Fair Trade Strategies for Food and Drinks Companies

Introduction

In 2005, the global fair trade market broke through the €1 billion barrier and has been growing strongly ever since, reaching an estimated value of €3.4 billion in 2009. This level of development makes it one of the most promising trends for food and drinks manufacturers, particularly in light of the growing pressure for corporate and social responsibility.

Features and benefits

• Assess the growth potential of key markets in the developed and developing world.
• Examine the evolution of well-established fair trade product categories via case studies and individual product assessment.
• Identify emerging product categories that offer significant development opportunities in the fair trade market.
• Understand the progress made by private label offerings in the fair trade market and evaluate the potential threat to branded propositions.
• Identify the key challenges facing food and drinks in the fair trade sector and benefit from useful insights into how to tackle them.

Highlights

The global retail market for Fairtrade certified products has grown at a compound rate of 32.5% over the period 2004-09. Considering the relatively mature state of the overall western food and drinks market, this represents a sizeable opportunity for growth for manufacturers and distribution companies.
If the leading Fairtrade retail markets (as recorded by FLO International) were to replicate the sales per capita of Ireland, which has the highest penetration rate, the value of the fair trade market could reach €25 billion.
Developing and implementing a credible and lasting fair trade strategy can no longer be done in isolation and instead requires complete integration with other key considerations, such a corporate policy towards the environment or health.

Your key questions answered

• What are the leading markets in the global fair trade food and drinks sector?
• What are the key challenges facing the fair trade food and drinks market?
• Which product categories offer the best opportunities for fair trade food and drinks manufacturers?
• What are the key building blocks of a sustainable fair trade strategy?
• Who are the most innovative players on the global food and drinks fair trade market?

Table of contents

Executive Summary
Market dynamics
The evolution of fair trade strategies
Fair trade strategies case studies
The evolution of fair trade new product development
Conclusions
About the author
Disclaimer
Introduction
What is this report about?
What is fair trade?
Fair trade in context
Ethical trade
Sustainable trade
Corporate Social Responsibility
Conclusions
Key players
Fairtrade International
Traidcraft
Rainforest Alliance
Fair trade terminology and report scope
Fair trade and corporate strategy
Report structure
NPD research methodology
Market dynamics
Summary
Introduction
Global Fairtrade product sales
Number of Fairtrade certified producers
Regional and national Fairtrade product sales
Global Fairtrade sales by product category
Conclusions
The evolution of fair trade strategies
Summary
Introduction
From charity shop to the mainstream
Phase 1: The genesis phase
Phase 2: The niche market phase
Phase 3: The mainstreaming phase
Fair trade mainstreaming – Challenges and opportunities using the UK example
Costing and price issues
Premiumization
Product positioning
The distribution challenge
Building credibility
Fair trade and product category maturity
Fair trade and social media
Leveraging the potential of social media
Recruiting advocates
Harnessing the energy of flash mobs
Fair trade strategy case studies
Summary
Introduction
Fair trade and sustainability
Alignment with fair trade values and objectives
Cafédirect – portrait of a pioneer
A retailer’s ambitions – Marks & Spencer (M&S)
A good value fit – Ben & Jerry’s
A local champion – GEPA, the fair trade company
The evolution of fair trade new product development
Summary
Introduction
Global fair trade NPD
Regional fair trade NPD dynamics
Evolution of product category NPD
Hot drinks
Confectionery
Soft drinks
Spreads
Dairy
Wine
Pasta, noodles and rice
Conclusions
Summary
Introduction
Fair trade as a feature of provenance
The future of fair trade by product category
The future of fair trade by market
Fair trade mainstreaming challenges
Using a holistic sustainable strategy to build fair trade credibility

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Related research categories

By sector: General drinks