| The Fair Trade Beat is a monthly update from TransFair USA, the only third-party certifier of Fair Trade products in the U.S. The Fair Trade Certified label guarantees that products were produced and traded in an economically, socially and environmentally responsible way. When you buy Fair Trade Certified products, you support the well-being of families, communities and the earth. |
July 2008 |
• Get Involved --- Fair Trade Holiday Song Contest, Media PA announces Fair Trade Concert
• Tune in to Fair Trade --- Kawomera featured in O Magazine, Alter Eco on Martha Stewart, FTC in YES!
• New Products and Places --- Cost Plus Debuts Private Label FTC Coffee
• Winning Campaigns --- Fancy Food Show, Super Floral Show
• Producer Spotlight --- Asociacion Aldea Global Jinotega, Nicaragua
• From TransFair USA --- Now Hiring, Donate Today!
Yes, it's summer, but it's not too early to be thinking about the wintry months! Global Exchange is building on the success of its annual Fair Trade Trick-or-Treating campaign to introduce a new holiday tradition – Fair Trade Christmas Caroling!
The contest is open to adults and kids alike with one grand prize winner in each category. Songs can be religious or secular, with original lyrics focused on the benefits of Fair Trade Certified™ products and sung to the tune of a popular or well known song.
Grand prize winners will receive a box of Global Exchange’s unique Fair Trade Certified holiday truffles as well as feature placement in the organizations soon to be published caroling songbook! It’s not too late to get involved! Enter today!
Media PA Announces Fair Trade Concert
Media Borough officials joined members of America’s First Fair Trade Town Committee for a ribbon cutting ceremony outside Media Theater last week to announce their first annual Fair Trade Live Concert – a day long festival to take place September 14th.
The highlight came as organizers lined State Street to welcome a Septa Trolley adorned with Fair Trade Live banner ads that will share news with Septa riders across the region for the next eight weeks. The trolley is an integral part of Media's personality and along with the Media Theater, a symbol of the town.
The event this September is already poised to be among the largest Fair Trade Town events ever, with an expected audience of thousands. For more information on how you can get involved please visit their website!
The story of the Peace Kawomera Cooperative is spreading throughout Oprah's queendom! The August issue of O, The Oprah Magazine (which hit stands last week) features an article about the Ugandan cooperative of Jewish, Christian and Muslim farmers that produces our Mirembe Kawomera "Delicious Peace" coffee.
Check out the new Mirembe Kawomera website to learn more about their cooperative and its delicious peace coffee.
AlterEco featured on the Martha Stewart Show
Our friends at Alter Eco recently spent the afternoon with Martha Stewart. Watch online as Martha uses purple jasmine rice from Alter Eco, a Fair Trade food company, to make a simple, organic meal of Chicken Colombo.
Fair Trade Curriculum Featured in YES! MagazineCheck out the Summer 2008 edition of YES! Magazine for an article and online resources related to our new Focus on Fair Trade Curriculum.
YES! Magazine is a quarterly publication aimed at supporting educators, community organizations and individuals in their work to create a more just, sustainable, and compassionate society. Each issue focuses on a different topic and this month features Fair Trade front and center.
Visit their online resource center today.
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Cost Plus World Market recently debuted its new private label Fair Trade Certified coffee! If you are in the neighborhood this July, be sure to pick up a bag of World Market™ Fair Trade Certified Guatemalan Coffee and Costa Rica Tarrazu Coffees, now available in all their stores. With 299 stores in 34 states, this company is poised to make a difference in the lives of many farmers. |
This June, TransFair USA staff had the pleasure of exhibiting at the Summer Fancy Food Show at the Jacob Javitz Center in New York City. With over 15,000 attendees and 2,300+ exhibitors, this show represents a huge opportunity for Fair Trade, and there was a buzz of activity across all three days with many of our licensees taking top honors.
One of them, Blackwell’s Organic, actually took home both a gold and silver sofi Award for its Fair Trade Certified Organic Raspberry Sorbetto! “sofis” - the name stands for Specialty Outstanding Food Innovation Awards - are awarded annually by the National Association for the Specialty Food Trade to recognize outstanding specialty foods and beverages from 32 categories and are considered a coveted industry honor.
All total, 39 of our licensees exhibited at the Summer Fancy Food Show, and three took home Sofi Awards. Blackwell’s Organic won “Outstanding USDA-Approved Organic Product;” Sencha Naturals won “Outstanding Snack Food;” and Wholesome Sweetener won both “Outstanding Product Line” and “Outstanding Innovation in Packaging Design or Function.”
Super Floral Show
The Super Floral Show is perhaps the biggest floral trade show of the year, and TransFair USA’s floral team was there in full force to spread the word about Fair Trade Certified flowers, promote our licensees, and build the movement!
Speakers included our own Hannah Freeman who presented on the “Market Response to Fair Trade Certified Flowers” including a rundown of all of the exciting and inspiring community events that took place for Mother’s Day and World Fair Trade Day. Carolyn Dixon, Business Development Director for FTD Inc. and Debbie Loche, Floral Buyer and Merchandiser from the Roche Brothers supermarket chain also spoke on their companies' commitment to Fair Trade as well.
And to top it all off, TransFair licensee InBloom Group, LLC won the New Product Award 2008 for its Fair Trade Floral Bouquet! Go in Bloom!
Keep posted on the growing list of Fair Trade flower retailers at our official Fair Trade Certified flowers website!
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PRONOVA is a coffee producer group located in the mountains of Espirito Santo, Brazil. Formed by 250 members (mostly descendents of Italians who arrived to the region to work in coffee in the 1800s), PRONOVA began selling coffee to the Fair Trade market just two years ago. PRONOVA has been working intensively in quality improvement projects and in supporting its members to produce high quality coffee for the international market. Every year, PRONOVA implements a coffee quality competition where participants get evaluated not only on the quality of their coffee, but also on how they implement the social and environmental standards for Fair Trade. In addition to quality improvement, the group is implementing several leadership programs for women that aim to increase their participation in the decision making. |
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We're growing! TransFair USA is an entrepreneurial non-profit organization that is the only certifier of Fair Trade products in the U.S. We seek talented individuals who are passionate about our mission and who bring a global perspective to work. If this sounds like your recipe for success, please visit our job listings page and "be the change you want to see in the world". TransFair is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
Donate to TransFair USA today!As a non-profit, TransFair depends on the financial support of friends like you to expand our work empowering consumers and producers to build a more equitable and sustainable model of international trade in which all benefit. Click here to make a donation online, or contact our Development Department at (510) 663-5260 or via email at development@transfairusa.org for more information or to discuss your donation options. Thank you!
