SIAL Canada in Montreal introduces Expert Pathways
Posted - April 20, 2010
SIAL Canada in Montreal introduces Expert Pathways
SIAL Canada returns to Montreal in 2010 to be held at the Palais des Congrès April 21-23, 2010 to allow visitors and exhibitors to keep up with Canadian and North American market trends, make contacts and do business. Canada’s organic sales are approximately $2 billion per year, with an average annual growth rate of 20% for the past few years.
Sial Canada is the most international food trade show in the country, with a great opportunity to meet 530 exhibitors from 30 countries and 12,000 agri-food professionals from 60 countries. The event is a showcase for food and beverage products from Canada, USA, Latin countries like Brazil, Ecuador and Peru, France, Italy and other EU nations, and also products from as far as Morocco, Cyprus, Thailand and Malaysia.
To make it easier as well as more efficient for visitors, SIAL came up with specific expert paths which joined similar products making them more accessible and giving them enhanced visibility. In addition to the organic and food service paths presented at the last tradeshow, the 2010 edition brings forward more different Expert Pathways sections: Bio/Organic; Restaurant/Food Service; Commerce Equitable/Fairtrade; What’s New; Halal, Eco Set; Kosher; and Private Label.
SIAL Canada’s The Cuisine event will be showcasing demonstrations executed by renowned Canadian and international chefs. Visitors will be able to discover the latest trends, cooking and food preparation techniques and much more. Many workshops will be available for professionals who desire to better their methods.
Expert speakers will share their knowledge during lectures and discussions organized for this new show edition. They will discuss topics central to Canadian, American, and European industry professionals. During the three-day event, the ‘Eaters under the Influence’ lectures will address the theme ‘feed me’, which will shed light on new trends in the agri-food industry with respect to innovation and sustainable development and improving the food supply, all under one roof.
One presentation of great interest will be held on April 22, 2010: Sustainable Engagement: Taking Corporate Social Responsibility to the Next Level. Discover the new formula for success in the food industry from companies that have been able to combine business opportunities with social vision through activities aimed at responsible supply chains, community engagement and the integration of green technology.
The Trends & Innovations contest is one of the key events of the tradeshow and will be presenting its third edition this year. The contest puts forward exhibitors’ novelties while revealing the agri-food latest North American trends leading to the ‘Trends and Innovations Selection’ products. These are evaluated by a jury that determines the ‘10 Trends and Innovations Awards’, using criteria such as marketing strategy, manufacturing process, ingredients as well as packaging. The awards culminate in the ‘Trends and Innovations Grand Prize’.
“SIAL Canada has become a reference in the food industry. The show is not only a privilege access to the North American market, but also the yearly meeting point of agri-food professionals manufacturing or distributing food products.’’ says Tamar Kantarjian, SIAL Canada’s communications manager.
In 2011 SIAL Canada and SET Canada will mark the beginning of an alternating schedule between Toronto and Montreal. For the very first time in 2011, Toronto will host visitors and exhibitors at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. This food industry get-together will take place in Montreal in even years and in Toronto in odd years. For more information, please visit: www.sialcanada.com.
London celebrates successful Natural & Organic Products Europe
Posted - April 12, 2010
London celebrates successful Natural & Organic Products Europe
Recognized as the leading event of its kind in the United Kingdom, the 14th edition of Natural & Organic Products Europe (NOPE) 2010 held at the Olympia Centre in West Kensington, London April 11-12 was a great event for the almost 600 exhibitors and over 8000 trade visitors involved in the business of natural, sustainable, organic, and healthy lifestyle products.
“This was without doubt the most successful Natural & Organic Products Europe to date – an extraordinary achievement considering the current economic climate,” says Event Director, Simon Barry. “The success of the show, in no small measure, is due to the extraordinary efforts our exhibitors put into promoting the event, plus the hugely loyal following we continue to receive from all the key buyers, associations and industry bodies.”
