Bags to think about as Minister launches Bewley’s Fairtrade imagery
A positive vision for coffee producing communities in the developing world was outlined today as Overseas Development Minister Peter Power TD opened a display of images taken from Bewley’s Fairtrade coffee supplying farms in Nicaragua. The exhibition runs in the front foyer of Bewley’s Grafton Street from 12th February – 8th March.
Bags to think about as Minister launches Bewley’s Fairtrade imagery
Pictured at Bewley’s Grafton Street are Patrick Bewley (left), Mr. Peter Power, T.D., Minister of State for Overseas Development and Jim Corbett, Managing Director of Bewley’s (right)
The Minister of State also launched an innovative new eco-friendly shopping bag – made from the hessian sacks that are used to transport coffee beans. Bewley’s will send the entire profit from sales of these bags to the Soppexcca Farmers Co-operative at Jinotega in Nicaragua. Soppexcca particularly supports the involvement of women in society and the economy. The bags retail at €9.99. In recent months Bewley’s also established a $1.5 million Fairtrade certified contract with the Co-operative.
The initiatives mark the run-up to Fairtrade Fortnight which takes place from 23rd February to 8th March. Bewley’s pioneered the introduction of Fairtrade certified coffee to Ireland in 1996 and is today by far the largest supplier of Fairtrade coffees supplying many of Ireland’s leading foodservice and retail operators with their requirements.
Through its Fairtrade initiatives, Bewley’s supports sustainable and ethical procurement from coffee producing communities. The company sources all produce ethically and intends to have all of its coffees independently certified to that effect by 2011.
Minister of State Power commented, “Bewley’s leadership provides a positive message and encourages Irish businesses to sell Fairtrade products. The Fairtrade Images Exhibition sends a clear message to all of us, that even in difficult times we can contribute to building a better world by buying and enjoying good quality Fairtrade products”.
Jim Corbett, managing director of Bewley’s commented: “The benefits we seek through our buying programme include the achievement of high quality for the consumer and fair deals for producers. To achieve this, we establish social contracts with our growers and we guarantee forward pricing to ensure their viability.”
Today’s event was also attended by representatives of Trinity College Dublin which itself became a designated Fairtrade campus just over two years ago. Over a quarter of a million cups of coffee and a similar volume of tea are consumed each year by TCD’s students and staff. Bewley’s supplies Trinity with its Fairtrade coffee and tea products.
Earlier this week Bewley’s announced it has been awarded one of the world’s largest Fairtrade certified coffee contracts from Cafédirect plc, the UK’s largest 100% Fairtrade company. Under the partnership agreement, Bewley’s will roast over 1,000 tonnes of Fairtrade certified coffee beans from Cafedirect’s smallholder coffee growing partners throughout the world, equivalent to over 85 million cups of Fairtrade coffee a year.
Significant funding is provided by the Irish Government, through Irish Aid, for Fairtrade initiatives in support of producers in developing countries and development education work in Ireland. Irish Aid is one of the strongest supporters of Fairtrade internationally and has supported the Irish Fair Trade Network since 2002. Ireland has a longstanding record of working with Fairtrade Coffee producers in Central America and in East Africa.
Bewley’s also works with Irish Aid and Fairtrade for guidance on best practice and to share information on its activities. The company is involved in mentoring indigenous coffee firms in developing nations. Bewley’s is a founding member of Traidlinks, the Irish organisation that advocates Trade with Africa on fairtrade principles and which is supported by Irish Aid – the Government’s official Development Assistance Programme.
