Global Fair Trade sales up 22% in 2008

The Fair Trade Foundation just issued a report showing a 22% increase in global fair trade sales in 2008. That would be a great result anyway, but it is all the better given the general economic conditions we’re experiencing.

Fair Trade sales in the US rose 10%, but we were eclipsed in total sales for the first time by the UK, who saw a massive 43% increase in 2008.

You can check out the full report here.

More good coverage for Fair Trade in Springfield

Global Fayre got coverage in the last edition of the Springfield Business Journal; this time it’s the turn of Karen at Anna Sophia’s.

At this rate, this Fair Trade thing might actually catch on here!

For more information on Fair Trade in general, and Global Fayre in particular, go here.

NPR runs story on Fair Trade

It was great to hear NPR run a story on Fair Trade this morning.

The discussion was pretty limited, focusing only on tea, coffee, chocolate and bananas, but every little piece of exposure helps!

You can hear the story here.

Global Fayre Newsletter for April 2009

We’ve finally sent out our newsletter for April.

It took a little longer this month partly because we changed the format, but mostly because David kept procrastinating!

If you don’t currently receive but want to change that, you can sign up here

Thoughts from the Fair Trade Federation Conference in Portland Oregon

Cheri and I just got back to Springfield, after spending 5 days in Portland in the company of some of the most awe-inspiring and motivated people that I think I have ever encountered.

The occasion was the 15th Conference of the Fair Trade Federation, the trade group that brings together Fair Trade wholesalers and retailers of North America. Having been accepted as members of the FTF earlier in the year, and having never been to a conference previously (although a members-only conference on the first day, after that it is very much open to the public) we were excited to attend, but also unsure of what the event would be like, how worthwhile we would find it, and frankly whether or not we could afford to attend.

You can find out more about the events of the Conference at the FTF website (www,fairtradefederation.com). The whole event was pretty intense, with session after session aimed at giving the members the tools they need to keep growing, especially in the difficult economic climate. It was emotional too, with many of the members making it clear that their businesses were struggling badly, but that one thought kept them going; the need to continue providing a route to market for the thousands of artisans in countries around the world that depend on the Fair Trade movement.

It was great from a personal point of view to meet many of the people that we have been working with since opening Global Fayre in Dec 2007. In virtually every case it was the first time we had met in person.

All-in-all, the conference gave us both a renewed sense of energy, urgency and commitment to Fair Trade. See you next year in Boston!

Global Fayre newsletter

Global Fayre issues a newsletter every month giving a taste of what has been happening in the store, and what events are coming up in the month or so ahead. PLUS we always have a Fair Trade recipe of the month, the inside scoop on new products and suppliers AND there is always a coupon at the bottom with some kind of crazy deal!

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New Fair Trade products

A constant source of frustration here in the US is the relatively low number of Fair Trade certified products that are available for the consumer to purchase.

An announcement from TransFair USA today marked a welcome improvment to that situation, with a significant expansion of the number of certified products.

You can read the statement, and see the newly expanded list of products here.

You can also read more about the difference between product certification from TransFairUSA and membership of the Fair Trade Federation here.

Fair Trade and UW-Oshkosh

For supporters of Fair Trade, there was an encouraging article in the Chicago Tribune today: “UW-Oshkosh promises to buy fair trade products”.

The essence of the story is a commitment from Chancellor Richard Wells to buy fair trade products whenever possible. He said (fair trade products) will be used in university dining, catering and department offices.

Since opening Global Fayre last December, we’ve been fortunate to meet many students from the universities in Springfield, and have been greatly encouraged by their general level of awareness of Fair Trade. Most of the universities here have embryonic Fair Trade groups, and our ambition in the short term is to help these groups join forces with like-minded members of the community to spread the Fair Trade message.

Who knows, maybe the News-Leader will be carrying a story sometime soon about one of our universities making a commitment comparable to that of UW-Oshkosh!