Celebrating Fair Trade Day: A Crucial Pillar in the Food and Drink Industry

In the bustling realm of the food and drink industry, where flavours dance on tongues and aromas tantalise the senses, lies a fundamental principle that is often overlooked: fairness. 

This principle forms the bedrock of Fair Trade, an ethos that ensures equitable treatment for producers in developing countries. As we approach Fair Trade Day on 11th May, it's an opportune moment to reflect on why this occasion holds such profound significance for the food and drink industry, particularly within the context of British markets.

Fair Trade Day is not merely a date on the calendar; it's a rallying cry for justice and equality in global trade. It shines a spotlight on the farmers and artisans who toil tirelessly to cultivate our coffee beans, harvest cocoa, and pluck tea leaves under the scorching sun. 

These individuals, often situated in regions grappling with economic hardship, deserve more than mere subsistence for their efforts. Fair Trade empowers them by guaranteeing fair wages, safe working conditions, and sustainable practices.

In the food and drink industry, where ingredients traverse continents to grace our tables, the impact of Fair Trade resonates deeply. Take, for instance, that invigorating morning cup of coffee. Behind its rich flavour lies a complex supply chain, stretching from remote coffee plantations to bustling urban cafés. Fair Trade ensures that every step of this journey upholds ethical standards, from the farmer who nurtures the coffee plants to the barista who brews the perfect cup.

Moreover, Fair Trade fosters a sense of community and solidarity across borders. When consumers choose Fair Trade products, they're not merely purchasing goods; they're endorsing a philosophy of fairness and sustainability. This conscious decision sends ripples of support to farmers and producers worldwide, affirming their right to dignified livelihoods.

In Britain, where discerning consumers increasingly prioritise ethical consumption, Fair Trade Day serves as a poignant reminder of our collective responsibility. It prompts us to scrutinise the origins of the products lining our supermarket shelves and the practices of the brands we patronise. By championing Fair Trade, we align our actions with our values, paving the way for a more equitable global marketplace.

Furthermore, Fair Trade Day offers a platform for dialogue and education. It encourages businesses to engage in transparent practices, fostering trust and accountability among consumers. Through workshops, seminars, and promotional events, Fair Trade organisations raise awareness about the challenges faced by producers and the transformative power of ethical trade.

In the wake of global crises and economic disparities, the message of Fair Trade resonates louder than ever. It embodies a vision of commerce that transcends profit margins, prioritising human welfare and environmental stewardship. By celebrating Fair Trade Day on 11th May, we reaffirm our commitment to building a world where fairness is not a luxury but a fundamental right.

As we raise our mugs of ethically sourced coffee and nibble on Fair Trade chocolate, let us remember the faces and stories behind these products. Let us honour the farmers and artisans who enrich our lives with their labour. And let us pledge to make every day a Fair Trade Day, where justice and compassion guide our consumption choices.

In the tapestry of the food and drink industry, Fair Trade stands as a vibrant thread, weaving together communities, cultures, and aspirations. On this momentous occasion, let us celebrate its enduring legacy and rededicate ourselves to a future where fairness knows no boundaries.

https://www.fairtrade.org.uk

Aldi launches Fairtrade Shiraz for a very keen £6.49

If you want proof that decent wines don't have to cost the Earth, Aldi has available in stores now, the Cambalala South African Shiraz Pinotage Blend (£6.49, 75cl) which is light to medium ruby red in colour with aromas of red and black cherries, brambles and a sprinkling of white pepper. It’s juicy and easy to drink with a whisper of spice on the finish – perfect for stepping into Autumn. (And in the opinion of That'd Food and Drink, laying down for Christmas, too.)

Buying Fairtrade wine like this new blend not only tastes good, but also does good, too. It helps make certain ensure farmers and workers receive a fair price, plus an additional premium to help their community invest in essential services like education, sanitation and health care.

Julie Ashfield, who is MD of Buying at Aldi UK, says: “As shoppers strive to lead a more sustainable life they increasingly seek out ethically sourced products, and this includes wines.  

