FAIRTRADE CELEBRATES NEW LICENSED PRODUCTS AND IMPACTFUL ADVANCEMENTS FROM EXISTING PARTNERS IN 2022

Mullin, Mid-Day Squares, Blue Stripes and betterland foods™ among brands demonstrating their commitment to fairer trading conditions and limiting environmental impact through partnerships with Fairtrade

WASHINGTON, Dec. 6, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Fairtrade America - the world's most recognized label for social justice and sustainability - proudly celebrates the growth of its partner community in 2022 with the addition of certified products from Mullin, Mid-Day Squares, Blue Stripes, betterland foods™ and with deepened commitments from existing partners Grace Farms, Ben & Jerry's, Tony's Chocolonely, Gallant International and Divine Chocolate. By choosing to source ingredients on Fairtrade terms and carrying the Fairtrade Mark on their certified products, these brands are helping consumers more easily identify and purchase products that are produced according to Fairtrade's rigorous social, economic and environmental Standards. These Standards are designed to support more sustainable and secure livelihoods for small-holder farmers and workers around the world, as well as to protect the environment.

"We're so proud to welcome these newly certified partners into the Fairtrade community. Each of these brands showcase exciting progress and diversity within our existing partner set, offering proof that interest in the certification is only growing," said Carlos Urmeneta, director of commercial partnerships, Fairtrade America. "Farmers continue to experience the effects of climate change, high production costs, poor soil conditions and long-term low prices, so continuing to see new brands commit to investing in ethical sourcing is something we are inspired by. When brands choose to source Fairtrade, they are prioritizing a fairer deal for farmers, and giving consumers the chance to do so as well when choosing the Fairtrade Mark."

Fairtrade's newest brand partners are part of a global ecosystem that bolsters farmers and workers' efforts to get a fairer price for their products, to support themselves and their families and to farm sustainably in the face of climate change and inflation challenges. The newest brands joining Fairtrade's network of partners:

• Mullin: A specialist in single-serve mulling spices, Mullin's all-women leadership team is committed to supporting a fairer deal for farmers, creating sustainable forest gardens and fostering economic opportunities for women through partnering with Fairtrade. Mullin's first-of-its-kind Fairtrade certified single-serve mulling spices make mulling wine as easy as brewing tea. Each pyramid spice infuser is filled with a vibrant blend of rich spices and bright citrus, ethically and sustainably sourced from Fairtrade farms in Sri Lanka.The spices are sourced from Fairtrade farmers, supporting the local community and economy, while also helping to mitigate the effects of climate change these farmers face.
• Mid-Day Squares: These functional chocolate squares were created with guilt-free indulgence in mind. In addition to being Fairtrade certified, Mid-Day Squares are also Non-GMO project verified, vegan, kosher, gluten-free and soy-free with no preservatives, making it the perfect chocolate bar to keep consumers moving throughout the day. Mid-Day Squares demonstrates its dedication to sustainability with its Fairtrade certified cocoa.
• Blue Stripes: Blue Stripes is a wellness brand utilizing the entire superfood cacao - shell, fruit and bean - to produce innovative varieties of healthy snacks and beverages. The brand's innovative upcycling of the entire cacao plant in its products and its partnership with Fairtrade America demonstrates commitment to the cacao revolution. Their Fairtrade sourcing supports more equitable compensation for farmers and economic support within local communities, and the brand's focus on a low-waste approach to sourcing cacao benefits the planet and reduces their carbon footprint.
• betterland foods™ woo™ bars: Created by betterland foods™, woo™ bars are packed with delicious caramel, fluffy plant-based nougat, and dipped in silky smooth Fairtrade chocolate. woo™'s Salty Peanut and Creamy Nougat flavors have all the delicious taste of your favorite Snickers or Milky Way, while containing 2 times the amount of protein, less than ½ of the sugar, and far fewer carbs. And their bars are better for the planet too - not only does betterland foods™ sustainably source its cocoa with Fairtrade, but the plant-based whey protein in woo™ nougat has just 3% of the carbon footprint of traditional cow's whey protein.

