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Ben & Jerry’s To Be Globally Fair Trade by 2013

Original Source: http://www.sustainablelifemedia.com
Original Publication Date: February 26 2010

February 26, 2010 – Ben&Jerry’s Homemade Inc. announced earlier this week that its entire line of ice cream, no matter which country it is sold in, will be fully Fair Trade in Europe by the end of 2011 and globally by the end of 2013.

Ben & Jerry’s began using Fair Trade Certified ingredients in 2005.  Then the first ice cream company in the world to make such a commitment, it is now at the forefront of the industry with their global Fair Trade initiative.  Immediately making the move towards their 2013 goal, the company ensures every ingredient that can currently be sourced Fair Trade, will.

This means they will have to convert up to 121 different chunks and swirls, as well as work across eleven flavors and several types of fruits and nuts.  Ben & Jerry’s will essentially have to coordinate with over 24,000 members of Fair Trade cooperatives to replace and substitute every ingredient that makes up over 56 pints, from Phish Food to Cherry Garcia.

The farmers who will be working with the company will benefit from a higher income, allowing them to keep their farms and continue selling premium Fair Trade products.  Co-Founder Jerry Greenfield said, “Fair Trade is about making sure people get their fair share of the pie. The whole concept of Fair Trade goes to the heart of our values and sense of right and wrong. Nobody wants to buy something that was made by exploiting somebody else.”

Chief Executive of Fairtrade Labelling Organizations International (FLO) Rob Cameron said, “We want to see as many farmers and workers benefitting from Fair-trade as possible. This long-term ambition by Ben & Jerry’s will help alleviate poverty for thousands of farmers, enabling them to improve their lives. It is a major step forward in our own ambition to strengthen, broaden and deepen the global impact of Fair-trade. Such commitments demonstrate that Fair-trade really can, as so many of us believe, make a difference.”

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