JTS are amongst Scotland's Fair Trade Champions

Nicola Taylor • November 26, 2019

Scottish Fair Trade Awards Honours Local Fair Trade Campaigners

Fair Trade supporters gathered at Scotmid’s headquarters in Edinburgh on Monday 18 November to celebrate the 2019 Scottish Fair Trade Awards. The Scottish Fair Trade Awards recognise the individuals, groups and organisations who work locally to support and promote Fair Trade in Scotland, and thereby make a tangible difference to the lives of the people in the Global South who grow our food and make the products that we use everyday.

The Outstanding Achievement Award went to Carol Clarke who has been campaigning for Fair Trade and trade justice for over 20 years as part of the Hamilton Fair Trade Group, the Scottish Fair Trade Forum, Justice and Peace Scotland and a myriad of other social justice organisations.

Karena Jarvie from Kinross-shire won Volunteer of the Year for her work in communicating the benefits of Fair Trade and building support for Scottish-based Fair Trade businesses such as Bala Sport and JTS .

The Campaign of the Year Award went to seven teachers from schools across Scotland who are passionate champions of Fairtrade cotton uniforms.

Farlogie Café run by P6 pupils from Carnoustie Primary School received the Community Award for managing a thriving Fair Trade café in their community, and City of Glasgow College’s Jewellery Department was honoured with the 2019 Innovation and Sustainability Award for taking a proactive approach to embedding Fair Trade into the curriculum.

Paisley-based social enterprise JTS was given a Special Recognition Award for their partnership work with Fair Trade producers in Malawi, The Kingdom of Eswatini, South Africa, Sri Lanka and Kenya.

Ben Macpherson, Scotland’s Minister for Europe, Migration and International Development, attended to present the awards. Mr Macpherson said: “I was delighted to attend this event and formally recognise those who go out of their way to promote Fair Trade and global citizenship in their communities. The work of these individuals, groups and organisations is crucial in encouraging the public to choose Fair Trade and make a difference to the livelihoods of producers around the world. The Scottish Government is committed to making the world a place where justice, equity and sustainable development are at the heart of trade practices. Congratulations to all the award winners.”

Martin Rhodes, Chief Executive of the Scottish Fair Trade Forum said: “This is significant year in the Fair Trade movement with the Fairtrade Mark turning 25 and a number of other dedicated Fair Trade businesses such as Traidcraft and JTS also celebrating major birthdays. We would not have been able to reach these milestones without the work done by the awardees and other passionate campaigners who dedicate their time to raising awareness of Fair Trade.”

Scotmid’s head office was a fitting venue for this year’s event. With a core purpose of serving local communities and improving people’s everyday lives, Scotmid opened its first-ever grocery store in Edinburgh exactly 160 years ago this month, and has been a champion of the Fairtrade movement since its inception. It was one of the first Scottish retailers to stock Fairtrade products when the Fairtrade Mark was
introduced in 1994 and continues to support Fairtrade community groups and Fairtrade activities in schools across Scotland today.
Harry Cairney, Scotmid President, said: “We were privileged to be able to host this event and it was great to be able to celebrate the success of the Fairtrade movement."

“Fairtrade shares Scotmid’s values and principles – for the past 160 years, we’ve operated ethically. Naturally our friendship has grown and over the past 15 years and through co-operation we have helped to spread the word about the importance of Fairtrade products to all – from primary schoolchildren to pensioners – in our trading areas while also stocking the products in our stores. Edinburgh has held Fairtrade City status since 2004 and, over the past 15 years, we have provided support and sponsorship for Fairtrade festivals that have been staged across the city – engaging positively with Edinburgh’s population about an incredibly important subject."

“There is no debate about the benefits which Fairtrade brings to all and it’s great to see the increasing number of people and businesses who can see the longer-term rewards of buying into what Fairtrade is all about. Essentially it is about working together and co-operation and you can’t say fairer than that.”