“We think its important Fairtrade products are affordable, and that’s why launching this fantastic new blend is a big milestone for us. It’s an amazing quality wine, reflecting the quality of the production and hard work gone into making it”.

Kerrina Thorogood, Partnerships Director at the Fairtrade Foundation, added: “Let’s raise a glass to Aldi for introducing this delicious new line of Fairtrade wine.

“Every sip of Fairtrade wine helps ensure producers get a fairer deal through Fairtrade Standards which include decent working conditions for workers, the Fairtrade Minimum Price and Fairtrade Premium to invest in social, economic and environmental improvements.”

Aldi’s Fairtrade South African Shiraz Pinotage Blend is available in-stores and via Click & Collect now, whilst stocks last.

www.aldi.co.uk

Choose a Coffee With a Purpose This Fairtrade Fortnight, With Owens Coffee

Award-winning Owens Coffee is encouraging coffee lovers to wake up and smell Jabulani Coffee this Fairtrade Fortnight (27 February – 12 March 2023). 

It's a smooth and mellow coffee with sweet notes of cherry, hibiscus and vanilla, the organic and Fairtrade single-origin specialty coffee is ideal for espresso and filter use as whole beans, or as medium ground for cafetière and filter. 

It's also available as fine ground for espresso. Roasted and distributed by the South West based roastery, it's available from owenscoffee.com, 200g for £7.76 and 1kg for £27.00.

The beans used to craft Jabulani Coffee are grown in the Gakenke District of Rwanda and sourced from the Twongereka Coko Cooperative. This mountain community - made up of a group of 204 members, of which 169 are female - grow their coffee at unusually high levels (2,000m above sea level) so the beans are slowly ripened and full of flavour. 

This particular coffee is produced in partnership between Owens Coffee and Jabo Butera, resulting from a Diversity Business Incubator (DBI) project, which is a Business Hub for Minority Ethnicity entrepreneurs. 

Owens and Jabo have a direct relationship with the Twongereka Coko Cooperative, with sales of the beans supporting an initiative which connects ambassadors from the UK and Rwanda to exchange knowledge, nurture leadership and encourage positive global change. Following a trip to Rwanda in summer 2022, a film was created about how a remarkable spirit of togetherness inspires a nation and binds this coffee with a purpose. 

International Women's Day (8 March) also falls during Fairtrade Fortnight, giving yet more reason to celebrate the incredible women of the Twongerekawa Coko Cooperative and their brilliant coffee beans, which are in the top 10% of quality in the world and are therefore classed as 'speciality grade'. 

Since 2010, Owens Coffee has supported the aims of the Fairtrade Foundation and is proud that 100% of its coffee range is certified Fairtrade and organic.

“We source our coffee beans consciously. As one of the most widely consumed beverages in the world, it's important for consumers also to make a conscious choice when purchasing coffee. Whether that be in a coffee shop, supermarket or from a local roastery like ours, Fairtrade coffee is widely available in the UK and, by choosing Fair Trade products, you will make a huge difference not just to the taste of your morning cuppa but to the growers and the planet.” says Managing Director of Owens Coffee, Lorraine Bridden.

To shop the full range or to find out more about Owens Coffee, please visit owenscoffee.com. Follow Owens Coffee on Instagram @owenscoffee_, like or follow @OwensCoffee on Facebook and follow @OwensCoffee on Twitter. 

To watch the documentary or to find out more please visit www.jabulanicoffee.com and to stay up-to-date, follow @jabulanicoffee on Instagram and Jabulani Coffee on Facebook.

Harry's Nuts! declared elephant friendl

Harry’s Nuts!, the Fairtrade salted nuts from Harry Hill, have been declared ‘Elephant Friendly’ thanks to the work of Fairtrade cashew farmers in India in protecting an endangered species. The snacks are available in Sainsbury’s, Waitrose and other outlets and the packs of cashews have an extra environmental boast with each munch.

 

The cashew farmers have used some of the extra money which comes with Fairtrade to protect wild Indian elephants which had been trespassing on their farms from the local forests. Farmers had found trees they had been growing for twenty years felled by the power of these elephants.

Wanting to protect their crops, farmers often fought back, risking both injury to themselves and the elephants.

