Washington — Fairtrade America is recognizing several new brand partners that have achieved its certification. The Fairtrade label indicates a company’s products are produced in compliance with Fairtrade’s social, economic and environmental standards designed to support secure livelihoods for small-holder farmers and workers around the world.
According to its biennial Fairtrade Consumer Insights report conducted by GlobeScan, nearly 80 percent of U.S. shoppers aware of Fairtrade would look at a brand that carried its certification label more favorably, and 73 percent of Fairtrade shoppers are willing to pay more for a product to ensure producers are paid a fair price. Additionally, 77 percent of Fairtrade shoppers say the Fairtrade mark makes it easy to decide if a product is ethically and responsibly produced.
Fairtrade’s newest brand partners are:
- Hu Kitchen: Committed to UltraSimple, healthy ingredients, Hu Kitchen, is one of the fastest-growing snack companies in the U.S., creating delicious paleo, dairy-free, gluten-free, and soy-free products, now with Fairtrade certified ingredients in its chocolate bars and baking gems.
- Russell Stover Chocolates: The 98-year-old confectionery company known for gifting chocolate launched Joy Bites this summer, its first-ever collection of no-sugar-added chocolate bars. The new line of five bars is crafted with Fairtrade certified cocoa in that packs in reclosable packaging that is 100 percent recyclable with FSC-certified outer sleeves.
- Grace Farms Foods: Grace Farms was created and is operated by Grace Farms Foundation, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to ending forced labor. The organization introduced the first-ever Fairtrade certified chocolate chip cookie in the U.S. in November, sourcing and certifying the cocoa, sugar and vanilla from Fairtrade producers. The cookies were crafted through a collaboration with celebrity chef and “Chopped” champion Silvia Baldini, with the intention to demonstrate fair and just supply chains are possible.
- Dukkan Foods: Dukkan brings the nostalgic corner store spirit with authentic and thoughtfully made products that celebrate its Middle Eastern roots. This fall, Dukkan launched the first-ever tahini made with Fairtrade certified sesame seeds in the U.S. The tahini is also fully organic, and the sesame seeds are sourced from the south of Egypt and Sudan.
“It is such an honor to partner with our Fairtrade certified brands and jointly raise the voices of the 1.8 million farmers and workers behind products we buy every day,” says Peg Willingham, executive director, Fairtrade America. “It’s imperative we work together to promote fairer trading conditions, and in turn combat poverty, child labor, gender inequality and climate change. When consumers choose products from our brand partners, they are part of a community standing up for justice and for a world where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.”
“We are proud to now join the Fairtrade movement and do our part to help ensure all farmers can enjoy secure and sustainable livelihoods,” notes Adam Thatcher, co-founder of Grace Farms Foods. “By working with Fairtrade, we are providing consumers with an easy-to-recognize way to know that our products are made with care for people at the center.”
