New Fairtrade Distributor for Ireland

Today we can announce that Simply Wild have been appointed by Wish4 Fairtrade as distributor for Ireland. Based in Naas, Simply Wild have developed a good track record in distributing top quality food nationally, so we look forward to growing the business with their help. Another step forward is the listing of Wish4 products by the Barrys Group in Mallow. This gives Costcutter store owners the chance to expand the range of Fairtrade products they sell. The most important being the chance to offer a Fairtrade muffin with the Fairtrade coffee to go which most stores have today. Bewleys and Rob Roberts, Java Republic etc cannot (or will not) supply the snacks, so here is the best chance customers have to complete their Fairtrade 'snack stop' !

Fairtrade Buy 2 get 1 FREE

Well, its not exactly Tesco taking over the world, but today marks the first ever Wish4 fairtrade Buy 2 Get 1 Free offer. Only available in SuperValu Kinsale, but nonetheless an interesting idea. Its on 'til June 12th, so we'll see how it goes. If you want it in your local Tesco, Dunnes, Superquinn, Sainsbury, Wal Mart or Morrisons, you'll have to ask them for it !

Fairtrade growing out of Ireland

Having returned from the London Fairtrade Festival last week, its back to figuring out how to build up Fairtrade distribution in Ireland. Currently one distributor has a collection of wonderful fairtrade brands, but the products are not getting into the multiples or the BWG/Musgraves type foodservice acccounts. Strange, as the products all sell well in their type of outlets elsewhere.
Wish4 has made good progress in UK colleges and universities, but in Ireland, getting to these outlets is a very fragmented process; There is no central student buying groups to help the process. And there are more catering contractors per head of population than is necessary for a market this size.
Having helped launch Tipperary as a Fairtrade Town last week, and seen the demand and interest on the ground, we continue to hope that more of the powerful buying people in Musgraves, BWG, Aramark, Compass, Kylemore etc will be encouraged to look again at where their products are coming from, and who is being exploited in the process. In most cases the answer is 'we dont know' ! And I for one wonder if its a case of 'we dont care' ?