SUGAR LAND, TX -- 10/06/08 --
Wholesome Sweeteners, the nation's leader in
Fair Trade Certified(TM) organic and natural sweeteners, has introduced the
first-ever Fair Trade Certified Organic Honey in the U.S. market. The
company also announced that its Fair Trade programs have netted more than
$1 million in additional revenues for its Fair Trade Certified partners,
supporting their efforts to earn a living wage.
The honeys are collected traditionally by Mayan beekeepers in Chiapas and
the Yucatan, Mexico. Wholesome pays a fair price directly to the
beekeepers, who have formed vibrant worker-owned cooperatives which create
meaningful employment, improve product quality, and send their children to
school -- until now, an unaffordable luxury in the economically-depressed
regions. Additionally, by protecting the hives and native plant forage
areas, Fair Trade encourages biodiversity and helps the forests thrive.
"We discovered that the Yucatan and Chiapas, areas embroiled in serious
labor unrest just a few years ago, produce truly superior honey," said
Pauline McKee, Wholesome Sweeteners' vice president of Marketing. "With the
Fair Trade program, we are able to create business opportunities and a new
sense of stability. The beekeepers are able to improve standards for their
families, their communities and their honey, and protect precious
rainforests and habitat."
The Organic Honey
The multi-floral honey is collected from hives isolated deep within
southern Mexico's rainforests and designated organic agricultural zones.
The bees forage only on wildflowers and, for one brief week every year,
organically cultivated coffee blooms. As the season progresses and the
flowers change, the honeys' character changes too, deepening in color and
flavor. Although the Mayans have a centuries-old beekeeping tradition,
honey production has only recently been recognized as a viable and stable
income opportunity in the global market.
Wholesome Sweeteners Fair Trade Organic Honey comes in two delicious
flavors:
-- Amber Honey - a rich nectar with warm caramel notes, perfect in
beverages, baking, for glazing chicken and drizzled on fresh fruit or hot
toast.
-- Raw Honey - a thick creamy honey with a butterscotch essence; perfect
spread on warm biscuits, in herby salad dressings or with yogurt and hard
cheeses. This luscious organic honey is not heated above 110°F to maintain
the nectar's natural properties.
"We are delighted that Wholesome Sweeteners continues to take a leadership
role by establishing Fair Trade Certified Organic Honey," said TransFair
USA CEO Paul Rice. "Wholesome Sweeteners is helping consumers make a
tremendous difference in the lives of thousands of family farmers."
Wholesome Sweeteners will be presenting the new honey line at this year's
Natural Products Expo East in Boston, MA, from October 16-18 at Booth 2148.
Million-Dollar Milestone
In honor of October's Fair Trade month, Wholesome Sweeteners is extremely
proud to announce a huge milestone -- since 2005, its Fair Trade Certified
programs have raised more than $1 million in additional income for the
sugar cane farmers and beekeepers it works with in Malawi, Costa Rica,
Paraguay and Mexico. The program is a collaborative effort involving
farmers and cooperatives, TransFair USA and the Fairtrade Labelling
Organisation, importers and consumers.
Fair Trade Certified is Wholesome's guarantee that the farmers'
cooperatives that supply Wholesome's sugar are paid fairly and directly. It
means that growers can compete with factory farms, send their kids to
school, develop the quality of their crops, practice sustainable
agriculture, and build thriving communities.
In addition to retail packages sold in grocery and gourmet stores, Fair
Trade Certified sugar is used by food manufacturers in ice cream; cereals;
chocolate; ready-to-drink teas, coffees, juices, and sodas; baking mixes,
brownies, jams and preserves; and even in sugar body scrubs (exfoliants).
"With the introduction of Fair Trade Certified organic honey in the United
States, Wholesome Sweeteners has enabled countless new Fair Trade Certified
products," said Cate Baril, director of business development for grocery
and ingredients for TransFairUSA. "Their commitment to Fair Trade Certified
has empowered manufacturers and consumers to choose ingredients that help
make a better life for farmers in the developing world."
For more information and retail locations, please visit
www.OrganicSugars.biz
For photos and logos, please use the ftp site:
ftp://65.161.179.165
User: WholeSweet (case sensitive)
Pw: WholeSweeT (case sensitive)
Folder: Fair Trade Honey Media
About Wholesome Sweeteners
Wholesome Sweeteners brings the very best of nature's sweetness to you and
your family every day. Wholesome believes in traditional ways, artisanal
products and a very light footprint. After searching the world for the best
products, Wholesome has focused on the tropics, where the climate and
conditions are just right for growing organic cane, organic agave, and for
supporting bees who forage only on pesticide-free native plants in tropical
rainforests. Wholesome is also committed to the farmers and beekeepers that
produce these products. We pioneered Fair Trade Certified sugars, molasses
and honey, bringing the first Fair Trade Certified sweeteners to North
American markets. With glittering Fair Trade Certified organic and natural
sweeteners from Central and South America and Africa, we are committed to
making the world a sweeter place, one spoonful at a time.
Editorial Contact:
Susan Coss
Straus Communications
415-377-8665
Susan@StrausCom.com
