While the vanilla industry is seeing low prices and low demand this year, Virginia Dare’s partnerships with 1,300 growers in Madagascar are focused on fortifying communities’ livelihoods through social, environmental and economic initiatives that help...
From grim footage of workers mistreating cows to environmental concerns, consumer perceptions of the dairy industry are not universally positive, acknowledges Chobani president Peter McGuinness. But adding dairy to the sectors covered by Fair Trade certification...
GoodSam Foods, a new brand of no-sugar-added, direct-trade chocolate launched by BeyondBrands, has entered the sugar-free chocolate confectionery category with products sweetened with emerging sweetener allulose.
Ever since coconut water burst on to the US market several years ago, Americans have been enthralled with all things coconut, but while manufacturers are reaping the rewards of the ingredient’s sustained popularity, the farmers and suppliers are not.
Last year, 1.6 million Fairtrade farmers and workers across 75 countries benefited from an estimated €138 million (approx. US $155 million) in a Fairtrade premium, according to Fairtrade International.
For most millennials, selecting coffee is an emotional decision that goes beyond meeting basic needs such as freshness and affordability to include the social and environmental impact of how it was made, according to new research.
Collaborative research by Fair Trade USA and Natural Marketing Institute (NMI) suggests 59% of consumers recognize the Fair Trade Certified label, compared to 38% in 2012.
Entrepreneur, journalist, political consultant and campaigner Fernando Morales-de la Cruz is launching a coffee capsule brand he hopes will accelerate the eradication of poverty among coffee farmers by reinvesting 10 cents for every cup sold back into...
The chocolate industry must commit to longer sourcing agreements if it expects farmers to be able to invest in cocoa productivity and quality, according to a leading farming cooperative in Côte d’Ivoire.
Fair Trade USA has finalized its labeling policy after over six months of consultation. NGO Fair World Project supports some of the changes but feels the policy does not go far enough to combat exploitative sugar sourcing.
SETH GOLDMAN, CO-FOUNDER, SAYS BRAND 'CONTINUES TO INNOVATE'
Seth Goldman, co-founder and ‘TEA-EO’ of entrepreneurial success story Honest Tea, tells BeverageDaily.com that Coke’s ownership has helped the brand take Fair Trade and Organic credentials into the US mainstream.
Fair Trade USA claims that draft changes to its labeling policy allowing brands with 20% certified ingredients to carry its logo are justified in composite products like chocolate because components like sugar are mainly sourced domestically in the US...
Not-for-profit organization Fair World Project has criticized changes to Fair Trade USA's labeling policy, which allows chocolate to carry the seal when it contains a high percentage of other ingredients like sugar that are not fairly traded.
A proliferation of eco-labels could have adverse consequences, as food manufacturers question the value of certification schemes in light of a fragmented market and multiple fees, according to Organic Monitor.
Fairtrade product sales rose 12% worldwide in 2011 due to ethical sourcing commitments from the food and drink industry and increased consumer awareness.
Fair Trade imports into the US grew 75% in 2011, as food manufacturers look to secure their supply chains through more direct contact with suppliers - and as they bet on growing demand from 'conscious consumers', says Fair Trade USA president...
Do consumers care whether the ingredients in their favorite foods are produced sustainably, and whether the people that produce them are treated fairly?
Fair Trade USA has revised its policy for labeling products with multiple ingredients, introducing a new ‘Fair Trade Certified Ingredients’ label alongside an updated logo.
Fair Trade USA has said it will conduct a full review of its forthcoming ingredients labeling policy in response to criticism from other stakeholders in the Fair Trade industry.
Demand for organic Fair Trade certified food imports increased significantly in 2010, with especially strong growth for vanilla, coffee, citrus and cocoa, according to Fair Trade USA’s 2010 almanac.
The North American food industry has “barely scratched the surface” when it comes to the growth potential of Fair Trade certification for food ingredients, with double-digit growth in groceries likely to continue for some time to come, according to Fair...
US Fairtrade chocolate purchases shot up by 19 per cent last year, according to Fair Trade US, a sales boom that has been seen across the globe for food and drink products carrying the ethical label.
A new minimum price for Fairtrade organic cocoa, which comes into force early next year, will act as an income safety net for growers amid ongoing price volatility in the sector, according to the organization behind the standard.
There is enough volume of Fairtrade cocoa available to supply more large brands switching product lines to Fairtrade, according to the Fairtrade Labelling Organizations International (FLO).
Imports of fairtrade-certified products have reached record highs in the USA, with the market expanding to encompass new product categories on the back of increased consumer interest in ethically-produced food items, according to new data.
Cadbury CEO Todd Stitzer told a fair trade conference in London on Thursday that taking away its “principled capitalism” would destroy Cadbury’s appeal, according to the UK’s Guardian newspaper.
More than 1,500 companies use the Global Reporting Initiative’s guidelines to evaluate their performance on sustainability, environmental impact and responsible marketing – and now Kellogg’s has released its first.
Companies risk repercussions if they fail to address the ethical demands of consumers as awareness of the impact corporations have on society and the environment is growing, according to a new report.
Whole Foods Market is turning to an alternative fairtrade certifier which claims to open certification up to a host of products that are not covered under the Fairtrade Labeling Organization (FLO).
The fairtrade phenomenon is benefiting from the trend for sustainability reporting as fairtrade foods as well as ingredients can boost corporate credentials, according to an analyst.
Awareness of fairtrade produce in the UK has mushroomed in the last
two years, according to a Fairtrade Foundation-sponsored survey
that indicates growing potential food companies to attract
consumers through ethical practices.
The world needs an independent trade watchdog to properly regulate
the international food supply chain if we as a society are to truly
create a more sustainable and ethical food market.
A fair trade certified pure vanilla is due to hit the US market, as
a collaboration between flavor firm David Michael and fair trade
certifier TransFair USA taps into the growing consumer interest in
social responsibility.
Food companies do not yet face the ethical sourcing equation of the
clothing industry, where brands from Nike to Marks & Spencer
cannot afford a single claim of sweat-shop production. But the
moment is fast approaching for food,...
Seven months after the launch of P&G's fair trade coffees, the
company seems unlikely to extend its range unless consumer demand
becomes more vocal, reports Philippa Nuttall.
Leading merchant of cocoa, sugar and coffee ED&F Man has
launched Corigins, a US-based supplier offering traceable, quality
sugar and cocoa ingredients, Philippa Nuttall reports.
The last two years have seen a significant increase in businesses
using fair trade coffee, but Philippa Nuttall asks whether
the US is really serious about ethical food ingredients.