All booths were set up on the first floor of the Olympia, a two storey 19th century building with attractive architectural features such as a high ceiling of glass and iron, offering plenty of natural light, a great feature rarely available at exhibition centers. With its location at the Kensington (Olympia) station, which serves as both a main line station and a District Line station on London’s Tube Network, NOPE is also easy to reach by car and public transportation from all airports and hotels. The booths were around a central cafe and stage offering delicious food, live music and presentations. Aisles barely ten feet wide separating each section offered an intimate feeling and plenty of opportunity to quickly connect with exhibitors from 31 countries, displaying a great variety of products and services. This year NOPE offered 24 seminars with 39 expert speakers across the 2-day event at two themed theatres, the Natural Products and the Natural Beauty & Spa Theatre. One of the main presentations included the Soil Association’s Organic Market Report, which predicts that despite the toughest economic climate for 20 years a UK market expansion of between 2% to 5% is expected in 2010. “Over 60% of the UK’s biggest organic brands are planning for growth in the coming year and sales of organic food are still three times higher than in 1999 and over 50% higher than five years ago”, reported the Soil Association, trade consultant Finn Cottle during the presentation.
In spite of the economic recession, “the UK’s natural and organic industry is still growing”, said Peter Kirwal of Tofuland. “I have come since 2001, but this year has been the best edition, with such a variety of exhibitors and visitors; we made on the first day more new good contacts than in two days in the past”.
We visited last year and saw great potential for Ecuadorian products”, said first time exhibitor Juan Diego Stacey, trade commissioner of Ecuador in London. “We got a great location in front of the central cafe and received lots of inquiries for each of the participating companies”. The pavilion offered a diverse product portfolio including Pacari, the first and only organic, fair trade and kosher certified chocolate made in Ecuador from seed to end product ; Expalsa a leading supplier of organic certified shrimp and Amazon Aroma, manufacturer of organic certified oils and aromas.
“I was not planning to exhibit, but I am glad I changed my mind at the last minute”, said first time exhibitor Markus Pandur European manager for Canadian based UHTCO Corp., suppliers of high quality Amazon ingredients, formulations and natural foods and supplements. “We have received high interest especially for our maca and requests for camu camu and graviola from well informed distributors who know the benefits of these superfoods, but also who understand the importance of a reliable supplier that knows how to process them keeping their vital nutrients to secure the best health benefits”.
Other first time exhibitors included Alb Gold, German manufacturer of high end pasta products, Italian firm Abafoods, supplier of cereal beverages, Canadian firm Manitoba Harvest, producer of hemp foods and oils and the India pavilion, offering mainly herbs, ingredients and ancient India formulations.
“Organic sales increased to £2.1 billion in 2008, making the UK organic industry one of the biggest in the world, continuing to be a prime target for UK and overseas suppliers, but the UK was one of the countries strongly hit in the current economic recession. According to the Soil Association in 2009 sales of organic products in the UK were worth £1.84 billion – a decrease of 12.9%
on 2008. Sales slowed significantly after many years of double-digit percentage growth, as
shoppers reduced their spending in the economic downturn and leading retailers reduced organic
ranges and shelf space.
Fairtrade mark products were up 43% to £700 million, natural beauty and personal care went up 53% between 2005-2008 to reach £180 million, whilst the ‘free from’ sector, vegetarian foods, The 2010 Organic Market Report can be downloaded at the site of the Soil Association.
Canada market development investment
Posted - April 12, 2010
Canada market development investment
The Organic Trade Association (OTA) in Canada announced a partnership with the Government of Canada on March 6 to develop a long-term international marketing strategy to expand Canada’s organic sector. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada is investing over $118,000 in OTA in Canada’s international market development strategy for the organic sector.