The farming organision Fair Trade Alliance Kerala (FTAK) decided the farmers, their trees and the elephants needed to be protected and studied ways of keeping the animals at bay without hurting them. FTAK came up with the idea of investing the Fairtrade premium on solar panels to power electrified fencing around the farms. This provides a very mild shock.

“The shock deters but does not injure the elephants, so these cashews are now elephant-friendly,” explains FTAK’s Tomy Mathews.

Dan Bucknell, Head of Conservation and Campaigns of the charity Elephant Family, says:
"With the Asian elephant suffering from massive habitat loss and persecution where it feeds on crops, it is refreshing that Harry's Nuts! are grown in such a responsible way that works for both the farmers and the elephants."

The 3,200 cashew nut farmers are all part of an organic conversion programme and 45% of them have already achieved this certification. Organic methods are seen by the farmers as the best way of protecting their crops while protecting biodiversity. The farmers are operating in a 'biosphere' of exceptional biodiversity and take protecting this environment extremely seriously. There is also a focus on replanting indigenous breeds of cashew trees which produce a better crop.

The farmers were also concerned that an indigenous breed of goat, the ‘Malabari’, was becoming extinct – a breed which has far greater immunity to disease than crossbreeds, eats less fodder and is much cheaper to rear for milk and meat. They have started a breeding programme which sees a farmer being given a male and female goat and then passing on the offspring to another farmer.

Harry Hill works with Fairtrade nut company Liberation Foods on Harry’s Nuts!, currently available in two varieties – salted peanuts and salted cashews. Liberation’s biggest shareholder is a co-operative of nut farming and gathering organisations including FTAK. Managing Director Kate Gaskell says: "All of the nuts in Harry’s Nuts! are transporteded to the UK by sea - the most environmentally friendly form of long haul transport. Everything we do in our business reveals a respect for the environment as well as the farmer." Fairtrade has strict environmental criteria though it is, of course, best known for the fair prices it guarantees to farmers.

Harry’s Nuts! are popular for their taste – they are cooked for longer than other salted peanuts and cashews to give them an extra crunchiness and deeper flavour. They have been backed by celebrity food writer Sophie Grigson who says: "The peanuts have a very appealing creamy texture and a delicious sweet, rounded flavour enhanced by just the right degree of salt."

Harry launched the products after travelling to Malawi and meeting some of the peanut farmers, many of whom are women looking after Aids orphans. He heard that the benefits which come with Fairtrade are a huge help to them. Harry, a big peanut lover, says: "These Fairtrade salted nuts are an extra tasty version of my favourite snack and there’s no money in it for me (what a mug!). I’m working with Liberation and it's great that the company is run to benefit the farmers and their families."

Fairtrade Fortnight this year (February 27 - March 11) has the theme Take A Step For Fairtrade http://www.fairtrade.org.uk/step This is the latest step from Harry's Nuts!

For more information see http://www.chooseliberation.com or http://www.facebook.com/harrysnuts

Harry’s Nuts! are sold in Sainsbury’s and Waitrose stores and other outlets. Prices are around £1.50. Harry’s Nuts! Crunchy Peanut Butter is available from 200 Sainsbury’s stores at a RRP of £1.99

Liberation Foods is co-owned by farming groups from Malawi , Mozambique , Bolivia , Brazil , Nicaragua , Peru , El Salvador and India . Farmers receive the guaranteed fair price which come with the FAIRTRADE Mark for their produce and receive a Fairtrade premium often spent on projects which benefit the entire community. They are also involved in the running of the company and will receive a share of profits when a dividend is paid.

Liberation is a Community Interest Company (CIC). This is a new type of company which has to be run for the benefit of a ‘Community of Interest’. For Liberation, the Community of Interest is small-scale nut farmers and gatherers in Africa, Latin America and Asia . As well as its own snacks, Liberation also supplies Fairtrade nuts to supermarkets in the UK and abroad for own-label products including Sainsbury’s, Tesco and Morrisons. Liberation works closely with the Fairtrade Foundation which administers the FAIRTRADE Mark in the UK.  See www.fairtrade.org.uk.