Infinity Foods Workers Co-operative
Infinity Foods Workers Co-operative Ltd., is an independent wholefood business based in Brighton, specializing in vegetarian, Fairtrade, organic, ethical, and natural food and products.
History
1971–1985: Origins and growth
In 1971, Peter Deadman, Jenny Deadman and Robin Bines, opened Infinity Foods, a small retail shop located in a converted terraced house on Church Street, Brighton. It was an alternative food retailer, selling organic and natural foods. A growing demand for organic food as a lifestyle choice was reflected the organic farming growth in the 1970s.In 1973, the shop moved to its current site on North Road, Brighton, where it opened a wholesale operation and bakery. Infinity Foods operated informally as a worker cooperative. This is a business where the employees are the owners and collectively manage the company. They have a democratic say in decision-making and share the profits generated by the business, controlling their own workplace through shared ownership and governance.
It was formalized legally as a worker cooperative in 1979 under the regulations of the Industrial Common Ownership Movement and established as Infinity Foods Cooperative Ltd. a company owned and collectively managed by its workers.
In 1985, a separate wholesale division of the business, Infinity Foods Wholesale, was established and now operates from a warehouse outside of Brighton in Shoreham-by-Sea.