“We are excited about what this means in terms of building new international markets for Canadian organic products,” said Matthew Holmes, managing director of the Organic Trade Association in Canada. “The global organic market is expanding rapidly and this support will allow Canada to establish itself as a supplier of quality organic products. When you know more about supply and demand in foreign markets, you are in a better position to make sales.”
OTA said Canada’s international market development strategy for the organic sector will identify which markets to target, what products or commodities are the best fit with those markets, and how Canadian companies can access these important markets. The strategy will also benefit the entire domestic sector by identifying gaps in the supply-chain, new opportunities and innovations, and providing a more coordinated approach to capacity development. The project will promote the availability and quality of Canada’s organic products in the quickly expanding global organic marketplace.
“Today, with the support of this program, an organic farmer and businessman from PEI is in Japan meeting with buyers and learning more about this important market for organic products,” Mr Holmes said. “The AgriMarketing Program will assist dozens of other Canadian organic businesses in exploring new markets who, in turn, are providing OTA in Canada with intelligence on how Canadian organics can compete and excel in world markets.”
Global organic sales were estimated at $50.9 billion (US) in 2008, and preliminary data shows that growth has continued through the global recession. In Canada, organic sales are approximately $2 billion per year, and have had an average annual growth rate of 20% for the past few years. Canada’s new Organic Products Regulations came into effect on June 30, 2009 and are overseen and enforced by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.
Maple Leaf’s strong presence at BioFach
Posted - April 12, 2010
Maple Leaf’s strong presence at BioFach
Canada’s organic products have experienced double-digit annual growth in production and retail sales over the past decade, and Canada had a presence at BioFach, with most companies exhibiting under their national banner.
Director of marketing for Europe for Citadelle Maple Syrup Producers Cooperative of Quebec Luc Desbiens says BioFach is always a busy show for Citadelle and the company has been attending for many years. “We have a good network of partners in Europe and we are seeing our existing customers and new customers,” he says.
“Sales of organic maple syrup are still growing. Maple syrup already has a high recognition as a natural and organically grown product that is free of preservatives and that contain no GMOs or added artificial flavours.”
Major hemp food and oils company Manitoba Harvests of Winnipeg, Canada has launched its products into major EU markets from late 2009, with stronger sales recorded in the UK.
Gaining a lot of interest at the show was Hemp Bliss, Manitoba Harvest’s organic hemp milk beverage that Drew Gourdie of Manitoba Harvests said is being used mainly with breakfast cereal and muesli, and in coffee. “As people become more confident in Hemp Bliss they are using it in combination with hemp powder in smoothies and beverages drinks and we are now seeing sales in foodservice,” he says.
“Hemp Bliss is being enjoyed by non-dairy drinkers as a hemp milk drink and we recently changed the flavor profile and all four products have new flavours – Unsweetened, Original, Vanilla and Chocolate, and we are aiming to reach more of the mainstream dairy drinkers.
“Hemp Bliss entered the EU market in the last 90 days. Sales in the UK are picking up and we are confident Hemp Bliss will sell well in other EU countries. In the USA sales over the past year for Hemp Bliss are up 30-40%.”
Private label organics and gluten-free is a growing market for producers and suppliers in North America as supermarkets range or develop private label brands to stay price competitive with the major chains. At Commercial Bakeries Corp. of Toronto, Canada, a first-time exhibitor at Biofach, major product ranges are private label, gluten-free and conventional cookies and crackers.
President of Commercial Bakeries Anthony J. Fusco Snr said that the gluten-free pantry market was growing at 10% a month for cookies. “In North America the consumer is getting very educated and the press is catching on,” he says. “Demand has spread outside of the celiac market as is seen as a healthier product. It is starting to look like our company will be selling more gluten-free and organics as sales are doing better than our conventional cookies.”
Fair Trade Brokers was started three years ago in Canada to cover the North American market. Managing director of Fair Trade Brokers Flavia Aarden-Kilger says the company is the only Fairtrade certified juice supplier in Canada based in British Columbia.
