La Siembra Backgrounder

Overview

La Siembra Co-operative is a leading North American Fair Trade organization offering consumers high-quality, Fair Trade Certified organic products that improve the livelihoods of family farmers and the well being of communities at home and abroad.

La Siembra was established in 1999 to satisfy a growing consumer demand for environmentally-friendly products produced under Fair Trade principles. These principles are as follows:

• Trading relationships between producers and consumers are built on egalitarian exchange, cooperation and integrity;
• Workers in the North and South deserve meaningful employment, fair wages and working conditions and a say in their future;
• Environmentally sound farming practices are crucial for the health and long term economic viability of farmers, regional ecosystems in which they live and work and the health of consumers globally; and
• Consumers education is critical in order to stimulate a fair and sustainable economy.

In pursuit of these principles, in 2002 La Siembra became the first company in North America to market Fair Trade certified cocoa and sugar products. La Siembra's retail products, marketed under the brand name Cocoa Camino, now include chocolate bars, hot chocolate mixes, sugar, cocoa powder and chocolate chips.

Facts & Figures

• Cocoa Camino products are now available in over 2000 leading health food and grocery stores across Canada.
• Sales for 2006/2007 are projected to be just under $6 million.
• La Siembra Co-operative is the first company in Canada to be registered as a Fair Trade importer of cocoa and sugar with the Fairtrade Labelling Organizations International (FLO).
• From May 2005 to June 2006 La Siembra paid over $140,000 in above-world market Fair Trade and organic premiums to producers.
• In 2002 La Siembra was the first Canadian company to be awarded the prestigious Socially Responsible Business Award in conjunction with the 18th Annual Natural Products Expo in Washington, DC.
• Cocoa Camino chocolate bars became the first Fair Trade Certified products to win awards (Silver – Chocolate Mint Bar 2006, Gold – Dark 55% Cocoa 2005, Silver – Dark Almond 2004, Gold– Bittersweet 2003) in the Best Organic/Natural product category at the Alive Awards at the Canadian Health Food Association Tradeshow in Toronto, ON. In 2005, Cocoa Camino semi-sweet chocolate chips also won Bronze in the Best New Product Category.