Fully fairtrade ice cream

Ben & Jerry’s is to go fully Fairtrade across its entire global flavour portfolio with all ingredients certified by the end of 2013.

The company was the first ice cream company to use Fairtrade certified ingredients starting in 2005. Company co-founder Jerry Greenfield says, “Fairtrade is about making sure people get their fair share of the pie. Nobody wants to buy something that was made by exploiting somebody else.”

Globally, the commitment involves converting up to 121 different chunks and swirls, working across eleven different ingredients such as cocoa, banana, vanilla and other flavourings, fruits and nuts. It also means working with Fairtrade cooperatives that total a combined membership of over 27,000 farmers.

Rob Cameron, Chief Executive of Fairtrade Labelling Organizations International (FLO) adds, “Tackling poverty and sustainable agriculture through trade may not be easy but it is always worth it, and Ben & Jerry’s has demonstrated leadership in laying out this long-term ambition to engage with smallholders, who grow nuts, bananas, vanilla, cocoa and other Fairtrade-certified ingredients.”