“We are only doing bulk juices from developing countries such as Brazil, Peru, Ecuador, Thailand and in Burkina Faso in Africa,” she says. “While we are not offering brands yet, we believe there is a market for it and we may start something in Canada and we have some interest. Our focus is on Fairtrade and organic juices and our customers are bottling companies. We may also look at private label in the future.”
Koala Cola joined by likeable characters
Posted - April 12, 2010
Koala Cola joined by likeable characters
The three new Organimals organic beverage flavours launched at BioFach had good acceptance, adding to the immediate success of Koala Cola for German beverages company Taunusgold.
Established in 2009 in Wiesbaden, Germany, Taunusgold, a young, creative beverages company, saw a large niche in the market for organic beverages such as organic cola. Marketing manager Peter Schneider says the Organimals division launched with the Koala Cola organic soft drink made with 100% organic ingredients and received industry feedback that it needed a family of products.
“We launched The Organimals family of organic drinks earlier than planned,” he says.”Koala Cola was only launched in September 2009 and at BioFach we launched another three flavours – Lemon Lion, Orange Utan, and Berry Bear, all in 11.2fluid ounce sized bottles with 5-10% fruit juice for the local market, while we sell in PET bottles for export.
“The acceptance to the three new flavours over the last three days at BioFach is 95% positive and people like the names, The Koala Cola is a success in the children’s market and is being sold in Germany, Austria, Spain and we are talking to buyers in France.”
The Organimals, a range of soft drinks is made with 100% organic ingredients and sweetened with agave syrup, with colourful drawings of the animal’s faces on the bottle’s labels part of the appeal of the drinks. Mr Schneider says Koala Cola was listed in specialist German organic stores, with the low GI a major selling point. “There are still a lot of high sugar content beverages being sold in Europe with artificial flavor,” he says. “We support the De Arche children’s charity in Berlin where 5 cents of every sale goes to this charity that cares for children who live in poor circumstances in areas of Berlin.
“We are just starting to get Koala Cola listed in specialist organic shops and are holding talks with leading supermarket Tegut. We will focus on the organic trade and the service (restaurant) trade and specialist beverage stores in Germany that sell both non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages.”
Alb-Gold expands gluten-free pasta
Posted - April 12, 2010
Alb-Gold expands gluten-free pasta
Gluten-free pastas and new children’s pastas in certified organic products are the latest initiatives for Alb-Gold, a long-standing family-owned producer of organic pasta and noodles made from durum wheat semolina and pure spelt.
The company is based in the traditional home of high quality pasta growing and production, based in Trochtelfingen in the Swabian Alb region of southern Germany, and the pioneering pasta company is well-known for its traditional Swabian Spaetzle pastas.
Alb-Gold sales manager Claus Dorner says despite last year being tough, sales have stabilized and there is still a strong demand for organic products. “Due to the trend to gluten free products to cater for food and wheat allergies, we have produced and launched organic gluten free pastas in every Alb-Gold product line,” he says.
“While it is a small business area we realize there is consumer demand for gluten free and launched in the United States and Germany at the start of 2009. Despite only 2-3% of people being celiac sufferers, we are happy with sales achieved.
“At end of 2009 we launched a children’s pasta in certified organic products - Farm, Safari and Dinos.” The three themed Organic Kids Pastas are presented in attractive, colourful packaging in 300g boxes and feature pasta shapes such as lions, crocodiles and giraffes.”
Exports account for 20% of Alb-Gold’s sales with the USA and Canada the main export markets. Other export markets include New Zealand, Australia, Singapore, France, Spain, Austria, Switzerland, Slovenia and Croatia with sales growing at 5% a year.
“We are selling into North America at stores such as Safeway, Loblaws and Whole Foods Markets regional stores,” Mr Dorner says. “It is still difficult to get ranging in large supermarket chains due to slotting fees but demand for organic pasta is strong in smaller organic stores and some large retailers.”
