Worker-owned co-operative Greencity Wholefoods has put its showstopping stamp on the East End of Glasgow with a breathtaking mural that encapsulates the business’s ethical approach to business and life.
When Greencity Wholefoods started discussing the idea of a mural for the front of their building, they knew they wanted an original outcome that both brightened up their ‘wee corner of Dennistoun’ and one that raised the profile and presence of their worker-owned business.
Greencity first began back in 1978 when four friends launched an ahead-of-its time cooperative vegetarian business in a tenement in Glasgow. From those humble beginnings, the business now has more than 50 members and a site which includes 11,000sq ft of artist studios.
It’s probably fair to say that, over those years, Greencity Wholefoods has grown to become Scotland’s most well-loved ethical wholesaler with a range of over 5,000 vegetarian, organic, locally sourced, Scottish, Fairtrade, free-from, ethical and eco-friendly products.
The workers therefore felt that some eye-catching artwork would be perfect to reflect the vibrant and eclectic mix of people working within the business, along with their love of nature and their cooperative values.
Once the collective decision was made to take this idea forward, the search for artists began and through a democratic decision-making process, Cobolt Collective was chosen. Cobolt Collective was formed when Glasgow-based mural artists Erin Bradley-Scott, Chelsea Frew and Kat Loudon joined forces with a vision to instil positive change within communities, a viewpoint that aligns strongly with Greencity’s own.
The resulting mural features extracts from a poem by local writer Sorley Mackay, written in Scots and commissioned especially for the project by the artists, while the artwork features a plethora of symbols to represent the collective ethos, essence, feelings and characteristics of the Greencity Wholefoods team and business.
Erin Bradley-Scott of Cobolt Collective comments: “With Greencity being a workers’ cooperative championing progressive values around fairness, equality, and social justice, we imagined this to be a dream project to work on – and we were right. Members of Greencity kindly shared stories and memorabilia from the company’s impressive grassroots history, and of their personal experiences working there. Their stories provided a wealth of inspiration which we captured through the use of bespoke poetry, playful illustrations, simple geometric shapes, and a contrasting colour palette. The result is an authentic portrayal of Greencity’s bold, progressive, and impactful presence in the food industry.”
Heather McDougall, Artworker and Buyer for Greencity Wholefoods, adds: “Cobolt Collective had a tough brief on their hands, but they’ve managed to create a fantastic mural that brings together all of the things that make Greencity such a unique workplace. The mural represents not just our diversity and creativity as a workers co-op, but also the beauty of collaborative efforts. It’s presence in our wee corner of Dennistoun is a daily reminder of the importance of working together towards a common goal.”
