In September New Zealand owned business Natural Sugars started selling Fairtrade Certified white and raw sugar across the country.
Previously Fair Trade sugar was only available through Fair Trade goods store Trade Aid.
Fair Trade as defined by Fair Trade Australia & New Zealand “is about better prices, decent working conditions, local sustainability, and fair terms of trade for farmers and workers in the developing world.”
Hamish Gordon, Managing Director of Natural Sugars, says there is a rising demand for Fair Trade.
“We have sourced high quality sugar for the increasing number of ethically minded consumers who want to know where the product they buy comes from. [When people buy Harvest Fairtrade sugar] their purchase is directly benefiting small-holder farmers in Mauritius and Costa Rica.”
Pravin Sawmy, Fairtrade Australia & New Zealand’s Business Development Officer, says they would like to see other businesses introduce Fairtrade sugar to their products.
“These new Fairtrade Certified sugar products not only open up more avenues for consumers to make the swap to Fairtrade but to the hospitality and catering industries, and companies keen to develop new Fair Trade composite products.”
“Having bulk supplies of Fairtrade Certified sugar offers scope for many new products like ice cream, biscuits and sweets,” says Pravin.
Hamish Gordon says Natural Sugars is keen to work with other businesses.
“Whether it’s an existing Fairtrade Licensee, or a new company keen to add an ethical point of difference, I’m ready to talk to them about how we can help them develop some exciting new products.”
As of writing New Zealand stores selling Harvest Sugar include Albany New World, East Ridge New World, Keri Keri New World, Stonefields New World, Mt Wellington Farro Fresh Food, Glen Innes Nosh Food Market, and Thames Pak ‘N Save.
Natural Sugars’ Harvest Fairtrade Certified Sugar.
Available in White and Raw 1KG Packs.
I wonder if there are Fair Trade suppliers of sugar from our neighbour, Fiji, rather than half way around the world in the Americas. Sugar is a major export from Fiji.
Good question. As far as I know there isn’t any Fair Trade sugar available from Fiji.
I will try and find out for you the reason why .
In NZ we get our Fair Trade sugar from Costa Rica & Mauritius (Natural Sugars), and Paraguay & Philippines (Trade Aid).
Hi again Pat,
I asked Julia from Fair Trade New Zealand and she gave us the detailed answer below. Hope this helps!
“Regarding sugar – we are very aware that there is interest from companies and consumers wanting to support producers from the Pacific. Fairtrade ANZ is in a unique position offering support to producers in the Pacific region and we work mainly in PNG.
A large proportion of Fiji’s exportable sugar (about 90%) is sold as Fairtrade Certified, but it all goes to one UK sugar company. As the sugar farmers expand and produce more sugar (due to political reasons as well as natural reasons, they are experiencing shortfalls in harvest) they may look to export to other countries. We are in constant talks with them about how important a market NZ is, not in terms of volumes (we would never require as much as the UK or Europe does and Australia supplies its own market), but in terms of building partnerships within the Pacific.
So, in short, Fairtrade sugar from Fiji is not looking likely in the next while, but we certainly hope for to become a possibility it in the future.”