Fairtrade products
We like it so we sell it, let us explain why…
What is Fairtrade?
Fairtrade is a unique trading method that ensures that a fair price is paid to producers (eg. farmers) for their goods (eg. tea or coffee). A fair price means at least enough to cover the growing costs, plus a premium so that improvements can be made to the local community.
Fairtrade aims to empower people. For the producers it aims to improve the quality of their lives and protect them from exploitation. Consumers can make educated choices about how and where their money is spent – lining the pockets of big businesses at the detriment to the farmers and their families, or traded fairly and making a real difference to another community.
How do you know the product is fairly traded?
Fairtrade products are labelled with the Fairtrade tag and regulated by the Fairtrade Foundation / Fairtrade Labelling Organisation (FLO). The Fairtrade Foundation was founded in 1992.
What’s the big deal?
Coffee is the second most traded commodity in the world. Most of this is traded in the stock market offices in London and New York and has little to do with 20 million or so people involved in producing it. The international marketplace has forced a decline in coffee prices leading to the farmers, their families and communities spiralling into debt, where children are forced out of school and into work. For most families in coffee-growing areas, this is their only source of income.
It is not just coffee; a massive 72% of us regularly drink tea. Tea farmers have been suffering the same injustices as the coffee farmers. Some fruit, cotton, sugar, honey and flowers can now also be purchased from Fairtrade products.
Fairtrade was introduced to ensure these farmers made a decent living out of their trade. Small independent farms join co-operatives and deal directly into the marketplace. Because of the way the trade must be conducted under the standards set by Fairtrade, its deals are transparent and should be free of corruption. Welfare standards for workers are paramount, this includes maternity leave and access to healthcare – something we here in the UK take for granted. There is no forced or child labour. The extra premium helps towards improving local communities and future developments.
Fairtrade is not about charity; it’s about giving back control to the producers, allowing them to plan for their futures.
Common misconceptions
It’s expensive…
It is true you may have to pay a little bit extra. With Fairtrade you can be sure that little bit extra is benefiting the right people though. Check out our price list, you may be pleasantly surprised…
The quality isn’t very good…
Rubbish is something the members within the Fairtrade organisations actively do not promote. These farmers are experts in their field, many using traditional farming techniques and sound environmental practices. Much of the produce comes from small independent farms rather than large mass production lines. While Fairtrade is not automatically organic, there are Organic Fairtrade products available. Part of the Fairtrade manifest is to promote good environmental practice. If it wasn’t good, it wouldn’t sell. To prove it, Caffeica are happy to offer a 20% discount on your first Fairtrade order because we are so confident that the quality is superb. (Quote FTBR)
From the Fairtrade Coffee Companies…
Percol was launched in 1988. It won awards in the Soil Association Organic Awards in 2004 for its coffee. Percol are involved in supporting an organisation called Coffee KidsTM, a non-profit organisation set up in 1988 after founder, Bill Fishbein, saw first-hand the poverty in the coffee plantations. Coffee Kids are actively involved in helping set up healthcare, education and enterprise projects in the regions of Mexico and Central America.
was founded in 1991 by Oxfam, Traidcraft, Equal Exchange and Twin Trading as result of the plummeting coffee prices. In May 2003, Cafédirect was voted ‘Best Drink’ by Ethical Consumer magazine. Cafédirect Gold Standard states they go beyond the minimum Fairtrade standards.
Fairtrade Products
We currently sell a variety of Fairtrade products, which include:
(If you would like something that is not listed above, please ask.)
Look for more information:
www.fairtrade.org
www.percol.co.uk
www.cafedirect.co.uk
www.oxfam.org
“We have seen achievements. Now I have money to buy clothes for my children and to build my house. Day to day things are improving because of the better price.�?
Mario Hernandez from Nicaragua
Information sources – with thanks
We have taken precautions to ensure that the information documented above is correct and details we sourced from the web sites named. The above companies may or may not produce other products or be involved in other projects besides Fairtrade, please always check the labels.
What is Fairtrade?
Fairtrade is a unique trading method that ensures that a fair price is paid to producers (eg. farmers) for their goods (eg. tea or coffee). A fair price means at least enough to cover the growing costs, plus a premium so that improvements can be made to the local community.