"The need for action against climate change emerged as a theme of the evening with many of the awardees praised for their work in positioning Fair Trade as part of the solution to the climate emergency, and organising activities that showed Fair Trade campaigning and climate action going hand in hand."

The Scottish Fair Trade Forum also collaborated with Ayrshire charity, the Energy Agency, who sponsored this year’s Innovation and Sustainability Award. Liz Marquis, Director, said “We are proud to be involved with Fair Trade who share our vision of sustainability and actively work towards improving our future”

Full list of Scottish Fair Trade Award Winners 2019:
Innovation and Sustainability Award 2019: City of Glasgow College Jewellery Department for taking a proactive and energised approach to embedding Fair Trade and sustainability into their curriculum, and working with a range of external partners to do so.

Volunteer of the Year 2019: Karena Jarvie of the Perth and Kinross Fair Trade group for her outstanding commitment to Fair Trade, as an advocate, campaigner, educator and Traidcrafter - for over 30 years.

Community Award 2019: Farlogie Café run by pupils of Carlogie Primary School for managing a thriving Fair Trade community café in Carnoustie that has become a hub for Fair Trade products and information in the town.

Campaign of the Year 2019: This group of teachers for embracing Fairtrade cotton uniforms, and by doing so, playing their part in leading the “Fairtrade school uniform revolution” in Scotland.
· Louise White (Corpus Christi Primary School, Glasgow)
· Dawn Maloney (Leith Primary School, Edinburgh)
· Fiona Eaton (Turriff Primary, Aberdeenshire)
· Monica Malet (St Joseph’s RC Primary, Aberdeen)
· Natalie Young (St Columba’s Primary School, Cupar, Fife)
· Morag Oldham (Grange Primary School, Carnoustie)
· Eleanor Duncan (Castlehill Primary School, Cupar Fife)

Outstanding Achievement 2019: Carol Clarke of Hamilton Fairtrade Town Group for her consistent outstanding commitment to Fair Trade in both a personal and professional capacity.

Special Recognition Award 2019: JTS for their significant achievements in so many aspects of Fair Trade campaigning, retailing and support for producers, and in special recognition of these achievements in their 10th year.

Dignity Through Trade and Action

By Angus Coull • July 10, 2025
Launching Our 2024/25 Annual Report

Celebrating the Ethical Consumer 'Best Buy' Seal of Approval

By Tracy Mitchell • June 30, 2025
We’re absolutely thrilled to share some incredible news: Ethical Consumer has extended its prestigious Best Buy status to the entire True Origin product range and Traidcraft Tea! This recognition previously applied only to our True Origin Kilombero rice, but now it covers all True Origin products — and our beloved Traidcraft Tea as well. This is a huge moment for us — and for everyone who chooses to shop with purpose. The Best Buy label is Ethical Consumer’s highest ethical rating, reserved for brands and products that go above and beyond in areas like environmental impact, workers’ rights, sustainability, and transparency. To receive this mark across our True Origin product range is a powerful endorsement of our ongoing commitment to fairness, justice, and sustainability in global trade – and of the way we do business here in the UK too. Ruairidh Fraser, researcher at Ethical Consumer, said “True Origin are clear ethical leaders in their field, so we're delighted to expand our Best Buy certification to cover all of their branded products. It’s rare to find a company of True Origin’s size which demonstrates such a comprehensive understanding of its social and environmental impact.” He continued “True Origin scored 100/100 for its approach to its supply chain, going above and beyond to ensure that workers’ rights are respected and their communities supported. From agriculture to food waste, they are rejecting greenwash and are instead focused on doing the right thing where it matters." From the fragrant Kilombero rice grown in the heart of Malawi to the rich, responsibly sourced Traidcraft Tea, from the fantastic relishes and spices from South Africa to the exotic Kenyan jams — every product in our portfolio stands for dignity, opportunity, and ethical excellence.  We couldn’t have done it without our producer partners, staff and customers. Every time you choose True Origin or Traidcraft, you’re choosing a better world — and now you’ve got Ethical Consumer’s seal of approval to back that choice. 🛒 Explore the full Best Buy-approved range here . 📣 Spread the word and tag us when you share the news! Together, we’re changing trade for good. See Ethical Consumer Best Buy Label

