FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
"Rewards of Fair Trade" at PCC Natural Markets
Public invited to sample fairly traded products at two PCC locations
Seattle, Wash., September 22, 2006 — Products that meet the criteria of high quality, good taste, sustainable growing practices, and fair treatment of workers will be featured at "Rewards of Fair Trade," free public events at two PCC Natural Markets (PCC) locations.
Fremont PCC
Saturday, September 30
11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
600 N. 34th St., Seattle
Issaquah PCC
Sunday, October 1
11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
1810 12th Ave. NW, Issaquah
These events coincide with the efforts of retailers, food vendors and consumer groups across the nation in celebration of "Fair Trade Month," throughout October. The public will have the opportunity to learn about the many rewards, locally and globally, of the fair trade movement, and to sample over dozens of Fair Trade Certified™ * and self-certified fair labor products. "Rewards of Fair Trade" will focus on how all parties involved in bringing fairly traded products to market — farmers, retailers and consumers — benefit from their participation.
The fair trade business model, which assures that small producers in developing countries are treated and paid fairly, has been applied successfully around the world for almost two decades. The movement started with coffee, the commodity hardest hit by falling market prices over the past few years, leaving millions of small-scale farmers struggling for survival at below-poverty level. By organizing into democratic farmer cooperatives that adhere to specific criteria regarding co-op governance and growing practices, these farmers have been able to vastly improve the lives of their families and communities.
PCC offers a variety of fair labor products including coffee, tea, chocolate, sugar, rice and bananas. PCC's entire coffee line — bulk, bagged and brewed — is 100 percent organic, shade-grown and Fair Trade Certified™ coffee, making PCC unique in the retail grocery business.
About PCC Natural Markets: Headquartered in Seattle, WA, PCC Natural Markets is a certified organic retailer, with annual sales of $93 million and an active membership of nearly 40,000. PCC operates eight locations in the Fremont, View Ridge, Greenlake, West Seattle, Seward Park, Kirkland, Redmond and Issaquah neighborhoods.
About "Rewards of Fair Trade" participants:
Caffe Ladro* — Caffe Ladro operates ten espresso cafes and bakeries in the Seattle area and is the largest user of exclusively fair trade coffee in the U.S. Caffe Ladro is committed to the idea that the success of the coffee industry should not be at the expense of the coffee farmers or the environment. The company opened its first store in 1994 and now employs nearly 125 people. www.caffeladro.com
Choice Organic Teas* — A division of Seattle-based Granum, Inc., Choice Organic Teas has been providing exclusively organically grown tea since 1989 and is the first tea crafter in the US to have all qualifying teas Fair Trade Certified™. They offer more than 70 varieties of teas, and herbal infusions, providing exceptional tasting teas with an environmental and social conscience. Contact: 206-525-0051. www.choiceorganicteas.com
Dagoba Organic Chocolate* — Founded in 2001 and based in Ashland, Oregon, Dagoba is a family-owned business dedicated to producing exquisite chocolate using only the finest varietal cacao from Latin America and the Caribbean, and fully sustainable practices. All beans used are organic and shade grown and Dagoba sources Fair Trade Certified™ cacao as much a possible. Contact: 541-482-2001. www.dagobachocolate.com
Endangered Species Chocolate — Founded in 1993 in an effort to spread awareness and to make an impact on the growing number of plant and animal species that are disappearing from Earth, Endangered Species Chocolate donates 10 percent of the company's net profits towards conservation of species, habitat and humanity. Headquartered in Indiana, the company purchases cacao beans used to make its all-natural chocolate from small, family owned properties where the income benefits the communities. In addition to ensuring a fair wage and humane working conditions, Endangered Species Chocolate pays fair prices for harvested products. Contact: 800-293-0160. www.chocolatebar.com
Equal Exchange* — Equal Exchange products ... coffee, chocolate, tea and sugar ... have always been 100 percent fairly traded. For over 20 years the company has offered pre-harvest credit to aid farmers throughout their growing season. Equal Exchange works with farmers to support high quality, sustainable and shade-grown practices, and maintains long-term relationships with growers over many years.
