The 10 World’s Biggest Cooperatives
in 2021
The 10 World’s Biggest Cooperatives-Based on the Report from International Cooperative Alliance (ICCOP) entitled “World
Cooperative Monitor (Exploring the cooperative economy REPORT 2023”, there are 10 World’s Biggest Cooperatives in 2021. This report
basically ranks the cooperatives all across the world in different sectors
based on financial turnover in 2021.
Principally, a cooperative is an autonomous organization of persons that unite voluntarily to achieve the same economic, social, and cultural goals and aspirations. These cooperatives are basically owned by people (members) and the director, or the supervisor of the cooperative is selected by people (members) as a stakeholder.
From the published report, there are 300 of
cooperative’s sample which has an
overall turnover total of USD 2,409.41 billion for
the year 2021. Specifically, the sample cooperatives came from the insurance sector (96 enterprises) and
agricultural sector (105 enterprises), followed by the wholesale and retail
trade (57 enterprises). Of all ranked databases, there are 10 World’s Biggest Cooperatives. Here are
the ranks of 10 World’s Biggest Cooperatives. All of the data was
obtained from “World
Cooperative Monitor Exploring the cooperative economy REPORT 2023” by International Cooperative Alliance (ICOOP).
The Rank of 10 World’s Biggest Cooperatives in 2021
|
Ranks |
Name of
cooperative |
Turnover in 2021 |
Number of Employees 2021 |
|
(Billion USD) |
|||
|
1 |
Groupe
Crédit Agricole |
117.01 |
147,000 |
|
2 |
REWE Group |
82.03 |
257,996 |
|
3 |
Groupe BPCE |
64.06 |
99,000 |
|
4 |
Nonghyup
(National Agricultural Cooperative Federation - NACF) |
61.17 |
27,865 |
|
5 |
ACDLEC
Leclerc |
60.56 |
138,000 |
|
6 |
Cooperative
Financial Network Germany - BVR |
59.82 |
170,614 |
|
7 |
Talanx
Group |
53.82 |
23,316 |
|
8 |
Edeka
Zentrale |
51.97 |
83,534 |
|
9 |
Groupe Crédit Mutuel |
49.36 |
83,141 |
|
10 |
Nippon Life |
49.07 |
92,737 |
|
Source : World Cooperative Monitor 2023,
International Cooperative Alliance |
|||
Brief Descriptions of Top 10 World’s Biggest Cooperatives in 2021
1.Groupe Crédit Agricole
Crédit
Agricole Group becomes the world’s largest cooperative in 2021. Financially, in
2021, the turnover of the Crédit Agricole Group reached US$ 117.01 billion. Crédit Agricole was founded in the
district of Poligny in the Jura region on 5 November 1894. Operationally, this
cooperative has a main office in Montrouge,
France. Based on the labor force, the cooperative has around 147,000
employees which serve around 54 million customers spread across 46 countries. Based on its service, Groupe Crédit Agricole
has some products and services. Some of the financial products are retail
banking, corporate banking, investment banking, private banking, wealth
management, and asset management.
2.REWE Group
The Revisionsverband der
Westkauf-Genossenschaften (REWE) Group is
a German retail and tourism Cooperative which has
a main office in Cologne, Germany. Historically, Rewe
was founded in 1927 because of the merger of 17 purchasing cooperatives. Along
with business development, The Rewe has 257,996 employees and manages 15,718
stores and travel agencies. Financially in 2021, The RWE group has turnover
around USD 77.93 billion.
3.Groupe BPCE
Groupe Banque Populaire Caisse d’Epargne or
commonly known as Groupe BPCE is a finance cooperative that was founded in
2009. Operationally, this cooperative has
a main office in France. Some of the major networks of insurance and banks of
Groupe BPCE are Banque Populaire, Caisse d’Epargne, Banque Palatine and Oney.
Along with business development, this cooperative has 99,900 employees,
9.5 million cooperative shareholders, and serves around 35 million of customers
in more than 50 countries. Financially, in 2021, Groupe BPCE has turnover
around USD 64.06 billion.
4. Nonghyup (National Agricultural Cooperative Federation - NACF)
The National Agricultural Cooperative Federation (NACF) is an alliance of several cooperatives in South Korea which was formed on August 15, 1961. The cooperative was originally formed because of the merger of Agricultural Cooperatives in South Korea (Agricultural Cooperatives) and Agricultural Bank. To date, there are approximately 1,155 cooperative members, 110 branch offices, and 2.4 million representative farmers in South Korea with a business turnover up to USD 61.17 billion.
