Product Certification

Herbs and Spices Program

Interest in Fair Trade Certified herbs and spices is growing among U.S. companies. Besides the great variety of herbs and spices being sold in consumer packages, the wide selection of eligible Fair Trade herbs and spices may also be used as ingredients in a range of food, beverage and body care products - such as ice cream, tea blends, baking mixes and body lotions. Recently, mainstream brands have started to capitalize on this opportunity. For example, as part of their commitment to source all Fair Trade Certified ingredients by 2013, Ben & Jerry’s is currently converting all of its vanilla ice cream (and much much more) to Fair Trade Certified. In the body-care realm, consider sourcing vanilla, hibiscus or chamomile, among other ingredients!

Contact Us to learn more about the Herbs & Spices Program

Featured Producer

Shalimar Flowers
Shalimar Flowers is a Fair Trade cut-flower and vegetable farm located on the northern shores of Lake Naivasha in the Nakuru District of Kenya's Rift Valley Province. Major concerns for flower workers in this region are access to the market and...

How Fair Trade Has Made a Difference

Education: Starting In 2007, workers at Shalimar Flowers used Fair Trade premiums for the construction of two elemnary school classrooms, including the installation of water fountains and storage tanks. Fair Trade community development funds also assisted in the purchase of 10 acres of land and the construction of three new classrooms for the local high school. Thanks to the workers' Fair Trade premium allocation, education is an achievable reality for many.

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importers

How to Import Fair Trade Herbs and Spices

  • Sign a Fair Trade USA certification and licensing agreement.
  • Pay an annual importer fee of $500 to Fair Trade USA .
  • Purchase Fair Trade Certified herbs and spices from Fair Trade producer groups or exporters certified by FLO-Cert. Sell Fair Trade Certified herbs and spices to other Fair Trade registered traders and operators.
  • Pay at least the Fair Trade minimum price and the designated Fair Trade premium to the certified cooperative--see the Pricing Database
  • Submit quarterly reports to Fair Trade USA on imports and sales of Fair Trade Certified product. Undergo, and comply with, regular desk audits and on-site audits.
manufacturers or brands

How to sell Fair Trade Certified Herbs and Spices

  • Sign a Fair Trade USA certification and licensing agreement.
  • Purchase Fair Trade Certified herbs and spices from a registered importer.
  • Submit a product profile application for each product to be labeled.
  • Submit all packaging, sales and marketing material carrying the Fair Trade Certified logo to Fair Trade USA for approval.
  • Submit quarterly reports on Fair Trade Certified herbs and spices purchases and product sales. Undergo, and comply with, regular desk audits and on-site audits.
  • Brands pay a fee based on quarterly sales of labeled Fair Trade Certified products.
  • Please ask about our program for small-scale partners, as lower fees and reporting requirements apply.
  • Please note: For composite products with more than one ingredient, all ingredients that can be Fair Trade Certified should be Fair Trade Certified. For example, in a chocolate bar, the cane sugar, cocoa and vanilla should all be sourced from Fair Trade Certified producers.

Downloads

application/pdf iconFT_FAQ_HerbsSpices.pdf