According to Pauline McKee, Vice President of Marketing and company Co-founder, Fair Trade premiums are paid over and above the price of the product and must be used by the co-op to benefit the community as a whole. As a member of a Fair Trade cooperative, farmers are given the opportunity to own land, send their children to school, and build thriving communities. Workers on Fair Trade farms enjoy safe working conditions and living wages. In turn, Fair Trade farmers and farm workers invest Fair Trade premiums in social and business development projects like scholarship programs, health care services, quality improvement trainings, and organic certification.

Photo credit - Wholesome Sweeteners

She adds that because farmers receive a fair price for their products, they are able to practice environmentally sustainable farming methods (no harmful agrochemicals or GMOS) that protect their health and preserve valuable ecosystems for future generations.

“This is such an important milestone for Wholesome Sweeteners,” says McKee. “We have worked hand in hand with our farmers and beekeepers for the last six years to make sure they not only produce the finest sugars and honeys but also have the tools to live a life with meaningful employment and living wages. We are stewards of the land where our products are produced. It is our responsibility to help create a healthy, thriving and sustainable community for our cooperative families and future generations.”

Wholesome Sweeteners has worked closely with its farming and beekeeping cooperatives all around the world to help make a direct impact on their communities. McKee points out that many of these communities endure without the basic necessities of electricity and running water.

“Social premiums paid by Wholesome Sweeteners helped bring safe drinking water and electricity to our co-op’s village in Malawi,” notes McKee. “Villagers no longer have to walk miles for clean drinking water or live without basic necessities that are so common in the developed world.”

In Paraguay, Fair Trade premiums paid by Wholesome Sweeteners help farmers buy tractors and trucks, and convert thousands of acres of conventional sugar cane cultivation to organic cane cultivation, normally a three-year process. And in Mexico, Fair Trade premiums support schools and clinics, and help communities maintain ties to ancient indigenous cultures while participating in the global marketplace.

As awareness of Fair Trade products and their benefits grow, Wholesome Sweeteners will continue to educate customers and champion the rights of farmers in developing countries. With Fair Trade products, customers can be sure that every purchase matters.

Run Across Ethiopia Team

Very few individuals run a marathon during their lifetime. The numbers dwindle even further for an ultra-marathon. But Nigel Willerton, CEO of Sugar Land, Texas-based Wholesome Sweeteners, recently completed the Run Across Ethiopia (RAE), an ultra-marathon (250+ miles) designed to raise funds to build schools in Ethiopia’s Fair Trade coffee growing regions.

From January 9-20, Nigel and his team of nine runners, made their way across Ethiopia. Nigel, who will be 47 this May, was the eldest and most experienced runner of the group. Many in the team were not seasoned travelers. Many had never run more than 26 miles, let alone an ultra-marathon. A handful left the states with injuries already haunting them.

The runners started out from Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia. They made their way down through the Great Rift Valley, across hot and dry savannahs, and deep into the jungle. The team had to travel in the daytime, no before-dawn departures for fear of hyena attacks. They were constantly challenged with language issues. Even their assigned interpreters had trouble as the dialects changed through different cultural, ethnic, and religious areas of the large African nation. To complicate matters, Ethiopia is bordered by several countries for which the U.S. State Department has issued travel warnings. The roads in Ethiopia were full of hazards, traffic, gleeful children following and pawing at them and, as one runner found out the hard way, large stones.

The following is Nigel’s blog post following the second day of the ultra-marathon:

“Struggling to find much connectivity in Ethiopia but I am pleased to report we are two days into our run and 48 miles (79 KM’s) down with a total run time of 9 hours and 23 minutes. We are in the town of Mojo and we have all got it working baby!! Day One we ran 20 miles from Addis Ababa to Debre Zeit and 28 miles from there to Korem. Feeling great so far. The people of Ethiopia are fabulous and the kids are unbelievable, cheering and running with us in every town.”

The RAE is the brainchild of Chris Treter, owner of Higher Grounds Coffee. Treter wanted to do more than just roast and sell Fair Trade coffee in his coffee house in Traverse City, Michigan. Ethiopia is the birthplace of coffee and yet the fourth poorest country in the world. Coffee farmers live a very traditional lifestyle, farming fewer than five acres and living in stick houses. Electricity, running water and indoor plumbing are rare in rural areas. He wanted to help the coffee growers in Ethiopia beyond paying Fair Trade social premiums. He asked the co-op members what they needed. “Schools,” they said.

Nigel in sugar cane field in Ethiopia

In order to better address the need, Treter formed a non-profit wing of Higher Ground Coffee called “On the Ground,” which partners with organizations and communities in coffee-growing regions to bring fresh drinking water, education and health care to those who lacked these basic resources. The Run Across Ethiopia is an On the Ground project designed to raise funds and awareness for education needs in Ethiopian coffee growing communities. The goal of the project was to raise $175,000 to build three schools.