5. E. Leclerc
E. Leclerc is a French cooperative society that was founded by Édouard Leclerc in 1948. To Date, this company has a main office in Ivry-sur-Seine, France which employs 138,000 people. Based on its business, E.Leclerc has some business in trading and retail. This cooperative has a discount store, hypermarket, supercenter, and superstore. Some of the outlet and business center of E.Leclerc are L’auto (Car Garage), Brico, Le Prou Construction, Espace Culturel, Jardin, Location, Manège à Bijoux, Optique, Parapharmacie, Sport, Station-Service, UNE HEURE POUR SOI, Bornes électriques, Animalerie, Jouets, and Occasion. Financially, in 2021, E. Leclerc cooperative has turnover around USD 60.56 billion.
6. Cooperative Financial Network Germany – BVR
The German Cooperative Financial Group (BVR) is a financial cooperative from Germany. The German Cooperative Financial Group has a main office in Berlin, Germany and still has 170,614 employees and serves more than 30 million customers. Historically, this cooperative was created by 50 inhabitants of Öhringen in the Kingdom of Württemberg with the help of an Economist, namely Franz Hermann Schulze-Delitzsch. From time to time, along with business development, this financial cooperative has 18.2 million members with 771 local cooperative banks and 7,207 branches. Financially, Cooperative Financial Network Germany – BVR has turnover around USD 59.82 billion.
7.Talanx Group
Talanx is a German insurance cooperative that has a main office in Hannover. Historically, this company was founded in 1996. Operationally, the company has 23 thousand employees with gross written premium around 1.1 billion Euro. Furthermore, Talanx Group manages subsidiaries and branches on five continents and through cooperations is active in more than 175 countries. Financially In 2021, this cooperative has turnover around USD 53.82 billion.
8. Edeka Zentrale
The Edeka Group is a German retail cooperative that has a main office in Hamburg, Germany. Historically, this cooperative
was founded in 1907. In terms of its business, Edeka has some stores including Bringmeister, nah und gut, EDEKA aktiv
markt, EDEKA neukauf, EDEKA, EDEKA center (E-Center), EDEKA C&C Großmarkt, and EDEKA Großverbraucherservice. In terms
of business development, Edeka Zentrale has approximately 3,400 independent
retailers, more than 11,000 stores, and employs 83,534 people. Financially, in 2021, the Edeka Zentrale has
a turnover of around USD 51.97 billion.
9. Groupe Crédit Mutuel
Crédit Mutuel is a French cooperative bank that has its main office in Paris, France. Historically, this cooperative bank was founded in February,1882. Along with business development until 2022, Crédit Mutuel has 36 million customers, 8.9 million members, 3,330 marketing area/office, and employed 83,141 people. Based on the financial products, this company has served with banking, corporate banking, private banking and insurance. Financially, in 2021, Groupe Crédit Mutuel turnover around USD 49.36 billion.
10.Nippon Life
Nippon Life Insurance Company or commonly known as Nippon Life is a Japanese financial
cooperative that has a main office in Imabashi
Sanchōme, Chūō-ku, Osaka, Japan. Historically, this cooperative was founded on
July 4th, 1889. Until 2021, Nippon Life has 1,510 sales offices, and 15 million
clients. Financially, in 2021, Nippon Life has a turnover of around USD 49.07
billion and has total assets of JPY (¥) 87,594 billion in 2023.
The Summary of 10 World’s Biggest Cooperatives in 2021
Bibliography of Top 10 World’s Biggest Cooperatives
International Cooperative Alliance. 2024.World Cooperative Monitor
(Exploring the cooperative economy) 2021. Accessed via https://monitor.coop/sites/default/files/2022-11/WCM_2022.pdf on Janury 8th, 2024.
Groupe Crédit Agricole. Accessed via https://www.credit-agricole.com/ on January 8th, 2024.
REWE Group. Accessed via https://www.rewe-group.com/en/ on January 8th, 2024.
Cooperative Financial Network Germany – BVR. Accessed via https://www.bvr.de/ on January 8th, 2024.
ACDLEC Leclerc. Accessed via https://www.e.leclerc/ on January 8th, 2024.
Groupe BPCE. Accessed via https://groupebpce.com/ on January 8th, 2024.
Nippon Life. Accessed via https://www.nissay.co.jp/english/ on January 8th, 2024.
Talanx Group. Accessed via https://www.talanx.com/en/talanx-group on January 8th, 2024.
Nonghyup (National Agricultural Cooperative Federation – NACF).
Accessed via https://www.nonghyup.com/eng/main/engMain.do on January 8th, 2023.
Edeka Zentrale. 2024. Accessed via https://www.edeka.de/ on January 8th, 2023.