Cadbury Chocolate Goes Fair Trade

Big news for the Fair Trade movement, the chocolate industry and for Fair Trade cocoa farmers around the world. Cadbury, which is said to be synonymous to chocolate in the UK, has just announced their commitment to Fair Trade for all Cadbury Dairy Milk Chocolate. Fair Trade certification of all Cadbury's Milk Chocolate is set to be achieved by the end of summer 2009. Chief Executive of Cadbury, Todd Stitzer announced,

This is an historic moment for our company. I am proud that the nation’s favourite chocolate bar will display the FAIRTRADE Mark.  I was in Ghana last month and saw how vital it is that businesses support their partners and the communities they live in. We believe that by joining forces with the Fairtrade Foundation, we can further improve living standards and conditions for farmers and farming communities, and create a sustainable supply of high quality cocoa for Cadbury.

Ghana, home of the highest quality cocoa is where Cadbury sources all their cocoa beans. Cadbury's announcement means the tripling of cocoa sales under Fair Trade terms bringing the much needed demand for the supply of Fair Trade cocoa. Fairtrade Foundation's Harriet Lamb remarks,

Cadbury’s commitment is breakthrough news for the farmers in Ghana who are very excited that they will be able to sell more of their cocoa as Fairtrade, bringing greater benefits to their communities.  We’re delighted to have the opportunity to certify Cadbury Dairy Milk, enabling all those who buy it to make a real difference for cocoa farmers with every purchase. This certainly sets a new standard for the mainstream chocolate industry.

The Fair Trade switch is part of Cadbury's Cocoa Partnership (CCP) Initiative, in which Cadbury are investing "£45 million over the next ten years to secure the sustainable socio-economic future of cocoa farming in Ghana, India, Indonesia and the Caribbean where the cocoa farming industry is facing increasing challenges".

This is great news Fair Trade friends. Although this announcement centers around the UK and is happening across the pond, I can feel the movement buzzing with excitement and anticipation. My history of Cadbury chocolate isn't too extensive besides lots of memories noshing on the bars wrapped in those purple wrappers.  There is talk about wondering about Cadbury's full commitment to Fair Trade because this still leaves all their non-Dairy Milk chocolate up for Fair Trade certification. There is also hesitation and resistance when big corporations dip their toe in Fair Trade, questioning their full intentions and their actual commitment or if it is just lip-service to the movement. Big example would be the Fair Trade movement and Starbucks.

However, it looks like Cadbury is making long strides toward helping out cocoa communities and are making their way to continue to strengthen their commitment. Cadbury was started as a Quaker company that had a philanthropic mission, so we are hoping that this fact alone will mean that their commitment to Fair Trade is a continuation of the values and ethics that the company was built on. This really is a big step for the mainstream chocolate industry and I hope that the big guys in the American chocolate industry are taking some notes.

I will continue to keep you all updated on any new developments and debates around this big announcement.