“The need is so desperate in Ethiopia,” said Nigel. So great in fact that Fair Trade alone can’t help. Education is the key to help lift the population out of poverty. This starts with building schools for children to attend.”

So after a year of planning, Nigel, along with the nine other runners, which included Treter, set out from the United States to do the equivalent of ten marathons in 11 consecutive days. There were six runners from Ethiopia who accompanied the group on their journey.

Nigel didn’t decide to join the team until last October, just months before the RAE. However, mainly due to his rigorous trainings for past Iron Man competitions, Nigel was one of seven of the ten runners who completed the average distance of 24 miles a day in 11 days. Three of the runners had to sit out one or two days due to injury or illness.

Nigel recalls how one runner, a man named Hans Voss, sprained his ankle on day 3 of the RAE so he had to sit out the next day. Voss returned on day 5 with his ankle wrapped to a point that it was immobile. According to Nigel, “It was a balloon for the next seven days and he ran almost 200 miles to the finish with it like that. Tough dude!”

All runners, with the exception of Nigel, were plagued by bad blisters, sunstroke or, worst of all, food poisoning. “You couldn’t drink anything but bottled water there or eat any food that had not been cooked, which left bananas basically,” said Nigel.”

On day 9 of the run, the RAE team entered the village of Hace Gola where they were met by over 2,000 singing villagers in a stunning display of gratitude for the gift of a new school that will soon serve that community for years to come and begin to break the cycle of poverty in Ethiopia

On seven of the 11 days, the runners ran the marathon distance or more, including 30 mile runs on days 3, 4, 5 and 6. The last day was not an easy ending to the run. It was all uphill from about 8,500 to 11,500 feet into Yirgacheffe.

“I was very fortunate on injuries and illness, experiencing virtually neither. Both my achilles are slightly strained and I had a deep bruise or strain in my right foot. The ache got progressively worse as the run wore on and I am still having treatment on my foot. Thankfully, it was the only true ‘new’ injury I developed.” said Nigel.

Nigel with Ethiopian school girl, wearing medal made by local school children for completing RAE

As a result of his dedication and commitment to the cause, Nigel personally raised almost $30,000 while the entire effort is estimated to have raised approximately $200,000, exceeding the goal of the RAE. About 20 percent of funds raised will be used to cover all expenses, with the remaining money going directly to build and supply much-needed schools, and to give children a better start and access to greater opportunities.

Nigel returned to the U.S. last weekend. When asked about it all, he shared the comments of another runner, Hans Voss, who Nigel felt summed up things the best.

“The biggest lessons though have come from the Ethiopian people. They are so warm, kind and genuine. Glowing smiles. Pure joy. So many Ethiopians have cheered us on. There’s nothing better than when we ran by a small hut in the countryside. Those inside noticed our presence, and then bolted out with arms waving, eyes wide open, and love in their hearts. We visited two communities where construction has begun on schools the RAE donors have made possible. They were as powerful a human experience as I have ever had – the gratitude of about a few thousand people flowing endlessly toward us. Ten runners, a number of crucial role players, and over 700 donors have made a huge impact for thousands of people in this community – and all they wanted to say was ‘thank you.’”

Nigel concluded by saying “although the run has been completed, there is so much more than can – and should – be done. I want to remind everyone that although the RAE is over, fundraising continues in order to provide the people of Ethiopia with schools, safe water systems and healthcare.”

What’s next for Nigel? He’s thinking of competing in an Ironman Texas competition this year but is seriously considering doing the Leadville (Colo.) Trail 100, a 100 mile ultra-marathon that takes runners through rigorous, high-altitude mountain trails and dirt roads. Nigel exclaimed “
This does frighten me!! I think it only has a 50% finish rate.”

From Kiwi’s first days as a fledgling magazine, Wholesome’s values and Kiwi’s have mirrored each other. Kiwi’s ever-growing multi-media platform, which reaches hundreds of thousands of parents across America, provides Wholesome with an opportunity to reach consumers who are seeking quality organic products that have an environmental and social benefit.

“Advertising our products is a fantastic tool for raising brand visibility,” says Pauline McKee, VP Marketing for Wholesome Sweeteners. “However, we find that because consumers are bombarded with so many media messages that the most effective way to reinforce and complement brand awareness and drive sales is to offer a taste of Wholesome’s organic and Fair Trade Certified sweeteners.”

This simple tactic of offering free samples has generated considerable positive word-of-mouth reviews and built buzz for Wholesome products, especially through online social networks. So it was little wonder that Wholesome took advantage of Kiwi’s Mom’s Meet program.

