AN award-winning, independent Cornish food store has announced another pioneering evolution as it celebrates six successful years in business.
The Great Cornish Food Store, based in Tregurra Park, Truro, has announced it will become an employee-owned business.
The move means that employees will part-own the business and will therefore be able to enjoy a share of the profits going forward.
In addition to safeguarding its significant role in the Cornish community, the forward-looking employee-ownership model gives every employee a more active role in how the company is run, and how it will evolve.
The Great Cornish Food Store also joins a number of Cornish businesses who are choosing this visionary route including Leap Media, Radix Communications and Nixon Design amongst others.
Waitrose Truro Team Manager, Izzy Rickcord said: "We take pride in the fact that as owners, our Partners are empowered to have a genuine say in the future of our business.
"It is encouraging to see the Great Cornish Food Store adopt the model and recognise the benefits it can bring – including higher levels of employee engagement, service and commitment.
"Ultimately, this not only has a positive impact on them as individuals, but the customers they become even more responsible for looking after too."
The store has its own butcher, fishmonger and deli and all the food and drink on sale comes from around 200 local suppliers.
READ NEXT:
Since its inception, six years ago, the Great Cornish Food Store has injected around £8million directly into the local food and drink industry.
In addition, it has been named Best New Business and Best Independent Food Retailer and created over 20 jobs.
Ruth is no stranger to the concept of employee ownership as her father worked for many years for one of the UK’s pioneers in this field.
She said: "I grew up with an understanding that there are different ways of doing business and was very aware how rewarding my dad found being part of an employee-owned company and how much pride he had in his employers.
"I’ve had the idea for a while that this might be something I could replicate with my own business, and it feels like this is the perfect ‘re-set’ moment for it."
"The store is in great shape and we have an incredible team, who very much deserve a boost after all the challenges they have handled so admirably over the past two years.
"I’m convinced we can really power ahead now as a purpose-driven company, becoming even more successful while preserving our values and integrity long term."
Oliver Basham, General Manager of the Great Cornish Food Store, will join Ruth Huxley as one of the Directors of the company.
Oliver said: "The benefits of working here couldn’t be clearer.
"I’m inspired by Ruth’s vision and the company ethos, and by this pioneering move to be an employee-owned company.
"It has gone down so well with all of our team, some of whom have been with the company since the very beginning.
"They are delighted to be more directly involved whilst being reassured that Ruth isn’t disappearing from the business."
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here