Welcoming Alistair Menzies as New Chair of True Origin Board

By Angus Coull • June 30, 2025
Alistair has been a True Origin director since 2020, having spent most of his career within the food industry across a range of commercial, marketing and management roles. With 30 years in management and 25 working for food businesses including Divine and Traidcraft, he has brought a breadth of experience across several categories including hot beverages, snacks, chilled, frozen as well as enjoyable spells in confectionery and wines. Alistair has enjoyed working in fair-trade where every sale ensures fair prices and additional benefits to farming communities and has had the privilege of visiting several producer groups in Chile (vineyards and honey co-operatives), and Ghana (cocoa farmers as well as tropical fruits). “Since joining the board of True Origin in 2020 I’ve seen firsthand how resilient and adaptable the team are when faced with the challenges of global disruptions, ever changing market conditions, and the logistics of shipping products from east and southern Africa to Paisley. All this, to improve the livelihoods of small-scale farmers and food manufacturers in the region. I am delighted to be continuing my journey with True Origin and look forward to building on the hard work that has gone before” Alistair Menzies.

A Real Sense of Palestine from Zaytoun

By Angus Coull • June 24, 2025
At True Origin we have always loved the range of products from Zaytoun, so when we set up our True Origin & Friends section on our online shop, stocking the delicious olive oils, almonds, dates, maftoul, feekeh and za’atar was a priority. We also love their hand crafted soaps. Palestinian Producers Need our Support More than Ever. True Origin MD, Tracy Mitchell says we can all help, whilst enjoying great quality food from this particular part of the Middle East. “We're proud to offer Zaytoun products at True Origin — they embody ethical sourcing, outstanding quality, and a powerful story of resilience. By bringing these goods to our customers, we’re directly supporting Palestinian producers and helping sustain livelihoods in some of the world’s most challenging conditions. These ingredients don’t just taste good — they do good." Zaytoun CIC is a social enterprise inspired by a love of Palestinian culture, communities and cuisine. They exist to support Palestinian farmers through fair trade – 100% of their profits are reinvested into delivering this mission. So buying Zaytoun products is a great way to ensure a sustainable future for food producers, particularly in these most challenging of times. Choosing and cooking Palestinian food, as Tracy says is a great way to make a positive difference in the lives of the families who rely on selling their unique produce.

True Origin MD Speaks at Launch of new UK Malawi Chamber of Commerce Scotland Chapter

By Angus Coull • June 12, 2025
Our MD Tracy Mitchell was delighted to take part in the launch of the UK Malawi Chamber of Commerce Scotland (UKMCC) Chapter in Edinburgh today. The event was hosted by the Scotland Malawi Partnership and chaired by Mr Hannington Gondwe, Chief Executive of the UKMCC. It was an inspiring afternoon thinking about growing meaningful trade partnerships between Malawi and Scotland (and the UK more widely). Guests heard from several distinguished speakers including; by video link the President of Malawi, Lazarus Chakwera and the Minister of Trade and Industry. Vitombiko Mumba, The focus was on wealth creation, job creation and food security as part of its Vision 2063 and clearly sees trade as crucial for transformation.

