When does an everyday chocolate bar become more than just an everyday chocolate bar?
When a small indulgence becomes Fair Trade Certified and helps propel positive change. Fair Trade Certified Cadbury Dairy Milk bars are now available in stores across Canada, and when consumers choose these new bars, they are helping to improve the lives of farmers and their families living a world away.
Nearly 19 million Cadbury Dairy Milk bars are sold annually in Canada, making the Fair Trade certification of this favourite Canadian brand the biggest Fair Trade chocolate announcement in Canadian history. Cadbury's commitment approximately doubles the amount of Fair Trade chocolate sold in Canada, and makes it easy for Canadians to buy "chocolate with a purpose" almost anywhere.
Cadbury is sourcing its Fair Trade Certified cocoa from the West African country of Ghana. Cadbury has been trading with Ghana for more than 100 years, and has played a significant role in helping to develop the cocoa industry in this region. Now, Cadbury's global Fair Trade commitment will quadruple the sale of Fair Trade Cocoa from Ghana and will directly improve the lives of 60,000 cocoa farmers in the region. It also benefits 6,000 sugar farmers in Belize through the purchase of Fair Trade sugarcane.
"There is no question that Fair Trade is changing lives," says James Anane Mensah, cocoa farmer and Enchi District President of the Kuapa Kokoo farmers' cooperative in Ghana, Cadbury's Fair Trade cocoa supplier. "At my cooperative in Ghana, we invest the social premiums we receive from Fair Trade to improve our farms and the lives of those in our community. Fair Trade translates into clean water, improved healthcare, increased access to education and a brighter future. Through Fair Trade, Canadians can connect with the farmers and directly promote positive change."
Fair Trade chocolate has often only been available in specialty retailers, but Cadbury is changing that. "With Fair Trade Certified Cadbury Dairy Milk bars available in virtually every store from coast-to-coast, we are making Fair Trade chocolate more accessible than ever," says John Phillipson, Vice President, Confectionery, Kraft Foods. "The new Fair Trade bar has the same great Cadbury Dairy Milk taste, quality and affordable price that Canadians know and love – and now it directly helps to improve the lives of others. We are very proud of that."
