Economics

Green & Black's Commits to Move Entire Chocolate Range to Fair Trade Certified in United States

  2010 FEB 12 - (VerticalNews.com) -- Pioneering organic chocolate maker Green & Black's announces its commitment to move its entire chocolate range, worldwide, to Fair Trade - including the United States. Fifteen years ago Green & Black's led the Fair Trade movement by launching Maya Gold® - the first ever Fair Trade Certified™ product in the United Kingdom. In the United States, Green & Black's is the number one chocolate in the Natural channel(1). Green & Black's entire range is already organic, and thanks to continued expansion around the world, this move will make Green & Black's the world's leader in organic and Fair Trade chocolate.

  Fair Trade is a unique independent system providing farmers with the security of fair prices for their produce and additional investment through the Fair Trade premium for social, environmental and economic development in their communities. The Fair Trade premium is in addition to a guaranteed minimum price for fair trade certified ingredients.

  Today's commitment will mean an investment of more than $485,000 each year over the next 10 years through additional Fair Trade premiums paid to Dominican Republic cocoa farmers and their communities. Green and Black's has bought quality, organic Trinitario cocoa beans from cooperatives in the Dominican Republic over the last 10 years and these farmers are now the main source of cocoa for Green & Black's.

  "In that time we have committed $500,000 in local initiatives to improve quality and availability, but we wanted to do more to support our farmers," says Dominic Lowe, Managing Director of Green & Black's. "The move to Fair Trade certification is a key milestone in our relationship with the farmers that are so fundamental in the making of the best tasting, premium, organic, and now Fair Trade, chocolate you can buy."

  Paul Rice, President and CEO of TransFair USA comments, "Green & Blacks' 15-year history of sourcing Fair Trade Certified cocoa has made an impressive difference in the Belizean farming communities from which it sources, and we are thrilled with the company's deepened commitment to ethical trading. This expansion will extend the benefits of Fair Trade to thousands of farmers in the Dominican Republic, empowering them to take care of their families, protect the environment and improve their communities."

  Mr. Santos Mendoza, president of CONACADO, a co-operative in the Dominican Republic where Green & Black's sources most of its signature, fine and fermented Trinitario cocoa beans says of the move: "The great thing about Fair Trade is that it enables cocoa farmers and organisations like ours to have a say in shaping our future through directly talking and working with retailers and companies. Our biggest worry is ensuring that we have a guaranteed market for our cocoa that provides us with a long-term sustainable livelihood. Through the pricing structure and the Fair Trade premium we will be able to both invest in business and in our community to ensure a brighter future for our families and other farmers."

  Keywords: Agricultural, Agriculture, Conservation, Ecology, Economic Development, Economics, Environment, Fair Trade, Farming, Green & Black's.

  This article was prepared by VerticalNews Economics editors from staff and other reports. Copyright 2010, VerticalNews Economics via VerticalNews.com.