As of this year products in New Zealand have borne the Fairtrade mark for a decade, so the world’s most recognised ethical label wants to thank Kiwis “for choosing fair”.

“Wish us a happy 10 years by sharing a pic of your best ‪‎Fairtrade‬ cake on our Facebook page and you’ll be in to win prizes from Whittaker’s Chocolate Lovers. Karma Cola, L’affare, and Wild Bean Cafe NZ!” says a Fairtrade spokesperson.

During this time of celebration, Fairtrade intends to commence the process of doubling the percentage of Fairtrade bananas sold in NZ by educating Kiwis on the impact of Fairtrade over the last decade in the Pacific and around the world.

Fairtrade specifically has the objective of capturing over 10 per cent of the banana market in the next year, and 20 per cent in five years’ time.
This is quite some undertaking as New Zealanders are the biggest banana eaters globally, with each person on average cited to eat 18 kg a year.

In this market, retail sales of Fairtrade-certified bananas rose by 28 per cent in the last year, but only six per cent of the bananas sold had Fairtrade certification.

Recent overall retail sales figures have showcased Kiwis’ passionate support for Fairtrade farmers and workers, with $89.3 million of Fairtrade products sold in 2014. Currently, over 45 brands are working with Fairtrade in NZ, from larger companies such as Whittaker’s and BP’s Wild Bean Cafe through to boutique brands including All Good, Nice Blocks and local fashion label Kowtow.

Fairtrade Australia and NZ CEO, Molly Harriss Olson, said over the past 10 years Fairtrade has delivered transformational development initiatives to farmers and workers in the Pacific. “Not only have we supported farmers get a fair price for their commodities and empowered workers, but we have also been able to inject funding into projects that directly benefit the communities we work with.”

Fairtrade provides farmers and workers in developing countries with a fair price (the Fairtrade Minimum Price) for their produce, which at a minimum covers the cost of sustainable production and helps protect them from damaging fluctuations in world market prices.
This cooperation with Fairtrade is extending to Taiwan and the Philippines, which are launching new Fairtrade marketing organisations. The developments are a sign of the growing appetite for Fairtrade in the Asia-Pacific region. They join South Korea, Hong Kong, Japan and India in the Asia-Pacific region.

Initiatives in the Pacific that Fairtrade NZ has been involved with include building classrooms, bringing clean water to homes, providing access to healthcare and fixing infrastructures such as roads in nations like Papua New Guinea, Samoa, and Tonga.