Delegation from Co-operatives UK and Central Co-op Visits JCCU
2025.07.18
On June 16, 2025, JCCU welcomed a distinguished delegation from the United Kingdom. The visitors included Ms. Rose Marley, Chief Executive Officer of Co-operatives UK; Ms. Ruth Buchanan, Head of Finance at Co-operatives UK; and Ms. Charlotte Castille, Head of Membership, Brand & Marketing of Central Co-op.
They held a formal meeting with ARAI Chitose, President of JCCU; SHIMADA Hiroyuki, Vice President; and FUJII Yoshitsugu, Managing Director (CEO).
At the beginning of the meeting, President ARAI warmly welcomed the guests and expressed that Japanese co-operatives have a long history of exchange with British co-operatives. She expressed her hope that this visit would serve as an opportunity to further strengthen mutual ties.
In response, Ms. Marley, CEO of Co-operatives UK, also expressed her desire to invigorate the exchange of experiences between Japanese and British co-operatives. She showed particular interest in the home delivery service model of Japanese consumer co-ops and asked questions about the age demographics of co-op members as well as the performance of the delivery service during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Additionally, Ms. Castille of Central Co-op shared insights into her organization's efforts to attract younger members through the development of mobile apps and youth-oriented products.
