Suma wins Sky Zero Footprint Fund to secure first-ever TV ad spot
News item
West Yorkshire-based worker co-op Suma Wholefoods has been crowned the Northern winner of the Sky Zero Footprint Fund: Local Heroes competition, earning a regional TV advertising campaign through AdSmart from Sky.
Pioneering worker co-op, Suma Wholefoods, is set to hit TV screens for the first time after winning the Sky Zero Footprint Fund: Local Heroes competition in the North.
Launched in 2021, The Sky Zero Footprint Fund initiative was created to inspire positive behaviour change and help start-ups and established brands accelerate their sustainable initiatives nationally, using the power of TV. Suma is now preparing to work with its nominated production agency on their first-ever TV advert, which will air between May and September 2025.
Rebecca Kinnard, who works in marketing and product development at Suma, led the awards pitch. She said: “Winning the Local Heroes Award means the world to us. This recognition will allow us to further expand our efforts and make an even bigger impact.”
Suma is one of the largest co-operatives of its kind in Europe, working together and bound by seven co-operative principles, which aim to improve society and support suppliers and customers. The Co-operatives UK partner member has always put environmental and social goals at the heart of everything it does.
According to the judges, Suma stood out for its:
- Commitment to plant-based and vegetarian products
- Aim to reduce Scope 1 and 2 CO2 emissions by 90% by 2035
- Support for community initiatives, including food banks, charities and local clean-ups
- Equal-wage model and strong advocacy for LGBTQ+ rights
Suma’s ambition is to inspire people to reconnect with their high streets, champion local independents and rediscover a sense of belonging within their communities - something the worker co-op hope their new advert will support.
David Sanderson, Director of AdSmart Local and Development at Sky Media, said: “These winning businesses are raising the bar for sustainability, proving that it’s possible to make a positive impact while scaling your business. We’re immensely proud to support these local heroes by helping them reach the right audiences with targeted regional advertising, enabling them to share their inspiring stories and drive real, transformative change.”
Suma is a wholefood collective founded in 1977 by a liberally-minded group of people who believed there was a better way, and actively set out to create it.
Today it is stronger than ever. The Co-operatives UK partner member delivers over 7,000 vegetarian, natural, responsibly sourced products to businesses and communities across the UK and internationally. It is one of the largest equal pay worker owned co-ops in Europe. Suma specialises in wholefoods and plant-based alternatives, and has its own eco-friendly household cleaning and bodycare ranges too.