Two separate brands are marketed: Alb-Gold is the brand sold into organic and health food stores, while Bechle is the brand for larger grocery stores. All products are USDA certified, which is the organic label for products in the USA and Canada market, and the Bio label which is used in Germany. Mr Dorner says trade shows are very important to its marketing of Alb-Gold products, and the pasta producer attends major shows such as BioFach, SIAL in Paris, Anuga in Germany, NOPE in London, ExpoWest and ExpoEast in the USA.
Ekoland’s organic spreads taking off
Posted - April 12, 2010
Ekoland’s organic spreads taking off
A new company at the BioFach fair was Ekoland of Poland, which started its nut business in 1992 at Bytom, near Cracow. Present at the stand was German sales manager Wolfgang Dannebaum and CEO and owner of Ekoland Matgorzata Socha. Mr Dannebaum says the organic division commenced in 2009 and sourced and supplied are all types of organic nuts, dried foods, raisins, figs, hazelnuts and organic cookies.
“Matgorzata decided to convert to organics to meet the needs of healthy nutritional lifestyles and it was part of her personal philosophy,” he says. “We have key markets in Poland for conventional products and expanded into organics. At the fair we have been talking to potential EU customers and there is interest from customers in Germany and Holland, while German competition is strong and they have a cost advantage.”
Ekoland gained certification to ISO 22000:2005 a quality and organic standard that the company expects will assist it to gain customers, while organic certification was issued by a Polish certification group according to the EU standard.
“We display the German Bio and Polish Bio (organic) standards and started in September 2009 with a new concept are already established in organic shops in Poland,” Mr Dannebaum says. “We are using BioFach to ascertain the response and interest from customers such as wholesalers and distributors. So far we have interest from a private label company for Holland and Germany and generally for German health products.”
One of the key products is an organic hazelnut crème, a ‘Nutella’ style of product called Nelti hazelnut butter. “Our Polish customers are enjoying the new tastes available in these new organic products with our Nelti hazelnut butter the number one product followed by a peanut butter and a four nuts butter,” Mr Dannebaum says.
“An advantage with having organic products is that we can obtain a price premium. Specially designed for children is the Melti hazelnut crème that is very popular with Polish mothers for their children.”
A major initiative for Ekoland is that it employs handicapped or disabled people to produce the products in Poland, which Mr Dannebaum says is an ethical decision made by the CEO before organic certification process started. “It is our mission to be socially responsible as well, and the fact that we employ disabled people does not affect the product, but helps 60 people or 80% of our workforce,” he says.
Doctor champions organics in Poland
Posted - April 12, 2010
Doctor champions organics in Poland
Bionica Sp. was set up in 1999 based in Zlotoryja in south western Poland by Szymon J Borys, a medical practitioner specializing in oriental medicine and dietetics. He started out with basic organic ingredients from five countries such as grains, legumes, rice beans and flakes with the rationale of using food for medicine.
Mr Borys says that after a while Bionica realised that ill people were not the main customers and a food chain came to him and asked to have a discussion about what they could do together. “A small group of three delicatessens starting stocking our products, initially at their number one store in 2002,” he says, “It was in Warsaw and was a shop window for other retailers and other stores decided to range our products and we decided to market direct to the retailers.”
“A chain of 25 stores invited us to create an organic project with them and products sold well at first but when they were hit by the economic crisis they changed policies. However, now in Poland we are seen as the innovators in this type of packaged organics and a company that supplies quality health foods.
“We have gained referrals and recommendations from naturopathic practitioners and doctors and as a health practitioner I have more credibility. I believe in the philosophy and the health benefits of organics and whole foods.”
Today, Bionica is the sole importer of rice drinks, oat and soybean company Natumi, gluten-free rice pasta and corn Andriani Alimenti Italian company and the means to care WELEDA Swiss concern. Mr Borys also works with small family companies from five continents. These are the companies that produce foods for generations (often unique) according to proven recipes.
