Equal Exchange Trading facts for kids
| Co-operative, Ltd | |
| Founded | Edinburgh, UK (1990) |
| Headquarters | Edinburgh, UK |
| Products | Coffee, Tea, Cocoa, Nuts, Edible oils, Chapman's nut butters |
| Revenue |  £3.5 million (Draft 2007/08) |
| Footnotes / references Founded from the trading activities of Equal Exchange Ltd (formerly Campaign Coffee Scotland) which was founded in 1981. Origins stretch back to 1979. |
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Equal Exchange Trading is a company in the UK that focuses on fair trade. It's a special kind of business called a worker's cooperative. This means the people who work there also own and run the company.
Equal Exchange sells food and drinks like coffee, tea, and nuts. They mainly sell to independent natural food stores. The company started way back in 1979. This was when three volunteers came back to Edinburgh after helping with projects in Africa.
More than 90% of their products are both organic and Fairtrade. This means the food is grown naturally without harmful chemicals. It also means farmers and workers get a fair price for their goods.
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What Equal Exchange Cares About
Equal Exchange Trading has an important rule for its teas. They make sure the tea is packed right where it's grown. This helps the local people and country earn more money. It means the "value-added" work, like packaging, stays in the place where the tea comes from. This way, more of the profit goes to the farmers and their communities.
Big Moments for Equal Exchange
Equal Exchange has achieved many great things over the years. They have helped make fair trade products more popular and available. Here are some of their key achievements:
Helping Launch Fairtrade Coffee
- In 1991, Equal Exchange worked with other groups like Oxfam and Traidcraft. Together, they launched Cafédirect. This was the first major Fairtrade coffee brand in the UK. It helped many people buy coffee that supported farmers fairly.
First Fairtrade Honey
- In 1998, Equal Exchange introduced the first honey product with the Fairtrade Mark. This mark shows that the honey meets fair trade standards.
Top-Rated Coffee
- In 2005, their most popular product, Medium Roast Coffee, got a top rating from Ethiscore. This group checks how ethical companies and products are.
Supporting Ethiopian Coffee
- In 2006, Equal Exchange was the first UK company to sign an agreement with Ethiopia. This allowed them to sell Ethiopian coffees using their special trademarks. This helps protect the unique names of Ethiopian coffees.
Starting a Fairtrade Nut Company
- In 2007, they teamed up with Twin Trading. They helped create Liberation Foods CIC. This was the first and only company in the UK that sells 100% Fairtrade nuts.
Introducing Palestinian Olive Oil
- In 2009, Equal Exchange launched something new. They offered the world's first range of organic and Fairtrade-certified olive oils from Palestine.
Winning an Award
- In 2012, Equal Exchange won a special award. They received the "Small Co-op : Big Achiever" award from Co-operatives UK. This award recognized their great work as a small cooperative.
Awards and Recognition
Equal Exchange has also been recognized for its quality products and ethical practices.
- In 2005, their Equal Exchange Amazon Flame Brazil Nut Oil won a Gold Great Taste Award.
- In 2008, Equal Exchange was nominated for Ethical Business of the Year. This was at the Observer Ethical Awards, which celebrate businesses that do good.
