The massive Co-op Suppliers Event had run for 9 years and was regarded as, and indeed was, highly successful. The big question was “why fix it if it isn’t broke?”

The Company was moving forward rapidly after the hiatus of the Coop Bank crisis. It is both forward thinking, innovate and has both led and benefited from the move to more frequent local food retailing.

Renaming it the “Pioneer Awards” after the founders of the Co-operative Movement, the Rochdale Pioneers set out its’ new positioning.

Held at the cavernous Manchester Central it was indeed pioneering and one for the “best of a decade” of The Black Arts Company