Launched a couple of years ago, Moms Meet is an online community that not only allows moms to connect virtually, but also fosters a community whose members meet friend-to-friend in small groups in living rooms and kitchens across the country. This forum provides moms the opportunity to talk about the latest news and perspectives on raising healthy families and living green, and to sample green products and share their opinions. In just two years, the Moms Meet community has grown to 40,000 members, and it adds about 2,000 new members a month.

As an initial test of Moms Meet suitability for broader sampling initiatives, Wholesome Sweeteners sponsored a focused sampling for 125 Moms Meet groups last fall, in which two thousand members across the country participated. The products offered included Fair Trade Organic Sugar, Fair Trade Organic Honeys and Organic Blue Agave syrups.

For many moms, this was their first opportunity to taste Wholesome Sweeteners products. Most moms had seen the company’s organic sweeteners on store shelves and in ads in Kiwi magazine, but many perceived sugar as sugar and honey as honey and that there was no real difference between conventionally refined and organic. The moms sampled the products directly as well as in a number of delicious applications, including cookies, cakes, quick breads and in beverages. The post-sampling survey results were unprecedented to say the least.

While the normal sampling survey response averages 35 percent, the Wholesome Mom’s Meet sampling inspired an 84 percent response rate. Of that, all rated Wholesome’s products as either excellent (87 percent) or very good (13 percent). For the first time in Moms Meet history, there were no “fair,” “unsure,” or “poor” ratings. Not one.

One mom who participated in the sampling had this to say.

“These were such fantastic samples! I found that many of the moms I shared with did not think of a product like sugar as something that could or should be organic. The raw honey samples were by far the favorite…no one had ever had it before, and the running joke was ‘Don’t disturb me if you see my face in the jar.’ We all really, really loved it and plan to look for it in our local stores! Such a treat, and so nice that it is one we can feel good about.”*

More than 90 percent of the mothers surveyed indicated they loved the taste and texture of the sweeteners and valued the products’ natural, organic and sustainable qualities, as well as the products’ versatility. Moreover, most moms understood and identified with Wholesome’s brand values, especially organic, fair trade, GMO-free and gluten-free. The vast majority (97 percent) of respondents reported that they would buy Wholesome’s products with, once again, no moms indicating that they “definitely would not.”

Another Moms Meet member commented: “It means a lot to know that there is a company out there like Wholesome Sweeteners. Not only is their product delicious and healthy, but they actually have ethical business practices. I’ll just say that Wholesome Sweeteners now has several permanent customers! Thank you!*

“We were overwhelmed with all the positive feedback we received from Moms Meet members,” said McKee. “The sampling proved what we knew all along – that a growing number of families are seeking natural and organic alternatives to products they use every day, like sugar. We will definitely partner with Moms Meet in the future to further enhance visibility for the brand as well as to introduce new organic sweeteners.”

In addition to advertising and sampling, Wholesome has partnered with Kiwi to sponsor kids’ recipe contests and sampling programs – from farmers markets and festivals across the country, (such as the well-known Boo at the Zoo, the Smithsonian National Zoological Park’s annual Halloween celebration), to in-flight kids’ activity packages on American Airlines.

All of Wholesome Sweeteners’ sugars are hand-grown on family farms in Paraguay, Malawi, and Brazil. The company uses honey collected from hives deep in southern Mexico and Brazil’s northeastern Amazon regions, where honey is a by-product of bees’ work as pollinators. Their agave nectars are collected from the blue agave, a plant that shapes the culture and landscape of central Mexico. Unlike most conventional sugars and sweeteners, all Wholesome Sweetener products are Fair Trade and USDA Organic-certified, promoting social and environmental responsibility.

*Source: KIWI Magazine Moms Meet Mom Ambassador (www.greenmomsmeet.com).

A project of On the Ground, a non-profit founded by Chris Treter of Higher Grounds Trading, the Run Across Ethiopia aims to raise awareness and more than $100,000 for education projects, including schools in coffee-growing villages linked through the Oromia Cooperative Farmers Cooperative Union (OCFCU), a union of 129 fair trade coffee cooperatives that together represent more than 800,000 families.

Nigel completed his first Iron Man triathlon in 2008, and he’s been an avid competitor ever since. While Nigel loves the sheer will it takes to compete, he finds so much more in it.

“Running gives me freedom,” he says. “Freedom aids creativity and true creativity means you have the opportunity to be something better tomorrow than you were today.”

On The Ground invited a number of the U.S.’s Fair Trade leaders, including Nigel, to combine their personal passion for long-distance running and their commitment to corporate social responsibility to raise funds for new schools in Ethiopia.

