Equal Exchange Trading

Equal Exchange Trading is a United Kingdom-based alternative trading organisation and worker cooperative serving the independent natural food sector. Its origins date to 1979, when three voluntary workers returned to Edinburgh after undertaking aid work in different parts of Africa. The organisation subsequently developed a trading model centred on producer partnerships, ethical sourcing and the distribution of food and beverage products associated with the Fairtrade and organic movements. More than 90% of the organisation's products are described as both Organic and Fairtrade. Its range has included coffee, tea, honey, nuts, nut oils and olive oil. A central operating principle is that tea should be packed at the source rather than after importation. Equal Exchange Trading argues that retaining this value-added activity in the producing country and region allows a greater share of economic benefit to remain with producers and local economies. The organisation has participated in several developments in the United Kingdom's ethical food sector. In 1991, it worked with Oxfam, Traidcraft and Twin Trading to launch Cafédirect, identified as the UK's first mainstream Fairtrade coffee brand. In 1998, Equal Exchange introduced the first honey product to carry the Fairtrade Mark. Its Medium Roast Coffee was recognised as the company's best-selling product and received the highest rating from Ethiscore in 2005. In 2006, the organisation became the first company in the United Kingdom to sign a licence agreement with Ethiopia's Intellectual Property Office for the distribution of trademarked Ethiopian coffees. Equal Exchange Trading also extended its activities beyond coffee and tea. In 2007, it worked with Twin Trading to help establish Liberation Foods CIC, described as the UK's first and only 100% Fairtrade nut company. In 2009, it launched what was described as the world's first range of Organic Fairtrade-certified Palestinian extra virgin olive oils. These initiatives reflect a strategy of applying ethical-trade principles across multiple food categories while emphasising producer-country participation. The organisation has also received recognition in ethical business and cooperative circles. Its Brazil Nut Oil won a Gold Great Taste Award in 2005, it was nominated for Ethical Business of the Year at the Observer Ethical Awards in 2008, and it received the Co-operatives UK Small Co-op: Big Achiever award at the 2012 International Co-operative Alliance Expo. Publicly available reference material does not establish a detailed current management structure, financial profile, legal ownership history or a separate corporate parent. Equal Exchange Trading is therefore best understood as a cooperative ethical-food trading brand whose identity is closely tied to Fairtrade, organic certification, source-country value creation and the independent natural food market.

Equal Exchange Trading traces its origins to 1979, when three voluntary workers returned to Edinburgh after working on aid projects in several African countries. Their experience contributed to the formation of an organisation concerned with creating more equitable trading relationships between producers and consumers. Equal Exchange later operated as a worker cooperative and developed a product-distribution business serving the independent natural food sector in the United Kingdom. The organisation's commercial model has been associated with organic agriculture, Fairtrade certification and producer-country participation. More than 90% of its products are described as both Organic and Fairtrade. Equal Exchange has placed particular emphasis on tea being packed at its source. This approach is intended to keep processing and other value-added economic activity in the country and region where the tea is produced, rather than transferring those benefits to importing markets. Equal Exchange became involved in the growth of mainstream Fairtrade coffee in the United Kingdom. In 1991, it worked with Oxfam, Traidcraft and Twin Trading to launch Cafédirect. The organisation subsequently broadened its range and ethical-trade activity. In 1998, it launched a honey product carrying the Fairtrade Mark, described in the available reference material as the first such honey product. Its Medium Roast Coffee later became a leading product and was rated highly by Ethiscore in 2005. The company also developed relationships connected with producer intellectual property and national-origin branding. In 2006, it signed a licence agreement with Ethiopia's Intellectual Property Office to distribute trademarked Ethiopian coffees, reportedly becoming the first United Kingdom company to do so. In 2007, Equal Exchange and Twin Trading helped establish Liberation Foods CIC, a company described as the UK's first and only 100% Fairtrade nut business. The range expanded further in 2009 with the launch of Organic Fairtrade-certified Palestinian extra virgin olive oils, described as the first range of its kind worldwide. Recognition followed through ethical-food and cooperative-sector awards. Equal Exchange Amazon Flame Brazil Nut Oil won a Gold Great Taste Award in 2005; the organisation was nominated for Ethical Business of the Year at the Observer Ethical Awards in 2008; and it won Co-operatives UK's Small Co-op: Big Achiever award at the 2012 International Co-operative Alliance Expo. The available reference material does not provide a verified founding year beyond the 1979 origin story, a current headquarters address, named executives, ownership details beyond its cooperative character, financial results or a current official website. Its documented history nevertheless presents Equal Exchange Trading as a specialist ethical-food distributor whose main distinction is the combination of worker cooperation, Fairtrade and organic sourcing, and an effort to retain processing benefits in producer regions.

