CADBURY DAIRY MILK GOES FAIRTRADE IN SOUTH AFRICA
07.06.2011 - At a press conference held at the Fairlawns Hotel in Johannesburg this morning, Kraft Foods South Africa has announced that its much-loved chocolate brand Cadbury Dairy Milk [plain] is to achieve Fairtrade certification and the Fairtrade labelled chocolate will enter production, and the local shops, by end of 2011.
"Cadbury Dairy Milk [plain] going Fairtrade in South Africa is a major breakthrough for the whole Fairtrade movement in Africa with the first ever Fairtrade chocolate slab made and sold in South Africa. The Fairtrade cocoa is from West Africa and manufacturing is taking place in Port Elizabeth at Kraft Foods Cadbury factory," says Michael Nkonu, executive Director of Fairtrade Africa. "This intra-African trade on Fairtrade terms can effectively empower producers as it will enable them to improve their own lives and hence contribute to real, sustainable change in Africa".
With Fairtrade, chocolate companies pay the guaranteed Fairtrade Minimum Price of US$2,000 per tonne of cocoa beans or the current world market price, whichever is higher. The Minimum Price is based on the cost of production and aims to protect smallholders from the volatility of cocoa prices. The farmers' groups also receive the Fairtrade Premium of US$200 per tonne, which they invest in social, environmental or economic projects that benefit their communities.
"We are very proud to be the first major business to achieve Fairtrade certification in this country." says Mike Middleton, Marketing Director of Kraft Foods South Africa. "By joining forces with Fairtrade, the two organisations can do more together to create a sustainable supply of high quality cocoa for Cadbury Dairy Milk plain chocolate".
Boudewijn Goossens, Executive Director of FLSA, says, "We congratulate Kraft Foods SA for their leadership in being the first major business in South Africa, and the first in an emerging market to recognise there is an appetite for Fairtrade amongst local consumers. With Cadbury Dairy Milk plain chocolate being available in all major supermarkets, corner shops, petrol stations and even many spaza shops around the country, Fairtrade products will become available to all South Africans. This is so important because we all need to be able to contribute to a more sustainable world."
The press conference will be repeated tomorrow, 08 June 2011, at the Cullinan Hotel in Cape Town for the media in the Western Cape (1 Cullinan Street, Cape Town Waterfront, see map). Guests are welcomed from 15h30 and the press conference will start at 16h00.
Download our press release Cadbury Dairy Milk to go Fairtrade in South Africa: a totally African Affair and Kraft Foods South Africa's press release Cadbury Dairy Milk set to multiply joy with new Agreement with Fairtrade.
For more information on Fairtrade cocoa and how producers benefit, see our Chocolate Page or read the stories of West African cocoa growing co-operatives Kuapa Kokoo (Ghana) and Kavokiva (Ivory Coast) on our Producer Case Studies page.
