Liberation Foods CIC is the world’s only Fairtrade nut company and its biggest shareholder is a co-operative of the very nut farming and gatherering groups which supply the nuts it sells. These groups represent more than 22,000 nut producers.
This includes peanut and cashew nut farmers from NICARAGUA, peanut farmers from EL SALVADOR and Brazil nut gatherers from BOLIVIA, BRAZIL and PERU.
Liberation Foods supplies around eighty per cent of the UK’s Fairtrade nuts to major supermarkets – including Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Morrisons – and for their ‘own label’ nut products and is the business behind Harry’s Nuts!, the nutty snacks and peanut butter from comedian Harry Hill.
Fairtrade to its very kernel, Liberation Foods was established to benefit, support and work alongside smallholder farmers and nut gatherers. The whole company has that as its vision – even Harry Hill makes no money from the Harry’s Nuts! brand. He backs the brand to back the farmers.
Liberation provides a vital link between the farmers and gatherers, UK consumers and products in shopping trolleys. As Brazil nut gatherer Thomas Kalappura said on a visit to Tesco, “These nuts will recognise me!” The producers are guaranteed a fair deal for what they grow and gather, plus a Fairtrade premium to invest in their communities. The co-operative – the International Nut Producers’ Co-operative – is also represented on Liberation’s board and meets regularly.
Many people still think of Fairtrade as being about bananas, coffee, tea and chocolate. Liberation wants everyone to go NUTS for Fairtrade as well. Please check the Harry’s Nuts! Facebook page www.facebook.com/harrysnuts and the website www.chooseliberation.com for more information.
Conference: LatinAmerica2011 Adelante! Making a better world possible
9.30am-5pm Saturday 3 December 2011