Fair Trade News

Published Aug 25, 2005


Stage is set for Fair Trade Month in October

Plans for the second annual Fair Trade Month to be held in October are being finalized through Oakland, CA-based non-profit TransFair USA, the only independent third-party certifier of Fair Trade products in the United States.

Fair Trade certification is a business model that aligns the interests of growers, farmworkers, the industry and consumers. Fair Trade growers are guaranteed a minimum return designed to cover the cost of sustainable production and a decent standard of living for farmers and farmworkers.

As it was last year, TransFair will focus on promotion of all Fair Trade certified products -- not just fresh produce. TransFair once again is collaborating with businesses, consumers and non-profit organizations to raise consumer awareness and increase sales of Fair Trade products.

While Fair Trade Month is a national event for Fair Trade licensees and consumers, this year TransFair will place a particular focus on the San Francisco Bay area, Seattle, Denver/Boulder, Chicago, New York and northern Ohio.

Hannah Freeman, produce accounts manager for TransFair, said that TransFair chose specific products "to bring farmers to promote products in that region." For example, bananas are the specific product chosen for Seattle, Denver/Boulder and northern Ohio.

The cities targeted for special attention will have a window of several days of access to a grower of the specific Fair Trade commodity chosen for that region. Last year, producers participated in educational events and product tastings.

A strong emotional connection is made when people witness Fair Trade farmers telling their story of the struggle they face, Ms. Freeman said. "There is no amount of brochures that equals the story being told by a farmer," she said. "It's a farmers' market road show."

TransFair USA licensees who would like to host a farmer but are not in one of this year's chosen cities can apply for an $800 grant from TransFair.

Though the deadline was Aug. 16, Ms. Freeman said that TransFair would still consider "great proposals" for a grant.

Engaging in Fair Trade activity is a free and voluntary act by its licensees. For Fair Trade Month, TransFair lists numerous suggestions on its web site (www.transfairusa.org) for retailers and others on how to promote Fair Trade.

The biggest addition this year's Fair Trade Month is separate contests for produce distributors and retailers. For produce distributors, the contest entails moving more boxes of Fair Trade fruit in more stores. For retailers, the contest involves building the best display of Fair Trade certified products.

In both cases, the prize is a trip for two to Costa Rica March 4-11, 2006. There is one prize trip for produce distributors and three prize trips for retailers. The contest begins Sept. 1. For further contest rules and details, go to www.fairtradedisplaychallenge.org within TransFair's web site www.transfairusa.org(www.transfairusa.org).

TransFair offers a variety of educational materials such as brochures and handouts, and within a few weeks expects to have promotional material specific to Fair Trade Month that can be downloaded from its web site.

Fair Trade was introduced in 1998. With greater consumer awareness and additional products -- such as bananas and mangos -- Fair Trade sales have gained momentum in the past couple years. Ms. Freeman said that TransFair projects 60-70 percent growth in Fair Trade sales in 2005 over 2004 for all its products combined. Promotional events such as Fair Trade Month help foster greater awareness of the Fair Trade concept.

"It's ramping up, momentum is only getting better," Ms. Freeman said. "As we gain more access to great distribution centers, it's only going to get better."

There are more than 32,000 retail locations that offer Fair Trade-certified products in the United States. That figure stood at "the mid-20,000 range" in October 2004, according to Ms. Freeman. More than 400 companies sell Fair Trade-certified products in the United States, and many of them are expanding their product lines.

A telephone and on-line survey conducted in April 2004 by marketing research firm Leo J. Shapiro Group determined that 20 percent of consumers are aware of Fair Trade-certified products. Ms. Freeman speculated that the number has grown in the year-plus that the survey was conducted.