In total, Bionica offers about 200 food products, and more than 100 cosmetic products. They include cereals, flakes, cereals, beans, lentils, grains oilseeds, oils, nuts, ’butter’ nuts, dried fruits, spices, sauces, syrups, sugars and malt, seaweed and macrobiotic products. Bionica products are sold in transparent bags and packed by hand and by using fully automated packaging machines and labelling. Organic dried fruits and nuts are sold in 150kg to 500kg bags.
Sophisticated consumers demand more: Organic Monitor
Posted - April 12, 2010
Sophisticated consumers demand more: Organic Monitor
Growth in organics over the past nine years is quite significant, despite the downturn in 2008. Key themes and trends are over production, discounters driving down prices and consumer price sensitivity, with increasingly sophisticated consumers demanding more from organic products such as sustainability. This was revealed at ‘The World of Organic Agriculture – Statistics and Emerging Trends’, a key seminar held at the Biofach Congress on February 19, presented by Amarjit Sahota, of business research & consulting firm Organic Monitor, UK.
Mr Sahota estimated that the global market for organics was worth about $US50.9 billion dollars in 2008, and for the first time, global sales breached the $US50bn mark. “Growth has been much lower than in previous years, with only 10% growth in 2008, but looking at it historically, growth has been 235% over a period of nine years, that is very significant,” Mr Sahota said.
“However, unlike production, where organic agriculture is practiced in over 140-150 countries, the market is really concentrated in two regions. Sales of organic foods are concentrated in Europe and North America and represent 97% of global sales. The USA is leading sales and has the largest market for organic food and drink, followed by Germany, then the UK, France and Italy, in terms of revenues in US dollars.
“In terms of categories, today we’ve seen increase in production of grains and different crops, while most sales of organic food and drink products in almost every country are coming from fresh products - fruit and vegetables (about 30% of sales); fresh dairy – milk, yohgurt, cheeses; meats, poultry beef, pork; then beverages – juices, soy, tea and coffee etc; followed by baby foods and processed foods. A finding is that consumers who eat fresh and healthy foods tend to buy organic foods more than those who buy processed foods.
Looking at the sales data by regions, the European market was worth about $US26 billion, a slower growth than in previous years, with the largest markets being Germany, France, Italy, Switzerland, and the UK.
“After many years of under supply, we’re now seeing overproduction of crops such as organic fruits, vegetables, meat and dairy. And because of the financial crisis, consumers are becoming more price-sensitive. Here in Germany what we are seeing is the discounters coming in and selling organic products and very low prices.” The net result of these factors of overproduction and price sensitivity is that the average price of organic foods over the last 18 months has gone down.
“Looking at North America, compared to Europe, this is showing higher growth, the market is worth about $US23 billion in 2008, with most sales going into the United States which is worth over $US20 billion. A key development here is that private labels have become very important.
“What we are also seeing is consolidation, at the producer level, at the wholesaler level, as well as at retailers. However, similar to what we’ve seen in Europe, prices for organics have gone down over the last 18 months.”
In Asia, Mr Sahota said the market was worth just under $US1 billion in 2008, with the major market being Japan. “Asian consumers tend to be more price conscious, they are interested in organic foods but are not always ready to pay a premium for organic products, and because of that, we’ve seen the market is concentrated in the richer countries of Japan, South Korea, Singapore, and Taiwan.”
Discussing the organic market’s outlook, Mr Sahota said there was negative media and press coverage given to organic foods over the last year, such as that the organic food industry is going to collapse. While lower growth was seen last year and in some countries it has been zero, in most countries it has still been healthy and positive.
Organic Monitor expects market growth rates to recover in European countries like the UK and Germany. “However, over production is expected to stay,” Mr Sahota says. “Up until 2007, this industry experienced under supply and product prices were very high. Over the last two years we have seen over supply and we expect this to continue for another two years. As the market picks up we expect organic food prices to stabilize.”
