Tate & Lyle goes “Fairtrade”

London, February 23, 2008 – Tate & Lyle, one of the largest sugar companies, has announced on the eve of the launch of Fairtrade Fortnight that it is producing sugar now under the Fairtrade label.

It is Tate & Lyle ambition to move its entire retail cane sugars range to Fairtrade, marking the largest ever switch to the ethical labelling scheme by any major UK food or drink brand.

It is reckoned that In the first year alone, the switch will create a return of at least £2 million in Fairtrade premiums for cane farmers.

The first product to be licensed to carry the FAIRTRADE Mark will be Tate & Lyle Granulated White Cane Sugar, sourced from Belize; Tate & Lyle’s first accredited grower-partner, from whom it has purchased sugar for over 35 years.

The major scale of Tate & Lyle’s conversion to Fairtrade sugar has involved two years in planning. The company has worked in partnership with the UK-based Fairtrade Foundation and its international organisation to help cane farmers in Northern Belize meet Fairtrade standards. This includes working with the sole sugar processor in the country, Belize Sugar Industries, and over 6,000 smallholder farmers, represented by the Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Association.

Steven Hermiston from Tate & Lyle Sugars said: “This is an incredibly exciting time for Tate & Lyle. Now, every time you buy a pack of Tate & Lyle Fairtrade cane sugar, farming communities will benefit. Over the years, these communities have been hit by higher input prices, changes in the EU market, not to mention challenges thrown up by natural disasters such as last year’s Hurricane Dean. Our commitment will help ensure a livelihood for farmers and the Fairtrade premium will be invested to improve their long-term prospects. We are only at the beginning of this journey but are ambitious to have all our retail cane sugar range bearing the FAIRTRADE Mark by the end of 2009.”

Fairtrade Foundation Executive Director Harriet Lamb comments: “Fairtrade is already making a big difference to the lives of more than seven million people in the developing world, but there are millions more we’d like to reach. In terms of size and scale, this is the biggest ever Fairtrade switch by a UK company and it’s tremendous this iconic UK brand is backing Fairtrade. We’d now like to encourage other companies of the same size and scale as Tate & Lyle to think actively about making a similar commitment. The more we can make Fairtrade the norm, the more its positive impact can be felt by farmers and their communities across the developing world.”

Giovanni Loria, Chairman of Corozal (district) Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Association, said: “Fairtrade is like a door to a great opportunity within our community. Investments in education will generate more opportunity and Fairtrade can help us build schools, health centres, clinics and much more. For us, Fairtrade is a new beginning.”

For more information visit: http://www.tasteandsmile-fairtrade.co.uk

© Michael Smith (Veshengro), February 2008