Unicorn Grocery


Unicorn Grocery is a co-operative grocery store located in Chorlton-cum-Hardy, Manchester, England. As a workers co-op, it is controlled democratically by its member/owners, who run the business with a flat management structure and with an equal rate of pay. Ethics form the foundations of the business, and Unicorn's Principles of Purpose are the framework within which the business operates.
Unicorn is closely connected to local sister company Glebelands City Growers in Sale and owns of peri-urban growing land at Glazebury, Cheshire. It sells fresh, dried and processed food and drink, much of it organic and with a focus on local and Fairtrade sourcing, as well as household, bodycare and general grocery items. Keeping prices in line with the supermarkets, Unicorn is one of the largest independent wholefood groceries in the UK and has an annual turnover of around £7 million. In 2017 it won the BBC Food & Farming Awards 'Best Food Retailer'. During 2008 it won two national awards, named BBC Radio's 'Best Local Food Retailer' and The Observer Food Monthly's 'Best Independent Retailer'

Business model and structure

Unicorn is based on a model devised by Roger Sawtell, former chair of the Industrial Common Ownership Movement, a co-operative federation that now forms part of Co-operatives UK. Roger has written at length on co-operative structure and employee participation and his model was first put into practice at Daily Bread Co-operative, a workers co-op in Northampton . The idea to set up a similar company in Manchester came about in 1994, based on the experiences of Adam York, who had worked in the Northampton shop.
The model revolves around direct, often bulk purchasing, on-site processing to add value, and competitive margins and pricing, matching supermarket prices.
Unicorn is based on the core principles of co-operative organisation, in that is that the business is owned and democratically run by its employees,, and they are the people who receive profits or other benefits generated by the business. There are no outside shareholders, executives or owners.
The co-op is almost completely 'fully mutual', i.e. all staff are members of the co-operative. The exception being that between 5 and 10% of hours needed can be performed by 'casual' staff. Experiments with a third level of non-member 'shop assistants' proved unsuitable for the co-op.

Unicorn today

The business occupies a site, has a turnover of around £7 million, and employs around 65 co-op members plus casual staff. It sells unpackaged organic fruit and vegetables, basic dried ingredients, prepared foods, chilled and delicatessen goods, organic bread and alcohol and environmentally friendly body and household products. All are sourced with the shop's principles in mind, with a focus on local, organic and fair-trade. As well as groceries, the shop provides a kids play area, information about the products and what to do with them, and a 'Green Roof'.
In 2007 Unicorn members became land owners, purchasing of growing land from the shop in Glazebury, Cheshire, once again using loanstock to finance the purchase. Designed to improve and secure the shops's regional fresh supply, the land will be used to grow vegetables organically, for sale in the shop, cutting food miles significantly.

History

From an original working group of two people, the shop opened on 21 September 1996 with a working group of four members plus volunteers. Financial support and advice came from sources including the Industrial Common Ownership Finance Ltd Co-op Finance Team, a Triodos Bank loan and loanstock. Turnover began at £4000 per year and reached £4 million by 2007. This was matched by growth in staff, reaching 51 by 2007.
Having rented the site for 7 years, Unicorn faced closure in 2003 when owners 'Town and Country' decided to sell the site. Using £100,000 of loanstock bonds raised in a week a mortgage from Triodos bank, and additional funding from ICOF, Co-operative Action and Triodos Bank's Inspiring Change Scheme Unicorn raised the £1 million needed and bought the building.
Growth has necessitated organisational changes within the co-op, the most significant being the creation of a 'representative structure', a departure from all members attending the fortnightly members decision-making meetings. After the group swelled beyond 15 people, members divided into teams, and individual co-op members are now represented by 'team overviews' at fortnightly 'forum' meetings.

Principles

Unicorn operate within a set of guidelines, known as its 'Statement of Purpose':