How Fair Trade Has Made a Difference
Education: Fair Trade premiums hired over a dozen new teachers at Finlays Flowers Primary Schools. 13 teachers earned salaries and allowances, boosting the teaching staff of the two Flower Schools.
Product Certification
Coffee Program
Fair Trade Certified coffee pioneered the Fair Trade certification movement in the United States and continues to serve as its backbone. Fair Trade provides a vehicle for tremendous impact in the lives of more than five million coffee farmers and their familes. Farming organizations have been able to forge better business opportunities and cut out intermediaries. Fair Trade premiums that provide community development funds help enable cooperatives and associations to invest in their communities. Industry recognition of the importance of Fair Trade is growing; coffee roasters continue to increase their annual commitment to support Fair Trade farmers. Many of Fair Trade USA’s coffee partners are small to medium size roasters and retailers that drive the momentum of the Fair Trade movement. These commitments deliver even greater impact back to coffee farmers.
Featured Producer
Finlays Flowers was established in 1989 on the site of a historic tea plantation in Kenya's Rift Province. The farm is situated 100 miles west of Nairobi, in the city of Kericho, an area lying 2,167 meters above the seal level along the equator...
SCAA 2011 - Producer Forum Presentations
Importers
How to Import Fair Trade Coffee
- Sign a Fair Trade USA certification and licensing agreement and application.
- Pay Fair Trade USA an annual importer fee of $500.
- Purchase Fair Trade Certified coffee from Fair Trade cooperatives, producer groups or exporters certified by FLO-Cert. Sell Fair Trade Certified coffee to other Fair Trade registered traders and operators.
- Pay at least the Fair Trade minimum price and the designated Fair Trade premium and organic premiums, if applicable, to the certified cooperative--see the Pricing Database.
- Submit quarterly reports to Fair Trade USA on Fair Trade Certified purchases and sales.
- Undergo, and comply with, regular desk audits and on-site audits.
Retailers
Café, grocery, and restaurant
Meet the growing consumer demand for responsibly produced food products. Click here to find quality Fair Trade products that you can offer at your store or restaurant. Many of these products are available through natural and specialty food distributors, as well as food service distributors. Fair Trade USA provides retailers who carry Fair Trade Certified products free point-of-purchase materials to educate customers about the importance of Fair Trade.
Food service and office coffee services
Fair Trade is a great way for businesses to team up with employees to make a difference. The workplace is one of the fastest growing segments of the Fair Trade market. A wide variety of Fair Trade Certified coffees are now available in food service packaging; contact any of TransFair USA's Licensed Coffee Roasters to find out about product availability. Fair Trade USA can provide brochures, posters, table tents, staff training materials, air pot magnets and stickers, and shelf talkers to communicate the Fair Trade message to your customers and employees. Click here to order.
Roasters
How to Become a Fair Trade Roaster
- Sign a Fair Trade USA certification and licensing agreement.
- Purchase Fair Trade Certified coffee from a Fair Trade registered importer or trader.
- Submit all packaging, sales and marketing materials carrying the Fair Trade Certified logo to Fair Trade USA for approval.
- Submit quarterly reports on Fair Trade Certified coffee purchases and sales.
- Undergo, and comply with, regular desk audits and on-site audits.
- Pay Fair Trade USA a fee per pound of coffee purchased.