Update on our jam, marmalade, chutney and sauce product range

By Tracy Mitchell • June 6, 2025
At True Origin, we know many of you love our range of jams, marmalades, chutneys, and sauces from Eswatini Kitchen and have been awaiting an update on their availability. Unfortunately, after six months, we have still not received any clear answers or reassurances to give us confidence that the food safety issue that came to light in November 2024 has been properly addressed. As a result, we are not able to restock these products. As a fair trade business, guided by the Ten Principles of Fair Trade, True Origin sought the guidance and advice of WFTO on this matter to ensure that we have done as much as we possibly could to avoid this outcome. We are, however, seeking a new supplier to continue supporting farmers and producers in the Kingdom of Eswatini and to provide you with fair trade jams, marmalades, chutneys and sauces. We will of course let you know as soon as we have replacement products confirmed. The following products are being discontinued: • Peach & Ginger Jam • Lime Marmalade • Orange Marmalade • Orange & Cinnamon Marmalade • Ruby Grapefruit Marmalade • Medium Curry Sauce • Swazi Fire • Lime Pickle • Mango Pickle • Vegetable Pickle • Hot Mango Chutney • Mixed Fruit Chutney • Pineapple Chutney • Piquante Peppers Marula Jelly The details for the recall are here . Please note that the following jams and sauces are still available as these come from different suppliers: Guava Jam Hibiscus Jam Papaya & Lemon Jam Pineapple Jam Tomato & Chilli Sauce Tomato & Garlic Sauce If you have any questions, please do get in touch info@trueorigin.org.uk

Why Buy Kilombero Rice

By Angus Coull • May 8, 2025
The UK's Most Ethical Rice! On World Fair Trade Day - And Every Day!

Mary Popple retires as chair of True Origin

By Angus Coull • March 26, 2025
After six years of leadership, Mary Popple has retired from her role as Chair of the True Origin Board to assume the role as an ordinary board member. She leaves a legacy of steadfast, values-led leadership, resilience and commitment to Fair Trade during a period of significant transition for the social enterprise. First appointed to the True Origin Board in 2013, Mary became the first woman to take on the role of Chair in April 2019. Her journey into the position was shaped by a successful career in the IT industry and a passion for Fair Trade. Mary was an active member of the influential St Andrews Fair Trade group which successfully campaigned to designate the town as a Fairtrade area, and for The Open Golf championship to become the first UK sports tournament to commit to using Fairtrade products. This was complemented with over twenty years’ experience of involvement in other trade justice and development opportunities for women. During her six-year tenure as Chair of the True Origin board, Mary strategically led the social enterprise through a challenging external environment at a challenging time for many small businesses. Less than a year into her new role, the Covid pandemic emerged, causing significant uncertainty for staff, producers and customers as well as disruption in global supply chains. The war in Ukraine and cost-of-living crisis soon followed. Despite the challenges, under Mary’s leadership, True Origin generated over £2.3million in sales income that included £733,000 worth of Kilombero rice from Malawi. That’s equivalent to 245 tonnes or nearly 5 million servings of rice! The sale of the rice provides families in Malawi, one of the least developed countries in the world, with sustainable incomes and better food security. Mary played an instrumental role in rolling out the social enterprise’s rebrand and positioning the organisation as the go-to place for fair and fine products under the new True Origin banner. The product range subsequently increased during her tenure, solidifying True Origin’s reputation in the fine foods market. New products included a range of condiments such the soon-to-become both a customer favourite and one of Mary’s favourite products, sun-dried fig balsamic reduction as well as the popular beer bread of which over 150,000 packets were sold during her term. Mary’s leadership as Chair will also be remembered for her values-led approach, guiding the organisation to decisions with its founding fair trade principles in mind and the interests of producers always at the forefront. She invested time in expanding the board’s skillset and further developing the organisation’s robust governance procedures, upholding True Origin’s commitment to transparency with its stakeholders and leaving the organisation in a strong position to tackle future challenges. She also brought an instinctive knowledge of Fair Trade customers in Scotland and beyond to the role.

Celebrating International Women's Day

By Angus Coull • March 7, 2025
Thanks to the women of Meru Herbs Kenya

...But Give a Man a Fishing Rod

By Liam McLaughlin • February 24, 2025
Our former Operations Manager and now volunteer, Liam McLaughlin caught up with Kenneth Mwakasungula on the challenges of being a Kilombero Rice farmer
More Posts