ETHIQUABLE SCOP

Grand Cru Sambirano - fine and acidulous

The Sambirano valley offers a rare Trinitario cocoa with typical notes of citruses.

The 85% cocoa contained in this chocolate bar allows it to enhance these acidulous flavors without bitterness.

In the North of Madagascar, the 300 members of the LAZAN’NY SAMBIRANO co-operative cultivate this rare cocoa.

Women play an active part in this co-operative.

For the first time in Madagascar, a farmer organization of small producers directly exports its cocoa production, hence becoming independent towards the local collectors’ monopoly.

This project, developed along with ETHIQUABLE, concretely shows the changes of a peasant society, capable to make the most of their land.

The local varieties of sugar cane are cultivated by the co-operative NORANDINO (previously CEPICAFE) on the high lands of the Piedmont region of the Andes.

These rustic varieties give a nice tawny colour to this whole cane sugar which has a fine grainy texture, with a subtle flavour of vanilla and liquorice.

Thanks to fair trade, the co-operative could deeply change the peasant economy in the Sierra of Piura (Peru). The co-operative was determined to improve the life conditions of its 800 producers in a disfavoured region much affected by the rural exodus. With the longstanding support of ETHIQUABLE, the producers diversified their production, initially based on coffee. They promoted the local tradition of the sugar cane culture, up to the transformation of the sugar canes in small artisanal units.

The symbol “Pequenos Productores” (“Producteurs Paysans”) present on this product is a label belonging to fair trade small producers.

It certifies that the product originates from a co-operative of farmer producers (less than 15 hectares) exporting their production directly according to the fair trade standards.

Their aim is to to stand up for peasant agriculture and to face the competition of agro-industrial plantations.

The lucky travellers who visited West Africa certainly did appreciate this delicious iced drink made out of ginger, lime and sugar cane : the Niamakou Dji. The conception of this tea results from this specific souvenir.

The slight rawness of the green tea is softened by the gentle flavour of the lime. Ginger brings its spicy note on top of that !

Ceylan Teas offer various flavours depending from the typicality of the soils, the altitude and the period of tea picking. This green tea originates from the Uva region, at medium altitude, hit by dry winds. Its picking is very delicate : only the blossom and the two first leaves are finely picked.

Once infused, the tea has a nice copper colour and is is full of aroma, with nice vegetal notes.

The 600 producers of Small Organic Farmer Association (SOFA) own small gardens where several products are being grown : tea and spices whose distribution through fair trade guarantees money income, as well as fruits and vegetables for their personal consomption.

Thanks to a democratic organization and a strong solidarity, SOFA promotes a sustainable tea farming with positive impacts for the whole region.

The coffee from the co-operative  FAPECAFES is growing at a high altitude between 900 to 1500 m.

This rare coffee reveals a nice balance between acidity and aromatic strength, with long-lasting tastes on the palate.

In the region of Loja (Ecuador), the farmers could only get a low value for their coffee. They were discouraged by the strong fluctuations of the world rates and were no longer caring for their coffee trees.

Within less than 10 years, with the guarantee of fair trade and stable prices, the co-operative FAPECAFES (800 members today) could promote again the coffee growing in a poor region : through the fertilization and the coffee trees pruning, the picking of coffee beans when mature, a careful pulping and a drying well controlled. This complete work around coffee growing made it hence possible for the co-operative to have all the qualities and typicality of its terroir revealed.

The symbol “Pequenos Productores” (“Producteurs Paysans”) present on this product is a label belonging to fair trade small producers.

It certifies that the product originates from a co-operative of farmer producers (less than 15 hectares) exporting their production directly according to the fair trade standards.

Their aim is to to stand up for peasant agriculture and to face the competition of agro-industrial plantations.

Grand Cru Esmeraldas – High in Cocoa

With its dark colour, this milk chocolate seems very similar to a dark chocolate, developping however notes of dry fruits, grilled almonds and honey.

With more than 30% of cocoa mass, this chocolate bar keeps a nice balance of mellow flavours thanks to the great finesse and the slight bitterness of the cocoa Nacional, old variety specific to Ecuador.

More cocoa means less sugar : only 26% in this bar compared to the 45% sugar in a classical milk chocolate bar !

The northern part of Ecuador has a preserved forest ecosystem. The Province of Esmeralda is indeed an area of mangrove swamps and tropical forests, hardly accessible and where an intensive cocoa growing never existed.

Though domesticated by the natives, this Nacional cocoa variety is nowadays threatened to disappear in front of extensive plantations and “modern” hybrids.

A remunerative price allows the 350 producers of the FONMSOEAM co-operative to maintain a rare production system where the cocoa growing and the forest ecosystem are in good harmony.