Fairtrade America celebrates newest partners to achieve certification

Coffee, chocolate, bananas, cashews and dried fruit make up diverse selection of new certified products that are supporting a better deal for farmers

WASHINGTON (Nov. 14, 2023) – Fairtrade America, the U.S. branch of globally recognized and trusted ethical certification, Fairtrade International, is proud to celebrate the exciting momentum of the Fairtrade movement through the certification of 84 new products from 16 new brands launching certified products in the U.S. for the first time.

“Every new brand that chooses Fairtrade certification is bringing the global movement a step closer to sustainable livelihoods and thriving futures for farmers and workers,” said Amanda Archila, Executive Director of Fairtrade America. “2023 has been an exciting year for Fairtrade in the U.S. We’re thrilled to welcome so many new partners. Each one helps fill the growing demand among U.S. consumers for sustainable products and build a greater market for the producers we’re striving to support.”

The newest members of Fairtrade America’s community of brand partners are joining a network of more than 2,500 companies selling over 37,000 products with the Fairtrade Mark worldwide. Just a few highlights include:

• Bodega Argento is a Mendoza, Argentina, vintner committed to leading the wine industry toward a more sustainable future. In addition to growing its organic grapes in accordance with Fairtrade Standards, the brand also focuses on the care of water and soil in its day-to-day operations, has a comprehensive waste management system and chooses recycled or eco-friendly bottling materials to reduce their impact.
• BUBS Naturals is on a mission to power active lifestyles with products crafted from the highest-quality ingredients. Adding to its robust lineup of supplements, BUBS launched new Fairtrade certified coffee blends in 2023 to offer its consumers a specialty coffee that not only tastes great but also lives up to the BUBS commitment to making the world a better place through its business.
• Equifruit is a group of die-hard believers in ethical fruit sourcing, because, as they see it, ‘farmers gotta get paid.’ With a vision to right the wrongs of bad banana business history, this fruit importer has been a long-time Fairtrade banana leader in Canada and this year launched its Fairtrade bananas in the U.S. through a partnership with Costco.
• Metropolis Coffee Company is an award-winning, forward thinking roaster based in the Chicago area and serving the world with their high-quality Fairtrade coffee. Founded by father-son duo Jeff and Tony Dreyfuss, Metropolis is committed to great coffee that’s also great for the people who produce it. This year it achieved certification on 4 Chicago-inspired coffee blends.
• Moka Origins is a social enterprise out to craft amazing products as well as make a positive impact for smallholder farmers. It does this by ethically sourcing coffee, offering training programs on their partner farm in Cameroon and planting a tree for every product sold. This year the company achieved certification for its Mexico and Guatemala coffee blends, which now bear the Fairtrade Mark.
• Purecare is the bedding company devoted to you and your family’s well-being. Its dedication to quality sleep and overall wellness is embodied in the products it designs with the highest quality and comfort in mind. That commitment includes Fairtrade certification for a variety of its natural cotton bedding products in the Dr. Weil collection.
• Twiga Coffee aims to achieve excellence not only in the coffee it offers but also in the relationships it fosters with farmers. The business is dedicated to supporting coffee farmers who take pride in growing the highest quality coffee while looking after its employees and the environment – in addition to sourcing coffee on Fairtrade terms, 10% of every sale goes to wildlife conservation.

Additionally, B.NICE.CO, Darlington Snacks, GRIA Food Co., Natural Value, Sunfood Superfoods, Three Keys Coffee, Twins Love Chocolate and two private label manufacturers Loc Maria Biscuits and Red River Foods all committed to Fairtrade certification in 2023 and will be rolling out certified products available to U.S. shoppers in the coming months.

“Our motto, ‘Great Coffee for Everyone’ means that Metropolis coffee needs to benefit everyone that touches it: farmers, roasters, retailers and customers alike,” said Tony Dreyfuss, Founder of Metropolis Coffee Company. “We don’t want to just check a box with our certifiers, we want to affect positive benefits for producers, and that’s why we decided to switch to Fairtrade America as our certifier. Fairtrade America’s latest decision to increase the Fairtrade Minimum Price for coffee only confirmed our decision as correct for our brand and ethos.”

By choosing to source ingredients on Fairtrade terms and carrying the Fairtrade Mark on packaging, brands showcase to consumers that their products meet Fairtrade’s rigorous social, economic and environmental standards. The Fairtrade Standards are developed in collaboration with stakeholders across the value chain to support more sustainable and secure livelihoods for smallholder farmers and workers around the world and to protect the environments they depend on.

These new Fairtrade commitments answer rising demand from U.S. shoppers for certified products that support better livelihoods for farmers and workers. Newly released research conducted by independent insights firm GlobeScan shows tremendous momentum for Fairtrade certification:  globally the most recognized ethical label, awareness of Fairtrade in the U.S. has jumped 2x in just four years. Trust in the certification label among U.S. shoppers has remained steady – 72% of consumers surveyed reported trust in Fairtrade. And 79% of shoppers said they would pay more for a product in order to ensure that the producers behind it got a fair price.

Find a list of the brands that partner with Fairtrade America here, and for more information about how to get certified, visit fairtradeamerica.org/get-certified.