Green and Black’s continues Fairtrade push
Fairtrade Labelling Australia & New Zealand today confirmed premium organic chocolate maker Green & Black’s will be going Fairtrade Certified across the vast majority of its block chocolate and beverages range this year.
The move continues on a steady push toward Fairtrade by confectioners over the past year, with the likes of Cadbury and Nestlé committing to Fairtrade cocoa for their Dairy Milk and Kit Kat brands, respectively. And, with cocoa production tainted over the past decade by revelations that much of the world’s production was produced using child slave labour, it is a welcome step toward improving equality in the food supply chain.
Fairtrade commitment “exciting”
Today’s commitment by Green & Black’s – a subsidiary of Cadbury – to Fairtrade will result in an investment of approximately A$540,000 a year through additional Fairtrade Premiums paid to Dominican Republic cocoa farmers and their communities. These farmers are now the main source of cocoa for Green & Black’s and the move towards complete Fairtrade Certification is part of their ongoing commitment to ethical trading.
Fairtrade Labelling Australia & New Zealand Executive Director Steve Knapp said Fairtrade was excited Green & Black’s had pledged to extend Fairtrade Certification across the majority of its range.
“This means more Australian consumers will have the opportunity to buy Fairtrade and know they are helping to make a difference,” he said. “The funding received by farmers through the Fairtrade Premium will be spent on initiatives to improve quality, yields and education which will in turn increase income for the farmers and help ensure the sustainability of the Dominican Republic cocoa industry and a brighter future for farmers, their families and their communities.”
Green & Black’s Managing Director Dominic Lowe said the company was keen to boost their support of farmers who have been a key to their success.
“Up until now we have committed AU$540,000 in local initiatives to improve quality and availability, but we wanted to do more to support our farmers,” he explained. “The move to Fairtrade Certification is a key milestone in our relationship with the farmers that are so fundamental in the making of the best tasting, premium, organic, and now Fairtrade, chocolate you can buy.”
Green & Black’s will work in partnership with cocoa cooperatives, farmers, local NGOs and Fairtrade to deliver community projects in the Dominican Republic, funded by the Fairtrade Premiums.
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We want fairtrade- not free trade chocolate.Free trade hurts the most vulnerable and therefore all of us who buy, sell or eat chocolate are complicit in their suffering . Make fair trade and win-win – normal business practise.