Celebrating World Fair Trade Day and our retained WFTO Guaranteed Member Status

Angus Coull • May 7, 2026

Hard work pays off

Fair Trade food company True Origin MD, Tracy Mitchel shows off the company's renewed WFTO Guaranteed Member Status certificate

We are very proud, on World Fair Trade Day to announce that we have retained our WFTO Guaranteed Member Status. This is not just any easily acquired meaningless badge, it’s confirmation of the efforts the True Origin team go to, to best serve our producer groups and our customers. It’s probably tougher than you might think, and we’re chuffed to have done it again.

We connect people through delicious, ethical food. As an ethical consumer you should be able to trust the business you are buying from and seeing a business’s external verification can be an important part of building that trust. At True Origin, we work hard to maintain the World Fair Trade Organisation (WFTO) standard, closely adhering to the 10 Principles of Fair Trade (below).

We are thrilled that this worldwide recognition, alongside the Ethical Consumer's Best Buy certification, acknowledges our work as a social enterprise promoting sustainability and awareness of issues that affect our global partners.

To mark this achievement and celebrate World Fair Trade Day we are offering free shipping on all orders placed this weekend (ends midnight on Sunday 10th May). No code is necessary, the offer will be applied automatically at check out, and is open to retail customers and fair trade shops. Don't misss out! Browse our online shop and get you order in now.

We are delighted with some of the comments from the independent auditors regarding our business operations. The paragraph below is an extract from the audit report written about us, outlining the Notable Achievements and Best Practice of True Origin.

“Many examples of best practice were seen during the course of this audit. True Origin have thorough Health and Safety records and an excellent system for keeping checks, training and records up to date. All Workers at True Origin had a very good understanding of Health and Safety, as well as of the 10 principles, which are woven through all aspects of the business.

"It is clear that there is a positive and supportive team culture at True Origin, with team decision making

throughout. True Origin also demonstrates exemplary communication with its customers; blogs and emails are regular, engaging and honest and responses to complaints are timely and considerate. True Origin’s policies are comprehensive and updated regularly. There is a wonderful sense of cohesion, efficiency and common purpose amongst the workers [staff].”

Audit report from auditors Gemma Powell and Faith Johnson of The Environmental Quality Mark Community Interest Company.

The World Fair Trade Organisation is keen on continuous improvement (as are we) and Compliance Officer, Francesca Gnesutta added this:

“We have completed the review of your audit report and it has been very nice to read about your ongoing commitment to the WFTO standard. The report is very positive and you have already filled in your Improvement Plan.

“I would like to formally congratulate True Origin on completing the 2nd Guarantee System Cycle and continuing on as a WFTO Guaranteed Fair Trade Enterprise.”

This achievement is credit to MD, Tracy and the staff team, volunteers, and the Board for their guidance. This is what Tracy had to say:

"We are proud to have retained our WFTO Guaranteed Member status—an achievement that reflects our commitment to people and planet and recognises the huge effort our team has invested in this rigorous process.

"We particularly value WFTO’s emphasis on continuous improvement, and are encouraged that this audit raised fewer areas for development, demonstrating how we have acted on previous feedback and are embedding these principles ever more deeply across our work."

True Origin MD, Tracy Mitchell.

True Origin is also pleased to be a member of Scottish Fair Trade, being based in a Fair Trade Nation. Scottish Fair Trade CEO, Louise Davies had this to say about the WFTO renewal:

"Huge congratulations to True Origin on renewing its WFTO Guaranteed Member status. WFTO verification is a real badge of responsible and values-led business, showing a deep commitment to fairness, transparency and long-term impact across global supply chains.

"We’re proud to have True Origin as part of the Scottish Fair Trade network and to see them continuing to lead the way in ethical trade."

Louise Davies, Scottish Fair Trade

Everything we do at True Origin is motivated by the producer groups we work with, such as Turqle Trading in South Africa, also a WFTO Guaranteed Member. They make some of our most delicious sauces and condiments. Rain Morgan and Pieter Swart are the founders of Turqle and Rain sent this message of support:

"When True Origin chose Fair Trade, they openly committed to build and honour the trust relationships they have with the producers, and ultimately the customers.

"We are really proud that True Origin’s Guaranteed Fair Trade status has been confirmed - it means they have committed to upholding the values of Fair Trade every day, in every facet of their business, and that is very important to all of us."

Rain Morgan, Turqle Trading.

You can read more about what's involved in becoming a WFTO Guaranteed Enterprise on their website.

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A woman standing at church fair trade stall with lots of delicious fair trade products available

How to Run a True Origin Fair Trade Stall at Your Church

By Nicola Taylor • July 3, 2026

A Fair Trade stall is about so much more than selling tea, coffee and chocolate. Every purchase supports smallholder farmers and producers who are working incredibly hard to build sustainable livelihoods in the face of climate change, rising fuel costs and an unpredictable global market. For many of the communities we work with, having reliable customers is essential. By running a True Origin stall at your church, you become part of that support network, helping to create regular demand for products that often aren't available in supermarkets or high street shops. Whether your church is passionate about global justice, caring for creation or simply making a practical difference, a Fair Trade stall is a simple but powerful way to turn those values into action. Start Small You don't need a huge team or a large budget to get started. Begin by talking with your church leaders about the idea. Many churches are happy to provide a small loan or donation to purchase initial stock, particularly if it can be repaid gradually as sales grow. Remember that most of the income from a stall is best reinvested into buying more stock rather than raising money for church funds. This helps keep the stall sustainable and ensures producers continue to receive orders. If you're new to running a stall, don't worry, you won't be on your own. The True Origin team and experienced Fair Traders are always happy to share advice and practical tips.