A successful idea

Fairtrade is “a trading partnership that is based on dialogue, transparency and respect and aims to achieve more justice in international trade. Fair trade contributes to sustainable development through better trading conditions and by safeguarding the social rights of disadvantaged producers and workers, particularly in southern countries."

Almost thirty years ago the idea was born to help people in third world countries through guaranteeing a fair price for their products. Trading companies and retailers joined this project. The higher prices that are paid in fair trade secure a sufficient income for producers in Latin America, Africa and Asia. This policy contributes to improved living conditions. Education and healthcare projects are realized in a joint effort and the infrastructure is improved through paved roads and bridges. Illegal child labour is prohibited. This allows children to attend school instead of working on the fields and plantations of large commercial producers.

Orange juice, multivitamin juice, bananas, honey, coffee, tea, cocoa, chocolate, cane sugar, rice, roses, cotton pads.

Together with producer organisations, alternative trade organisations, experts and other stakeholders, the FLO has developed criteria for small-scale producers as well as for workers on plantations. Expanding the criteria to also include workers on plantations was a necessary consequence of the growing product range, since many products, such as bananas or tea, are only grown on plantations.

Criteria are in place for each individual product and define fundamental social, ecological and economical minimum standards:

• Direct trade with producer groups and exclusion of intermediaries

• Designation of controlled origin and controlled flow of goods to Europe

• Producers receive prices above world market level

• FAIRTRADE premiums for social projects (schools, healthcare, drinking water purification, infrastructure, etc.)

• Long-term trading relations

• Advance financing

• Additional premiums for controlled organic production

• Minimum standards of labour law such as no child labour, no forced labour

• Sustainable and environmentally friendly production

Behind FAIRTRADE is an independent, international control system

The independent monitoring organisation FLO Cert GmbH (FAIRTRADE Labelling Organizations International) is responsible for the certification of producer organisations, regular controls of compliance with FAIRTRADE criteria, licensing of importers and traders and for controlling the flow of goods. The small-scale farming cooperatives and plantation workers that produce according to FAIRTRADE criteria are registered and regularly controlled in cooperation with local experts.

Many years of successful cooperation

The regional Tyrolean family business MPREIS has been a partner of the FAIRTRADE initiative since its beginning in 1993. During many years, the Austrian trading company did important pioneer work for fair trade products. EZA-coffee was the first product of this cooperation. The decision of the MPREIS management to sell fair trade products from third world countries developed into a successful cooperation.

According to its sustainable management guidelines, MPREIS offers an increasing number of fair trade products. This policy strengthens producers in developing countries and improves their living and working conditions.

Orange juice & organic bananas are very popular

FAIRTRADE certified fruit juices break all records in Tyrol. "We sell more than 12.000 litres of orange juice alone per month. This corresponds to 10 percent of total sales of orange juice, and the tendency is rapidly rising. More and more consumers want to be assured that the products they purchase were made under fair working conditions", says MPREIS managing director Anton Mölk to confirm the trend towards fair trade. Sales of FAIRTRADE fruit juices rose by more than 22 percent to 1.4 million Euros last year.

The delicately sweet FAIRTRADE organic bananas from Ecuador are particularly popular with Tyroleans. MPREIS currently sells 3.5 tons per months of this delicious tropical fruit, and the tendency is rapidly. These figures make organic bananas the product with the largest sales volume of the fruit and vegetable category. MPREIS was the first Austrian trading company to include FAIRTRADE bananas in their product range in 2002.