Fairtrade aims to empower people. For the producers it aims to improve the quality of their lives and protect them from exploitation. Consumers can make educated choices about how and where their money is spent – lining the pockets of big businesses at the detriment to the farmers and their families, or traded fairly and making a real difference to another community.
How do you know the product is fairly traded?
Fairtrade products are labelled with the Fairtrade tag and regulated by the Fairtrade Foundation / Fairtrade Labelling Organisation (FLO). The Fairtrade Foundation was founded in 1992.
What’s the big deal?
Coffee is the second most traded commodity in the world. Most of this is traded in the stock market offices in London and New York and has little to do with 20 million or so people involved in producing it. The international marketplace has forced a decline in coffee prices leading to the farmers, their families and communities spiralling into debt, where children are forced out of school and into work. For most families in coffee-growing areas, this is their only source of income.
It is not just coffee; a massive 72% of us regularly drink tea. Tea farmers have been suffering the same injustices as the coffee farmers. Some fruit, cotton, sugar, honey and flowers can now also be purchased from Fairtrade products.
Fairtrade was introduced to ensure these farmers made a decent living out of their trade. Small independent farms join co-operatives and deal directly into the marketplace. Because of the way the trade must be conducted under the standards set by Fairtrade, its deals are transparent and should be free of corruption. Welfare standards for workers are paramount, this includes maternity leave and access to healthcare – something we here in the UK take for granted. There is no forced or child labour. The extra premium helps towards improving local communities and future developments.
Fairtrade is not about charity; it’s about giving back control to the producers, allowing them to plan for their futures.
Common misconceptions
It’s expensive…
It is true you may have to pay a little bit extra. With Fairtrade you can be sure that little bit extra is benefiting the right people though. Check out our price list, you may be pleasantly surprised…
The quality isn’t very good…
Rubbish is something the members within the Fairtrade organisations actively do not promote. These farmers are experts in their field, many using traditional farming techniques and sound environmental practices. Much of the produce comes from small independent farms rather than large mass production lines. While Fairtrade is not automatically organic, there are Organic Fairtrade products available. Part of the Fairtrade manifest is to promote good environmental practice. If it wasn’t good, it wouldn’t sell. To prove it, Caffeica are happy to offer a 20% discount on your first Fairtrade order because we are so confident that the quality is superb. (Quote FTBR)
From the Fairtrade Coffee Companies…
Percol was launched in 1988. It won awards in the Soil Association Organic Awards in 2004 for its coffee. Percol are involved in supporting an organisation called Coffee KidsTM, a non-profit organisation set up in 1988 after founder, Bill Fishbein, saw first-hand the poverty in the coffee plantations. Coffee Kids are actively involved in helping set up healthcare, education and enterprise projects in the regions of Mexico and Central America.
was founded in 1991 by Oxfam, Traidcraft, Equal Exchange and Twin Trading as result of the plummeting coffee prices. In May 2003, Cafédirect was voted ‘Best Drink’ by Ethical Consumer magazine. Cafédirect Gold Standard states they go beyond the minimum Fairtrade standards.
Fairtrade Products
We currently sell a variety of Fairtrade products, which include:
- Percol Ardean Arabica Instant Coffee (grown at the foot of the Andes Mountains)
- Cafédirect 5065 coffee
- Tea Direct
- Sugar sachets
- Variety of herbal / specialist teas
- A variety of Cartoon fruit drinks / confectionary on request.
- Drinking Chocolate: Our suppliers’ main origins of cocoa bean are Ghana, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, The Ivory Coast and Cameroon. It really is one of the best drinking chocolates we have tasted.
- Ground/Bean Coffee: We get this from a local company that boasts over 60 years of experience. The green beans are delivered directly from around the world and roasted on a daily basis to ensure optimum freshness every time. They are certified to sell Fairtrade and Organic, coming from Sumatra, Columbia, Costa Rica and Honduras.
(If you would like something that is not listed above, please ask.)
Look for more information:
www.fairtrade.org
www.percol.co.uk
www.cafedirect.co.uk
www.oxfam.org
“We have seen achievements. Now I have money to buy clothes for my children and to build my house. Day to day things are improving because of the better price.�?
Mario Hernandez from Nicaragua
Information sources – with thanks
We have taken precautions to ensure that the information documented above is correct and details we sourced from the web sites named. The above companies may or may not produce other products or be involved in other projects besides Fairtrade, please always check the labels.