• 2012

  Cooperative-sector award

  [1]Equal Exchange Tradingen.wikipedia.org

  Equal Exchange won Co-operatives UK's Small Co-op: Big Achiever award at the International Co-operative Alliance Expo.

• 2009

  Palestinian olive oil range launched

  [1]Equal Exchange Tradingen.wikipedia.org

  Equal Exchange introduced a range of Organic Fairtrade-certified Palestinian extra virgin olive oils.

• 2007

  Liberation Foods founded

  [1]Equal Exchange Tradingen.wikipedia.org

  Equal Exchange and Twin Trading helped establish Liberation Foods CIC, described as the UK's first and only 100% Fairtrade nut company.

• 2006

  Ethiopian coffee licensing agreement

  [1]Equal Exchange Tradingen.wikipedia.org

  The organisation signed a licence agreement with Ethiopia's Intellectual Property Office to distribute trademarked Ethiopian coffees.

• 2005

  Coffee and Brazil Nut Oil recognition

  [1]Equal Exchange Tradingen.wikipedia.org

  Medium Roast Coffee received a top Ethiscore rating, while Equal Exchange Amazon Flame Brazil Nut Oil won a Gold Great Taste Award.

• 1998

  Fairtrade honey introduced

  [1]Equal Exchange Tradingen.wikipedia.org

  Equal Exchange launched a honey product described as the first to carry the Fairtrade Mark.

• 1991

  Cafédirect launched

  [1]Equal Exchange Tradingen.wikipedia.org

  Equal Exchange worked with Oxfam, Traidcraft and Twin Trading to launch Cafédirect, described as the UK's first mainstream Fairtrade coffee brand.

• 1979

  Origins in Edinburgh

  [1]Equal Exchange Tradingen.wikipedia.org

  The organisation's origins are linked to three voluntary workers returning to Edinburgh after aid work in Africa.

A worker-cooperative ethical food trader focused on organic and Fairtrade products, producer-country value retention and distribution through the independent natural food sector.

• Coffee

  Coffee

  Coffee is one of Equal Exchange Trading's principal product categories. The range includes Medium Roast Coffee, identified as a best-selling product, and trademarked Ethiopian coffees distributed under a 2006 licence agreement with Ethiopia's Intellectual Property Office. The company's coffee activity is presented within its broader organic and Fairtrade trading model.

• Tea

  Tea

  Tea forms part of the organisation's ethical food and beverage portfolio. Equal Exchange emphasises packing tea at the source so that processing-related economic benefits remain in the producing country and region. The available reference material does not identify specific current tea brands or varieties.

• Honey · 1998

  Fairtrade Honey

  Equal Exchange launched a honey product carrying the Fairtrade Mark in 1998. The product was described as the first honey product to receive that mark, placing the organisation among the early developers of Fairtrade-certified honey in the UK market.

• Edible oils

  Brazil Nut Oil

  Equal Exchange Amazon Flame Brazil Nut Oil is an edible-oil product associated with the organisation's wider nut and ethical-food portfolio. It received a Gold Great Taste Award in 2005.

• Olive oil · 2009

  Palestinian Extra Virgin Olive Oils

  In 2009, Equal Exchange launched a range of Organic Fairtrade-certified Palestinian extra virgin olive oils. The range was described as the world's first to combine those certifications with Palestinian extra virgin olive oil.

• Coffee · 2006

  Ethiopian Trademarked Coffees

  These coffees were distributed under a licensing arrangement signed in 2006 with Ethiopia's Intellectual Property Office. The agreement connected Equal Exchange's UK distribution activity with Ethiopia's trademarked coffee identities.

• 2009

  Launch Organic Fairtrade Palestinian olive oilsProduct launch

  Background

  Equal Exchange extended its ethical-food portfolio beyond coffee, tea and honey into olive oil.

  Action taken

  It launched a range of Organic Fairtrade-certified Palestinian extra virgin olive oils.

  Aftermath

  The range was described as the world's first of its kind. The reference material does not report sales or later product developments.

  Source

• 2006

  Licence trademarked Ethiopian coffeesStrategy

  Background

  Equal Exchange sought to distribute Ethiopian coffees using trademarks administered through Ethiopia's intellectual-property system.

  Action taken

  It signed a licence agreement with Ethiopia's Intellectual Property Office, reportedly becoming the first UK company to enter such an agreement.

  Aftermath

  The agreement expanded the organisation's ethical trading and origin-focused coffee activities. No further verified commercial results are available in the reference material.

  Source

1. 1Equal Exchange Tradingen.wikipedia.org