Wellcome decided to cease farming activities in 2017 and instead form partnerships with farmers.

The first farm was acquired at Roden, Shropshire in 1896 in order to supply potatoes to local societies' stores.

[3] By 1918, the then Co-operative Wholesale Society already farmed a total of 32,648 acres (13,212 ha) across England.

On 4 August 2014, the business was sold to the Wellcome Trust for £249 million, to reduce The Co-operative Group's debt following its financial crisis in 2013.

[6] At the time of the sale, The Co-operative Farms owned 39,533 acres (15,998 ha) of land organised as 15 farms, and more than 100 residential and 27 commercial properties.