Our Coop trading profit holds at £4.5m after merger
Our Coop has published its interim report for the first half of FY27, the first since the new society was formed in January.
Gross sales increased by 180.3% to £1.3 billion following the coming together of Central Co-op, Midcounties Co-operative and Chelmsford Star Co-operative Society.
Subscribe to TRBTrading profit was £4.5 million, in line with the figure reported by Central Co-op in the equivalent period last year, despite a challenging trading environment.
Meanwhile, merger savings came in at £2.3 million, £900,000 ahead of plan.
Debbie Robinson, chief executive of Our Coop, said: “Bringing the three societies together has created opportunities to reduce shared costs and make better use of resources.
“In our first half year as Our Coop, we have delivered on our integration commitments: maintaining stable trading profit, achieving savings ahead of plan and keeping leverage in line with our plan.
“Alongside this, we have invested in frontline pay and reward for colleagues across OurCoop. These are deliberate choices that are reflected in our reported profit.”
After making some key technology decisions last year, Our Coop is now in the process of implementing new systems and exploring the potential of AI to improve productivity and simplify how it operates.
During the first half, the business invested £12 million in new sites, refurbishments, maintenance and in-store technology. New openings included food stores in Rainhill and Leckhampton and an Early Years centre in Stratford.
Robinson said: “Bringing our societies together is a two-year programme. From the outset, we have prioritised member value, colleague safety, pay alignment and ensuring our sites meet safety and compliance standards.
“As we look ahead, there are further opportunities to make the most of our shared resources and expertise, reducing tasks and creating a simpler operating model.”
