Name
STAPENHILL SUPERMARKET - 100254
Contract Dates
6 months
Location
Lichfield
Position
SSC HR Shared Services
Advertising Salary
£28,128
Vacancy Type
Fixed Term
Hours Per Week
39
Company Name
REWARD AND WELLBEING - 300300
Contract Dates
Fixed Term Contract - 12 Months
Location
Loughborough
Position
Funeral
Advertising Salary
£13.06 per hour
Vacancy Type
Permanent
Hours Per Week
25
Company Name
SWANNS (LOUGHBOROUGH) FUNERAL - 520378