Equal Exchange trades directly with democratically organized farmer cooperatives to ensure the fair trade price gets to the farmers who grow the products, and Equal Exchange itself is structured as a worker-owned cooperative that channels profits to support the company's mission. Contact: Roxanne Magnuson at 503-569-4138. ww.equalexchange.com
Fair Trade Puget Sound — This coalition of community groups, businesses, non-profit organizations, faith communities, students and individuals is dedicated to doubling the availability and consumption of Fair Trade Certified™ coffee in Seattle and the greater Puget Sound area. www.fairtradepugetsound.org
Green & Black's* — Headquartered in London, England, Green & Black's was founded in 1991 and is known for making the world's first organic chocolate, as well as the first product to be awarded the Fair Trade mark. Green & Black's business supports hundreds of farmers who grow organic cocoa in Belize, Dominican Republic and Madagascar. Green & Black's "Maya Gold" Chocolate comes from a recipe based on the traditional cacao-based Maya drink (Kukuh). The "gold" in its name refers to the economic security and stability enjoyed by farmers because of their relationship with the company. www.greenandblacks.com
Honest Tea* — The nation's best-selling and fastest-growing organic bottled tea company, Honest Tea's mission is to make great-tasting, truly healthy organic beverages sweetened with less sugar and calories than most bottled drinks. It was the first company to offer Fair Trade Certified™ tea in 2003, and now offers three varieties. Contact 301-652-3556. www.honesttea.com
LÄRABAR* — MÄYA, produced by LÄRABAR, is chocolate in its purest form, harmonizing with fruit and nuts. Each flavor contains no more than six simple, all organic ingredients. It is the only chocolate food bar free of sugar or sweeteners, dairy, gluten and soy. Contact: 1-877-LARABAR. www.larabar.com
Organics Unlimited — A California, family-owned business founded in 2000 that imports certified organic fruits from Mexico, Organics Unlimited has created a foundation called GROW (Giving Resources and Opportunities to Workers), a non-profit dedicated to improving the lives of field workers and providing resources for their communities. www.organicsunlimited.com
Rapunzel Pure Organics — Rapunzel was founded in Germany in 1974 with the vision of promoting healthy living and sustainable agriculture by growing, manufacturing, and distributing premium quality, pure organic foods. It is now an international, environmentally and socially responsible company dedicated to being "True to Nature." Rapunzel's "Hand in Hand" program provides support to thousands of small-scale farmers, stabilizing their income through a minimum-price system, and providing benefits, including education, health and environmental programs, that improve the quality of life in their communities. www.rapunzel.com
Theo Chocolate* — The first roaster of Fair Trade Certified™ cocoa beans and the only roaster of organic cocoa beans in the United States, Seattle-based Theo Chocolate offers organic, Fair Trade milk and dark chocolates in a range of delicious flavors, premium high cacao content single origin bars, cacao nibs and artisan confections — all starting with Fair Trade Beans. Contact: Debra Music 206-334-3052. www.theochocolate.com
Tony's Coffee & Teas* — One of the pioneers of the specialty coffee industry, Tony's Coffees & Teas has been roasting and blending fine coffees since 1971. A leader in supporting sustainable farming practices, Tony's strives to forge strong and mutually beneficial relationships between growers and consumers of quality organic and Fair Trade Certified™ products. Contact: 1-800-448-8804. www.tonyscoffee.com
Traditional Medicinals* — This Northern California company has been making herbal products since 1974, and is guided by the principles of social and environmental responsibility. Traditional Medicinals offers Fair Trade Certified teas from India, China and South Africa, and is the only tea company in North American that uses the highest quality and most reliable pharmacopoeial grade herbs for its products. Contact: 1-800-543-4372. www.traditionalmedicinals.com
Wholesome Sweeteners* — Headquartered in Sugar Land, Texas, Wholesome Sweeteners was the first American sugar company to pursue Fair Trade Certification, and maintains partnerships with sugar cane cooperatives in Paraguay, Malawi and Costa Rica. Wholesome Sweeteners' sugars, produced from certified organic sugar cane, are the best selling range of organic sugars in the USA and Canada Contact: 1-800-680-1896. www.wholesomesweeteners.com
Woodstock Farms* — Fair Trade Certified™ white and brown rice is grown by a group of 600 small organic farmers using traditional sustainable practices and great care, assuring premium quality.
* TransFairUSA, the only independent, third party certifier of Fair Trade products in the U.S, certifies some or all products. TransFairUSA audits and monitors the business practices of importers and manufacturers to ensure that products meet international Fair Trade criteria, established by the Fair Trade Labeling Organizations International (FLO). www.transfairusa.org