“The last trend is that consumers are becoming more sophisticated and more informed. Originally, consumers were buying organic food for health reasons and ecological reasons. However, that’s really changed. Consumers still care about the environment and climate change has made the environment more important today, and they are also concerned about the chemicals in products and are buying more natural products that are ‘free from’, additives, synthetic colorings and preservatives etc.
“Consumers are also asking where is the product coming from, where is it grown, is it ethically sourced, and locally grown, and they’re asking about the carbon footprint of product, and don’t want to buy a product that has been flown halfway across the world.
“What we are seeing is that organics is only part of the equation, when consumers are buying organic foods they want more, they are looking at sustainability and sustainable values. Companies are highlighting their products with attributes such as sustainable values - fair trade, ethical sourcing, carbon neutral, local sourcing, promoting biodiversity, ecological packaging, energy usage and efficiency and reducing waste.”
“Now the certification agencies are really responding to this by adopting some of these sustainable values. Organizations such as the IMO have a For Life certification scheme for corporate social responsibility as well as fair trade, Eco-Cert has a fair-trade scheme, and IBD certification’s EcoSocial label in Brazil has extended its certification to biodiversity.”
Fair trade movement partners organic
Posted - April 12, 2010
Fair trade movement partners organic
BioFach 2010 at Nuremberg had the theme of organic +fair and a major presentation titled ‘At the Fair & Ethical Trade Forum: Overview on FairTrade worldwide’ was held as part of the Biofach Congress program on the first day, Wednesday February 17. Speakers were Tuulia Syvaenen, chief operating officer of Fairtrade Labelling Organizations International (FLO), the global body for Fairtrade, and Dieter Overath, executive director of the German Fairtrade organization TransFair.
The speakers spoke about the universality of the Fairtrade label or logo that makes it a powerful symbol that consumers can recognize worldwide. Over 10,000 Fairtrade products can now be found in over 70 countries, with over one million small scale farmers and workers growing products such as bananas and coffee. Over 2,500 licence companies operate through Fairtrade labelling organizations.
FLO applauded BioFach 2010’s choice of the theme Organic + Fair. “BioFach’s focus on ’Organic + Fair’ shows tremendous foresight,” says Tuulia Syvaenen, chief operating officer of Fairtrade Labelling Organizations International (FLO), the global body for Fairtrade.
“This year’s theme at the world’s largest organic trade fair highlights the close and growing relationship between the organic and Fairtrade movements,” Ms Syvaenen says. “Over one third of Fairtrade products sold today are also organic certified. Companies can now access the rapidly growing market for products with double organic and Fairtrade certification. Bringing these products to consumers enables rural communities to protect the local environment while gaining the economic stability they need to build a sustainable future.”
A major aim of Fairtrade was to achieve a guarantee of a minimum price for producers and a Fairtrade premium, long-term contracts and pre-financing for producers, which is more important due to the recent harsher economic circumstances. Ms Syvaenen highlighted a small farming co-operative in Kenya that had struggled to sell its production, but was able to sell all its crops through the Fairtrade system after only one year as a member and bring great benefits to its community.
Mr Overath said in the German market, which is a discount market dominated by retailers such as Aldi and Lidl, 60% of Fairtrade products are also certified organic, with sales increases seen in chocolate, honey, soft drinks and in many beauty products, while sales of Fairtrade products increased by $US52 million in 2008.
The speakers said coffee, bananas, tea, cocoa and cotton were the Top 5 Fairtrade products. In 2008, estimated global Fairtrade retail sales were 2.9 billion euros, with 22% growth in retail sales. There were 746 Fairtrade producers in 58 countries benefiting over five million workers. The largest markets for Fairtrade products were the USA, UK, France and Germany.
“The new global Fairtrade strategy is to strengthen the direct impact of everything we do and leverage wider changes were possible.” the speakers said.
