Standing with our Producers
Mary Popple • July 28, 2021
It is a critical time as in the UK we move tentatively out of the pandemic grateful for our widespread vaccination programme. Our producers are not so lucky, and Covid has undoubtedly widened the gap between the ‘have’ nations and the ‘have not’ nations of our world. Now more than ever they need u s to stand by them.
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We have talked with our producers in South Africa, the Kingdom of Eswatini, Malawi, Kenya, Sri Lanka and India to try to comprehend how their day-to-day lives are being affected by Covid and by political and other issues that have been compounded by Covid. Here are comments from some of our partners in South Africa and the Kingdom of Eswatini with some of the points they have made to us giving us so many reasons to count our blessings and give them our support, and why it is more important than ever that we all keep buying their products and stand with them.
Our Beer Bread and our Turqle ranges of products come from South Africa. South Africa has been in some form of lockdown for 18 months leading many businesses to close with massive job losses. With donor fatigue and a strained economy many feeding schemes and informal day care facilities have shut their doors and people are worried and frustrated.
Now, we hear of riots following the arrest of former President Jacob Zuma for corruption. These triggered further looting and riots, fuelled by the job layoffs and economic inequality made worse by the pandemic. One of our producers says she feels she can speak for all South Africans when she says, “We are tired, frustrated, scared, angry and just emotionally exhausted. We (especially those of us in the Western Cape) felt helpless and heartbroken as all we could do was watch as businesses and communities were looted, burnt and destroyed”.
However, as Tayrene Barrett, the owner of Barrett’s Ridge Beer Bread says, ‘There is always hope and resilience even in chaos. South Africa has no shortage of helpers in times of crisis. That is our real strength. As exhausted and scared and tired as they are, South Africans have come together to mend their communities. People are fighting back with care for one another in many ways, from blood donations to providing baby food, people coming together in hardship clearing up the mess”. Read about this in the article Tayrene sent us:
In The Kingdom of Eswatini, a small country landlocked by South Africa, there has also been unrest and protests in recent weeks as jobs go and money is scarce. With the riots and protests in South Africa Covid has inevitably spiked again leading to restrictions again in Eswatini. This causes increased hardship for the farmers and the Eswatini Kitchen factory where our sauces and jams are produced, with production stopping and starting and loss of income for all.
As we approach the crucial COP26 conference in November in Glasgow, we are all aware of the impact of climate change globally. The carbon footprint of our smallholder farmers and producers is tiny compared to ours, yet they are the people who will suffer most. We are together and individually part of the hope for the future for Tayrene and the workers and farmers who supply Barrett’s Ridge, and all our partners. We ask you to help us stand by our producers in these increasingly difficult times for them. Keep buying fairly traded goods and help us all build back a fairer world. Please ask your friends directly and on social media to do the same.
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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