About us

Who we are

Greencity Wholefoods operate as a worker co-operative, democratically run by our members, which means all of our staff have a say (and a vote!) in how we conduct our business. We strive to treat customers, suppliers, the community and our workers with fairness and respect and champion co-operative working as a successful alternative business model.

 

What we do

We supply businesses with a wholesale range of 4000+ organic, plant-based, Scottish, locally-produced, Fairtrade, free-from, ethical and eco-friendly lines in sizes to suit both food service and retail operations – including drinks and snacks, chilled foods, speciality artisan products, seasonal gifts and eco-friendly cleaning products, alongside a catalogue of high-quality organic catering and kitchen ingredients. We work closely with suppliers to ensure our products meet the highest of standards, in terms of quality and ethics, and pride ourselves on giving small, local producers a route to market.

 

Why we do it

It is our mission to provide our customers with a competitively priced, exciting and unique alternative to the mainstream offering available from other wholesalers, including a wide range of Scottish artisan products, so that they can present an attractive and exclusive range to their clientele.

 

 

1978

Founded on Hamilton Park Avenue, Glasgow, with 4 members as Scottish Wholefoods Collective Warehouse Ltd. First HQ – a humble tenement flat!

 

1980

With 12 worker-members, quickly outgrows the tenement flat and moves premises to Hillington Industrial Estate in Glasgow’s Southside.

Produces its first pre-packed product – white flour. Future product innovations include Greencity own brand oils, much laborious decanting of barrels of Shoyu and Tamari, as well as collaboration with a Scottish farmer to grow a field of brown lentils on our behalf.

 

1982

Name changes to Greencity Wholefoods. Chosen as the trading name because Glasgow in Gaelic (Glaschu) means ‘Dear Green Place’ and Glasgow has more parkland per head of population than any other city in Europe, despite its gritty reputation.

 

1983

Moves from Hillington Industrial Estate to the current premises in the East End of Glasgow; purchased outright in 1998.

 

  

 

1984

Greencity collaborates with Campaign Coffee Scotland to distribute Fair Trade coffee. Those old enough to remember will never forget the “hardcore solidarity” taste of Tanica, the very first Fairtrade coffee (instant and powdered) to be sold on the UK Market! Rrrrrrough!

 

1988

Hosts a wholefoods café & veg patch at Glasgow’s Garden Festival, the UKs biggest single event that year, attracting 4.3 million visitors.  Based on the story of “Jack & the Beanstalk”, our exhibit sought to promote the environmental sustainability of a plant-based diet, and featured a working flour mill and a chainsaw sculpture, ‘Jack’s Cow’, made by Neil Shaw Finlayson.

 

1989

Co-founds Highland Wholefoods, our sister co-operative based in Inverness, still going strong. Mentoring assistance to other co-op start-ups continues to this day, as well as active participation in Co-op to

Co-op trading networks.

 

1992

Greencity’s own Highland Bramble Crunch Muesli awarded bronze award at ScotHot Trade Show with its unique Scottish take on a Swiss classic.

 

1998

Helps to found Genetix Food Alert, with members active in the 343-day vigil to protect fields in Munlochy, Black Isle as GM crops become seen as a real danger to biodiversity. Scotland is declared a GM-Free Nation in 2015, safeguarding the “clean green” status of our £14 billion pound Food and Drink Industry. Result!

 

Also in 1998, Greencity receives Soil Association certification, and continues to support the Organic movement with almost half of our stock lines being certified Organic today.

 

 

2002

Leases part of warehouse out as studio space for local artists – eventually spawning 2 floors of thriving cultural community including workshops, learning spaces and a recording studio. Early tenants include internationally acclaimed artists David Sherry, Mick Peter and Simone Landwehr-Traxler.

 

2003

Greencity celebrates its 25th birthday with a trade show at the Dennistoun warehouse, and a party on the Renfrew Ferry. Warehouse manager, Phil Murray, is

resident DJ!

 

2006

Greencity is a key player in helping Glasgow gain its status as a Fairtrade City.

 

2007

Voted Best Green Business in the Glasgow Lord Provost Awards.

 

2014

Greencity grows to 37 worker-members, and launches Organic Barlotto mix (made with Scottish barley) as well as a Red Lentil Dahl Mix and a Falafel Mix, mirroring the changing taste buds of the Scottish population!

 

2015

Sponsorship of United Glasgow Women’s Football Team – Greencity branded strips – in solidarity with their refugee integration work amongst local communities.

 

2016

Installs solar panels in office building to minimise Greencity’s carbon footprint.  Since then more panels have been added to the warehouse roof and all lighting retrofitted to LEDs.

 

2018

Bans all single use plastic bottles across soft drinks range.

 

2019

Hosts a Kitchen Table Talk to feed into the Scottish Good Food Nation Bill, and a workshop with Zero Waste Scotland, bringing together zero waste retailers and suppliers at Greencity HQ to pool knowledge on packaging reduction.

 

2020

Keeps lots of indy shops supplied with Organic & healthy food during the Covid-19 Lockdowns, while many shoppers move towards buying locally more often.

Joins the Wellbeing Economy Alliance – a collaboration of groups working to build momentum for economic transformation so that economies around the world deliver shared wellbeing for people and planet by 2040.

 

 

2021

Glasgow hosts COP26, during which Greencity hosts Extinction Rebellion, who cook up energising meals from our yard for delivery to climate protestors across the city.

 

Also during COP26, Greencity donates food supplies to Minga Indigena, a collective of groups and communities from indigenous nations throughout Abya Yala (the American continent) visiting the city to raise awareness of the affect that climate change has on indigenous people.

 

2024 and beyond...

We commission Cobolt Collective to paint a huge mural on our Dennistoun headquarters, a daily, colourful reminder of the importance of working together towards a common goal.

With 50+ members and counting, we have plenty more in store. Thanks to all our loyal customers throughout the years and our fantastic suppliers and producers – may the journey continue and may the road ahead remain just as interesting!