Dear Friends:
Here is news from the UK of important progress in the fight for Fairtrade chocolate. Let's hope for similar developments in the U.S. and the rest of the developed world.
Please note: "The average American eats almost 12 pounds of chocolate a year, supporting an industry that saw retail sales of more than $16 billion in 2006. If you’re among the 46 percent of Americans who say they can’t live without chocolate, you can avoid the well-documented problem of child slave labor in the cocoa industry, and direct your share of that $16 billion toward chocolate that helps communities and the environment. Look for candy bars, baking cocoa, hot chocolate mix, chocolate chips, chocolate coins, and miniatures."
(excerpt from: http://www.greenamericatoday.org/PDF/GuideFairTrade.pdf)
Abolition!
Lisa
Green and Black's to go 100% Fairtrade
Move will make Green & Black's the world's leading manufacturer of organic Fairtrade chocolate
Organic chocolate maker Green & Black's today pledged to switch its entire worldwide food and beverage range to Fairtrade by the end of next year, in a groundbreaking move that will make it the world's leading manufacturer of organic Fairtrade chocolate.
The company's Maya Gold chocolate was the first official Fairtrade product to go on sale in Britain 15 years ago. Its extended range of chocolate bar and beverage products in the UK will start to carry the distinctive blue and green Fairtrade logo from late 2010, and it is hoped that full conversion of the entire chocolate bar and beverage range in more than 30 countries will be achieved by the end of 2011.
The move to Fairtrade certification will build on the original Fairtrade relationship with cocoa farmers in Belize through guaranteed funding. It will also significantly increase Fairtrade sales in the UK. Green & Black's annual retail sales are approximately £65m.
The Fairtrade market, which now covers products from developing countries ranging from chocolate and coffee to cotton, was worth £22m in 1999, according to a recent survey from the Co-op. Last year, sales of Fairtrade products grew to £635m and the Co-operative is predicting it could break the £1bn barrier in 2010.
The company, founded by the organic pioneer Craig Sams, was controversially sold in 2005 to confectionery giant Cadbury for a reported £20m. Providing a shareholder revolt does not stop Kraft's takeover of Cadbury this month, it will become wholly owned by the US company in February.
The Fairtrade funding, approximately £300,000 a year, received by farmers in the Dominican Republic will be spent on sustainability initiatives which will include improving quality, yields and education, which in turn will increase income for farmers, ensure the cocoa industry becomes more sustainable and secure the supply of high-quality organic cocoa beans to support the brand's international growth.
Dominic Lowe, managing director of Green & Black's, said: "We buy quality, organic Trinitario cocoa beans from co-operatives in the Dominican Republic, and have done so for 10 years. Up until now we have committed US $500,000 in local initiatives to improve quality and availability, but we wanted to do more to support farmers."
The Fairtrade Foundation (UK) executive director, Harriet Lamb, commented: "This newest commitment to Fairtrade will enable producers to benefit themselves, scale up their businesses and invest in their communities, not just now but for the future."
The move represents another major coup for Fairtrade, which last year certified Cadbury's Dairy Milk, and means chocolate is now a mainstream Fairtrade product alongside bananas, tea and coffee.
It was also announced in December that the UK's best-selling chocolate biscuit bar, Kit Kat, is to receive ethical certification through the Fairtrade quality mark, from this month.
The Co-operative switched all their own label block chocolate to Fairtrade in 2002, resulting in a 50% sales volume uplift in the 12 months following the move. The Co-operative's milk chocolate bar was the UK's first own-brand Fairtrade product launched in 2005.
Here is news from the UK of important progress in the fight for Fairtrade chocolate. Let's hope for similar developments in the U.S. and the rest of the developed world.
Please note: "The average American eats almost 12 pounds of chocolate a year, supporting an industry that saw retail sales of more than $16 billion in 2006. If you’re among the 46 percent of Americans who say they can’t live without chocolate, you can avoid the well-documented problem of child slave labor in the cocoa industry, and direct your share of that $16 billion toward chocolate that helps communities and the environment. Look for candy bars, baking cocoa, hot chocolate mix, chocolate chips, chocolate coins, and miniatures."
(excerpt from: http://www.greenamericatoday.org/PDF/GuideFairTrade.pdf)
Abolition!
Lisa
Green and Black's to go 100% Fairtrade
Move will make Green & Black's the world's leading manufacturer of organic Fairtrade chocolate
Organic chocolate maker Green & Black's today pledged to switch its entire worldwide food and beverage range to Fairtrade by the end of next year, in a groundbreaking move that will make it the world's leading manufacturer of organic Fairtrade chocolate.
The company's Maya Gold chocolate was the first official Fairtrade product to go on sale in Britain 15 years ago. Its extended range of chocolate bar and beverage products in the UK will start to carry the distinctive blue and green Fairtrade logo from late 2010, and it is hoped that full conversion of the entire chocolate bar and beverage range in more than 30 countries will be achieved by the end of 2011.
The move to Fairtrade certification will build on the original Fairtrade relationship with cocoa farmers in Belize through guaranteed funding. It will also significantly increase Fairtrade sales in the UK. Green & Black's annual retail sales are approximately £65m.
The Fairtrade market, which now covers products from developing countries ranging from chocolate and coffee to cotton, was worth £22m in 1999, according to a recent survey from the Co-op. Last year, sales of Fairtrade products grew to £635m and the Co-operative is predicting it could break the £1bn barrier in 2010.
The company, founded by the organic pioneer Craig Sams, was controversially sold in 2005 to confectionery giant Cadbury for a reported £20m. Providing a shareholder revolt does not stop Kraft's takeover of Cadbury this month, it will become wholly owned by the US company in February.
The Fairtrade funding, approximately £300,000 a year, received by farmers in the Dominican Republic will be spent on sustainability initiatives which will include improving quality, yields and education, which in turn will increase income for farmers, ensure the cocoa industry becomes more sustainable and secure the supply of high-quality organic cocoa beans to support the brand's international growth.
Dominic Lowe, managing director of Green & Black's, said: "We buy quality, organic Trinitario cocoa beans from co-operatives in the Dominican Republic, and have done so for 10 years. Up until now we have committed US $500,000 in local initiatives to improve quality and availability, but we wanted to do more to support farmers."
The Fairtrade Foundation (UK) executive director, Harriet Lamb, commented: "This newest commitment to Fairtrade will enable producers to benefit themselves, scale up their businesses and invest in their communities, not just now but for the future."
The move represents another major coup for Fairtrade, which last year certified Cadbury's Dairy Milk, and means chocolate is now a mainstream Fairtrade product alongside bananas, tea and coffee.
It was also announced in December that the UK's best-selling chocolate biscuit bar, Kit Kat, is to receive ethical certification through the Fairtrade quality mark, from this month.
The Co-operative switched all their own label block chocolate to Fairtrade in 2002, resulting in a 50% sales volume uplift in the 12 months following the move. The Co-operative's milk chocolate bar was the UK's first own-brand Fairtrade product launched in 2005.
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