What kind of demand is there for Fair Trade?
Global Exchange formally asked M&M/Mars to offer Fair Trade Certified chocolate two years ago, and more than 200 other organizations endorsed this request. Through Global Exchange’s campaign efforts alone, M&M/Mars has received an outpouring of requests for Fair Trade chocolate — including over 1,000 letters and cards from schoolchildren, and more than 4,500 faxes and countless e-mails and phone calls from concerned consumers. What is the Fair Trade chocolate/cocoa market like in the US Since Fair Trade Certified chocolate and cocoa came to the USA in 2002, company participation, retail distribution, and sales have all increased steadily. Internationally, sales increase by about 25% each year. Sales in the USA are less than 1% of the international Fair Trade market, so there is lots of room for growth. Fair Trade coffee has really taken off since it was introduced in 1999, and Fair Trade chocolate/cocoa will follow this trend as we educate more people about it.