A Harris Poll survey recently commissioned by Google Cloud found that 82% of consumers want the values of brands they purchase from to align with their own, and that shoppers are paying more attention to this in their everyday shopping¹. Additionally, the 2021 Sustainable Market Share Index™ found that sustainability-marketed products were responsible for a third of growth in consumer packaged goods from 2015 to 2021, and that market share growth continues year over year². As a result, products marketed as sustainable grew 2.7x faster than products not marketed as sustainable. This reinforces the expectation that consumers have of brands for transparency, demonstrable fair wages, and environmental protection in their supply chain.

"We're working to lead the cacao industry in a more sustainable direction through our products, and that includes fairer trading conditions for the cacao farmers at the foundation of the chain," said Oded Brenner, CEO and founder of Blue Stripes. "Fairtrade certification has allowed us to better communicate to shoppers how we're acting on this crucial piece of our three-fold vision for wellness, equity and sustainability, and we hope to inspire other brands to follow suit."

In addition to welcoming new brand partners, Fairtrade America is proud to see how its existing partners are taking their commitment to Fairtrade beyond the certified product on the shelf:

• Grace Farms Expands Tea Offerings + First-Ever U.S. Fairtrade Certified Tea Trader. In 2022, Fairtrade partner Grace Farms deeply invested in its partnerships with tea producers and now offers the most extensive line of Fairtrade certified teas in the U.S. As part of this expansion, they also worked to bring their trade partner, Davidson's Organics, to the Fairtrade system. Davidson's Organics is now the first tea trader based in the U.S. to be certified with Fairtrade International.
• Growth of the Fairtrade Banana Market. After much success in the Canadian market, Equifruit is expanding into the U.S. market in hopes to have a similar impact. Additionally, both Del Monte & Corporacion Internacional Los Angeles - sold by the brand Inca Bananas - became certified to sell Fairtrade bananas in the United States. As the nation remains the largest, single-country importer of fresh bananas, these organizations believe in a responsibility to expand access to Fairtrade certified bananas to ensure that farmers and workers are able to reap the benefits of booming banana demand, and the Fairtrade community is inspired to see lots of new and eager suppliers of Fairtrade bananas as we head into the year ahead.

Additional examples of established Fairtrade brand partners expanding on their commitment to people and the planet include:  Divine Chocolate's deforestation crowd-funding project for Kuapa Kokoo; regenerative agriculture commitments from Gallant International; Coliman Bananas beginning the second phase of its community center premium project; Guylian committing to 100% Fairtrade cocoa sourcing; and Ben & Jerry's and Tony's Chocolonely announcing their Open Chain partnership.

"Seeing the impact that these brands are making beyond the Fairtrade Mark emphasizes the important alignment with Fairtrade's rigorous environmental, economic and social Standards," continued Urmeneta.

The Fairtrade Mark is the most recognized ethical label in the world.³ Fairtrade International, including its U.S. branch, Fairtrade America, was recognized as the gold standard of fair trade certifications in an analysis conducted by Fair World Project, an independent advocacy group promoting fair trade for small-scale producers and labor justice for workers around the world. To learn more about joining the global community of brands, manufacturers and producers dedicated to making trade fair at every step of the supply chain, visit the certification process page on the Fairtrade America site.

To easily identify and purchase Fairtrade certified products, check out Fairtrade America's Product Finder, including hundreds of certified goods sold in the U.S. with more products being added on a regular basis.

Fairtrade America works to rebalance trade, making it a system rooted in partnership and mutual respect rather than exploitation. It's about businesses, shoppers, farmers and workers all partnering so we can all experience the benefits of trade. Fairtrade America is the U.S. branch of Fairtrade International, the original and global leader in fair trade certification with more than 30 years of experience working for fair trade practices in more than 30 countries across the globe. A non-profit 501(c)3 organization, Fairtrade America is the world's largest and most recognized fair trade system—part of a global movement for change. Learn more at fairtradeamerica.org, and by connecting with Fairtrade America on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.

Media Contact: Emma Feeney 224-545-7699

SOURCE Fairtrade America