Wholesome pioneered fair trade certification for sweeteners to foster ever-widening agricultural and community development programs while providing stable economic resources for its cooperative partners in developing countries.

Since its inception in 2005, when Wholesome Fair Trade Certified the granulated sugar line, the company has paid more than $2.5 million in social premiums to its cooperative partners (the social premium is paid above and beyond the market price paid for the sugar).

Wholesome Sweeteners is a joint venture between Imperial Sugar Company and Edward Billington & Son Ltd., one of the UK’s largest, privately owned companies.

Sugar cane field being cut by hand in Paraguay.

Social premiums go beyond the price paid for sugar and honey. They are funds sent directly and every quarter to the farmer cooperatives that sell to Wholesome. For example, a farming group in Malawi, one of the 20 poorest countries in the world, might sell sugar cane by the ton to a local mill for an agreed-upon price. Wholesome pays the mill for that sugar. Then the company goes a step further by direct-wiring a social premium — perhaps seven to nine cents per pound of sugar — to the farmers themselves.

“Farmers use the money for the benefit of the community — for projects that really impact people’s lives,” says Pauline McKee, vice president of marketing for Wholesome Sweeteners.

Wholesome is still the first and only Fair Trade sugar company in the United States. Since 2005, the company has been steadily building the market for Fair Trade Certified sweeteners, gearing its products toward “socially and environmentally concerned consumers,” says McKee. “Consumers’ increasing support of these products demonstrates their commitment to the larger cause.”

The “larger cause” is the concept of Fair Trade, which guarantees that farmers’ cooperatives are paid fairly and directly. Workers on a Fair Trade farm, for example, receive a fair market price for their produce and enjoy safe working conditions. Child labor is prohibited. And the structure of the system ensures that growers can compete with factory farms — while still practicing sustainable agriculture — and earn enough to buy their own land and send their kids to school.

“The Fair Trade system is also about the farmers’ being self-determining. A farmers’ cooperative is getting this money through their own work, and they’re making decisions together about how to benefit their own community,” says McKee.

Well dug in Malawi using Fair Trade premiums.

In Malawi, for example, farmers used social-premium funds to dig water wells, so that women no longer had to spend hours each day hauling water from a nearby village. In Paraguay, funds pre-financed trucks, allowing farmers to transport sugar cane to mills within 24 hours of cutting it.

Other farmers in Paraguay opted to put money toward creating a radio station, “because, of course, no one has cell phones,” explains McKee. “Now they can communicate and know what’s happening in their community by listening to the station.”

“The benefits of the Fair Trade Certified program have enormous impacts for our cooperative partners in Malawi, Mexico and Paraguay, and those benefits increase with every quarterly payment,” she adds. “Together, we really are making the world a sweeter place.”

That’s the idea behind “Fair Trade,” an organized social movement and market-based approach that advocates the payment of a higher price to farmers and producers in developing countries to promote sustainability as well as better social and environmental standards.

Fair trade encompasses a wide variety of goods exported from developing countries to developed countries, such as handicrafts, coffee, cocoa, sugar, tea, bananas, honey, cotton, wine, fresh fruit, chocolate and flowers. Fair trade’s strategic intent is to work with marginalized producers and workers in order to help them move towards economic self-sufficiency and stability, become greater stakeholders in their own organizations, and play a wider role in international trade.

In 2008, Fair trade certified sales amounted to approximately $4 billion worldwide, a 22% year-to-year increase. An estimated 7.5 million producers and their families benefit from fair trade funded infrastructures, technical assistance and community development projects.

In 2005, Wholesome Sweeteners, a joint venture between U.S.-based Imperial Sugar and Britain’s Edward Billington & Sons, became the first company to launch fair trade certified organic and natural sugar in America.

Wholesome’s Vice President of Marketing, Pauline McKee

“Fair trade means that a premium, a fair price, is paid directly to farmers so that they can keep their land, send their kids to school and build thriving communities,” says Wholesome’s Vice President of Marketing, Pauline McKee. She also notes that customer support for Fair Trade Certified sweeteners has been unprecedented and as of October 2009, Wholesome Sweeteners paid $1.88 million in premiums back to cooperative partners.

On fair trade farms, producers must adhere to strict standards regarding the use and handling of pesticides, the protection of natural waters, virgin forest and other ecosystems of high ecological value, and the management of erosion and waste. Fair trade prices enable small-scale sugar farmers to pay for organic certification and training in sustainable agricultural techniques.

“Fair trade shows that you can have an exciting business model for shareholders, but also be socially responsible,” says McKee. “This is a concept that consumers really can attach to, and they can choose to buy delicious sugars and honeys and other sweeteners that make a positive impact in areas of the world that desperately need help.”