Tea & Herb Program

Importers

Core requirements for licensed tea importers:

• Sign a Fair Trade Tea License/Certification agreement in order to become an authorized importer, selling Fair Trade Certified tea, rooibos and herbs
• Purchase tea and herbs from tea estates and farms certified by TransFair USA’s umbrella organization, the Fairtrade Labeling Organizations International (FLO)
• Pay a premium on top of the market price into a community development fund.  On tea estates, these funds are specifically set up and operated jointly by estate management and democratically elected worker representatives.  In the case of organized small-scale farms, the funds are managed by an association of members, comprised of farmers elected by fellow farmers within the same community.  The premium is fixed for all teas, rooibos and herbs produced with the CTC production method, as well as for orthodox fannings and dust, at Euro 0.50/kg of made tea.  All other teas manufactured with the orthodox method will carry a Fair Trade premium of Euro 1/kg.
• Pay a certification fee to TransFair USA of US$0.18/lb on Fair Trade Certified tea and herb purchases.
• Submit reports on a quarterly basis describing all Fair Trade Certified purchases and sales.  Provide supporting documentation of all Fair Trade Certified purchases (contracts, bill of lading, and proof of wire transfer of the Fair Trade premium to FLO) made directly from tea and herb producers.

On request of the producer organization, make available up to 60% of the value of the contract in pre-financing or other credit facilities.

Interested in becoming a licensed tea importer?
Contact: tea@transfairusa.org.