Alter Eco's Tristan Lecomte Named One of TIME Magazine's 100 Most Influential People in the World

SAN FRANCISCO, April 30 /PRNewswire/ -- TIME named Tristan Lecomte to the 2010 TIME 100, the magazine's annual list of the 100 most influential people in the world. The full list and related tributes appear in the May 10 issue of TIME, available on newsstands on Friday, April 30, and now at time.com.

The list, now in its seventh year, recognizes the activism, innovation and achievement of the world's most influential individuals. As Managing Editor Rick Stengel has said of the list in the past, "The TIME 100 is not a list of the most powerful people in the world, it's not a list of the smartest people in the world, it's a list of the most influential people in the world. They're scientists, they're thinkers, they're philosophers, they're leaders, they're icons, they're artists, they're visionaries.  People who are using their ideas, their visions, their actions to transform the world and have an effect on a multitude of people."

A visionary authority in the field of social change, Lecomte has devoted his life to promoting a system of global commerce that inspires positive change in the lives of both producers and consumers. A pioneer in ethical, socially beneficial business, Lecomte runs two influential, internationally recognized companies based on a vision of Fair Trade and social and economic development.

As Founder of Alter Eco, a well known Fair Trade, Organic, and Carbon Neutral artisanal food brand established in France in 1998, Lecomte set out to help producers and consumers on a very fundamental level; for farmers, the freedom to secure a fair wage and recover their pride in their work and livelihood; and for consumers, allowing them the freedom to know where their purchases come from and to be able to choose authentic, transparent, healthful, and tasty products. In 2005, Lecomte's successful venture expanded to the United States. Friends and co-founders Edouard Rollet and Mathieu Senard are the current COO and CEO of Alter Eco USA, which currently operates out of San Francisco, California. Both are incredibly proud of Lecomte's success and are pleased to play an integral role in his sustainable, ethical, and authentic Fair Trade vision.

In 2008, Lecomte emerged as the Founder and CEO of Pure Project/Pure Planet, a collective specialized in sustainability consulting, carbon footprint evaluations, and carbon offset reforestation projects. In partnership with 60 fair trade cooperatives in 30 countries around the world, the collective, made up of over a half dozen partners, works with farmers to develop agro-forestry projects which are later sold as carbon credits, simultaneously creating additional revenue for local communities while fighting climate change.

Honored by the incredible recognition put forth by TIME Magazine, Lecomte offers his upmost respect and admiration for the farmers, consumers, and partners who have made Alter Eco and Pure Project/Pure Planet possible, "This honor is truly recognition of the system as a whole, not of the individual. Without the many thousands of extraordinary fair trade farmers, passionate and dedicated consumers, or the collaborative genius of my partners we would not be where we are today. This is my life's work, and to be included in TIME's 100 list says to me that the path we have chosen is making its mark on the world. I am very grateful."

About Pure Project/Pure Planet

PURE PLANET develops reforestation projects in partnership with fair trade cooperatives throughout the Global South, providing charismatic carbon credits to support local farming communities while fighting climate change. Along with project partners, Pure Project/Pure Planet has planted 2 million trees, and have a goal of planting a total of 12 million trees by the end of 2012. PURE PLANET strives for Objective Carbon Zero, as a way of contributing to a healthier and more productive planet. More than 17 million acres of forests disappear each year, heightening the impacts of climate change. Carbon Zero Certification provides an economic incentive for small farmers to preserve their lands, increase their earnings, eat locally produced foods, increase their yields, preserve lands and biodiversity, and promote self-reliance. For more information, please visit www.mypureplanet.org.

About Alter Eco

Working from small farming cooperatives throughout the global South, Alter Eco brings their ethical line of delicious extra virgin olive oils, jasmine rice, quinoa, sugar, and dark chocolate bars to store shelves for shoppers. Using sustainable farming methods that preserve local agricultural integrity, the Alter Eco brand reflects diversity in the faces, shapes, colors, landscapes, traditions, and cultures of the small farmers who cultivate them. Each product has a unique story and an authentic fragrance that will take gourmet enthusiasts on a journey of discovery from the kitchen, to the Himalayas, Palestine, Bolivia, Switzerland, and beyond. Alter Eco's products can be found at Whole Foods and many other specialty retailers nationwide.

In April 2010, Alter Eco USA announced the completion of a $2 million Series A financing. The financing was led by San Francisco-based Good Capital, New York-based Serious Change Fund, and Vancouver, BC-based Renewal2 Investment Fund, and also included participants from Investors' Circle. Proceeds from the financing will be used to scale nationwide distribution and marketing of Alter Eco's award winning organic, Fair Trade products. For more information on Alter Eco, please visit www.altereco-usa.com.

For media related inquiries or to schedule an interview with Tristan Lecomte, or Alter Eco USA founders Edouard Rollet or Mathieu Senard, please contact Jennifer Bryan of Christie Communications at 805-962-1347. Available via email at [email protected].  

SOURCE Alter Eco