Record sales of ethical brands

Published: 01 May, 2007

With fairly traded brands reporting record sales and an increasing range of goods gaining Fairtrade certification or being produced under the umbrella of other sustainable and ethical initiatives, VI looks at a selection of those available to the vending industry.

Sales of Fairtrade products in the UK have risen by nearly half in a year to £300m per year - a 46% increase on 20051. In the beverage sector, Cafédirect, the UK’s largest Fairtrade hot drinks company, reported over 85 million hot drinks consumed in Foodservice outlets last year, growing the brand at 26% year on year2.

Cafédirect’s vending range includes Ground and Premium Instant Coffee; Teadirect Loose Leaf Vending Tea; tea envelopes which can be stored next to machines; two new products: Cocodirect Instant Chocolate: and Teadirect Earl Grey; and whole bean espresso coffee which can be used in bean-to-cup or traditional espresso machines.

Sales of Aimia Foods’ ethically traded product lines, Fairtrade Percol and FNC brand Buendia, have also shown a dramatic rise, increasing by 30% over the past 12 months. Furthermore, according to research commissioned by Aimia, 40% of consumers would be very likely to select an ethically traded product if offered, even if the price was a bit higher.

A 100% pure Colombian coffee, Buendia is grown, picked, freeze dried and packed in the heart of the Andes by the Federación Nacional de Cafeteros de Colombia (FNC) and is available in freeze dried, decaffeinated and freshbrew formats for automatic beverage machines.

Ethical tea can also be sourced from members of The Ethical Tea Partnership, an organisation of UK-based tea companies including names familiar in the vending industry such as Finlay Beverages, Imporient UK, Unilever and Twinings.

“As a key player in the tea market and market leader in speciality teas and green teas, we have a responsibility to ensure that the way in which we trade is ethical and supports the tea manufacturing industry around the world,” said Neil Johns, Twinings Vending National Account Manager.

“Twinings is a member of the Ethical Tea Partnership - a co-operation between many of the largest tea manufacturers to ensure the tea they use is ethically sourced; that workers on tea estates are fairly treated and enjoy decent living and working conditions. In addition, Twinings is committed to the vending market - visit us at AVEX on stand G30 to find out why we truly are the one-stop-shop for vendors.”

While at AVEX be sure to sample the Kenco Sustainable Development vending range, a comprehensive coffee range made entirely with beans sourced from farms certified by the Rainforest Alliance.

The Rainforest Alliance works to conserve biodiversity and ensure sustainable livelihoods by transforming land-use practices, business practices and consumer behaviour. Rainforest Alliance Certification provides an independent guarantee that high standards of social, economic and environmental care are met during the farming of Kenco coffee and offers the vending trade the opportunity to provide ethically sourced coffee, for any machine type, within any environment.

FFI the coffee people, have set up an exclusive partnership with the only UK and international children’s charity Save the Children, to produce a new range of coffees named FAIR INSTANT under the Fairtrade banner.

The FAIR INSTANT range, available in freeze dried and granules, guarantees growers a minimum price for their coffee and contributes to local social funds through the Fairtrade Social Premium. The coffee is competitively priced, with 20p of every 100g jar and 50p of every 500g drum sold going to support Save the Children’s work with the most vulnerable children in Colombia, one of the key Fairtrade coffee growing regions.

The first Nestlé Foodservices product to carry the Fairtrade Mark is Nescafé Partners’ Blend. The coffee in the blend comes from 5 cooperatives of small farmers in El Salvador and Ethiopia who, like many smallholders supplying the world coffee market, have experienced real hardship because of price volatility and the severe slump of recent years.

As part of providing a premium solution, fully branded or part branded machines are available with eye catching graphics to alert customers to the option of Nescafé Fairtrade coffee, in addition to supporting point of sale material.

Bearing both Fairtrade and Max Havelaar Fairtrade certification, is Barry Callebaut’s Van Houten® Choco Drink specially formulated for vending machines.

Martyn Herriott, Sales & Marketing Manager Barry Callebaut (UK) Ltd: “We are offering vending machine operators the possibility of responding to growing demand from their clients for this type of product. We are promoting the impact of Choco Van Houten® Max Havelaar in vending machines by offering our managers machine labels and stickers for the product.”

Consumer demand is also increasing for ethically sourced and fairly traded snacks and confectionery. With 140+ chocolate and sweet products, as well as fruit, nut and cereal bars and mixes carrying the FAIRTRADE mark there is an ever expanding variety available to the vending industry.

Fairly traded chocolate bars are increasing sales in the general market from wholesale to retail and so are an ideal option for any operator and irresistible to chocolate loving consumers.

The Day Chocolate Company, co-owned by the Kuapa Kokoo cooperative of Ghanaian cocoa farmers, is the largest Fairtrade chocolate supplier in the country and has experienced fantastic success over the last few years with its Divine Chocolate Bars.

Available in 100g and 45g bars, the range includes Divine 70% Dark Chocolate, Mint Dark Chocolate, White Chocolate, Orange Milk Chocolate, Hazelnut Milk, Coffee Milk and also 40g Dubble bars - the funky, chunky Fairtrade chocolate for children.

Doves Farm Foods offers snacks with both Fairtrade and Organic certification. Their vending range includes Apple & Sultana Flapjacks, Chocolate & Crispy Rice Bars, Tropical Fruit & Nut Bars, Low-Fat Fruity Oat Cereal Bars and many others. All are presented in contemporary packaging to tempt consumers, whilst also illustrating their suitability for vegetarian, vegan and wheat-free diets, together with their organic and Fairtrade endorsement.

Distributors Spring Fine Foods supply a wide range of Fairtrade snack foods including Divine Chocolate; Green & Black’s Maya Gold; Traidcraft Fairtrade Geobars, Geo Active bars and FairBreak chocolate wafers; Tropical Wholefoods Fairtrade Fruitbars and Fairly Traded Fruit & Nut Mixes; and also Fairtrade drinks including Fruit Passion 200ml tetra packs; Greenleaf fruit drinks in 500ml PET bottles; and Fruit Hit Fairtrade Smoothies in 250ml PET bottles.

Made with fairly traded ingredients from countries as diverse as Chile, Ghana, India, Bolivia, Malawi and South Africa, all these Fairtrade products and many more are now available for vending.

There has never a better time to investigate ethically sourced and produced beverages, ingredients, snacks and confectionery for vending than today with 50% of consumers now not only recognising and understanding the Fairtrade mark, but increasingly demanding Fairtrade products3.

Look out at AVEX for companies which include in their portfolio products which are of social, environmental and sustainable benefit and discover how you and your company can help empower others to improve their lives while at the same time responding to public demand and participating in this fast expanding market.

^{Sources:
1. The Fairtrade Foundation March 2007
2. Cafédirect Management Accounts, November 2006
3. The Fairtrade Foundation.}

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