WHY FAIRTRADE BANANAS MATTER

Being a 100% Fairtrade-certified brand allows us to know exactly where our bananas come from, the names of farmers who picked them, even the date they did it. This level of detail is the secret to seeing commodities as communities — Full of people worth going to bat for. Every year, we visit the farms, producers and workers that make our Fairtrade bananas possible and we can’t stop bragging about their stories. Huddle up.
Fairtrade International Certified trademark logo

100% FAIRTRADE SINCE DAY 1

100% of Equifruit bananas are traded through the Fairtrade International system.
Here’s what that means.

Fairtrade pricing

Farmers are guaranteed a minimum price that covers the cost to grow their bananas sustainably.

Fairtrade standards

Farmers are audited against social, environmental and economic standards.

Fairtrade Premium

$1 per case is reinvested in projects like clean water facilities, schools and health clinics. Farmers decide democratically which environmental, economic, and social projects to support with this cash injection.

FAIRTRADE PREMIUM
BACK TO FARMERS

$ 0 US+

That’s Fairtrade Premium reinvested in communities to date
 chosen by farmers, for farmers.

THE GLOW-UP IS REAL

Better homes.
Real schools.
Stronger communities.
All thanks to the Banana Badasses who choose Equifruit bananas.

"Before" housing showing why Equifruit Fairtrade partnership and farmer income improvement is essential for community development
Family standing in front of renovated home with new roof showing Equifruit Fairtrade farmer impact and community uplift
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PEEP THESE PROJECTS

ECUADOR

SOIL HEALTH

Micronutrient drought in the soil is a common problem facing banana farmers, associated with many years of monocropping. To avoid this problem, our partners in Ecuador invested Fairtrade Premium funds into a bio fermentation and compost factory. The bio fermentation produces a natural fertilizer that provides nutrients, improving soil health and texture, which are beneficial for the yield and quality of their fruit. The best part? All 130 co-op members get access to the fertilizer free of charge.
Fairtrade Premium-funded soil health project in Ecuador

BIODIVERSITY

Our farmer partners have planted over 100,000 timber and fruit trees as part of a Fairtrade reforestation project. This helps to produce oxygen, purify the air, capture water, prevent erosion, and promote soil fertility and biodiversity.
Fairtrade Premium project restoring tropical forest ecosystem through sustainable tree plantation

COMMUNITY HEALTHCARE

Access to healthcare can be challenging, but Fairtrade Premium-funded medical efforts are helping bridge the gap. At one of our partner farms in Ecuador, 20 local community members have received dental plates, 53 have been fitted with eyeglasses, and 32 have had access to essential dental care.
Fairtrade Premium-funded medical dispensary serving farming community
Fairtrade Premium-funded water access project in Peru providing community water infrastructure

PERU

WATER

In northwest Peru, sunshine is plentiful. Clean drinking water? Not so much. So, our producer partners voted to invest their Fairtrade Premium in a new water treatment and distribution system. Today, more than 860 people have access to safe, reliable drinking water right at home.  
Fairtrade Premium-funded project recycling banana farm bags into pallet corner boards

RECYCLING

Our producer partners are giving farm plastic waste a second life. Using their Fairtrade Premium, they're turning discarded plastic into corner boards used to protect bananas during shipping. So far, they've recycled nearly 50,000 kg of plastic into more than half a million corner boards, cutting waste and packaging costs at the same time.

COLOMBIA

HOUSING

Our producer partners in Colombia are putting their Fairtrade Premium toward something big: 57 new homes for banana workers and their families. At the co-op, 60% of workers don't own a home, and only 20% of those who do have property deeds. The Julio Zawady II housing project is changing that, helping families build security, own property and create generational wealth. 
Colombia housing development built with Fairtrade Premium funding

BIODIVERSITY

Our partners are investing in reforestation, planting 200 native trees and promoting the sustainable management of forests, reaffirming their commitment to the environment.

Biodiversity conservation initiative with Fairtrade Premium funding in tropical agricultural region
Covered basketball court surrounded by palm trees, part of a community complex in Mexico built with the Fairtrade premium.

MEXICO

COMMUNITY

Our producer partners in Tecomán, Mexico, are putting their Fairtrade Premium to work building a community centre for 6,000 workers, families and neighbours. The Don Jorge Aguilar Heredia Community Complex is already halfway complete, with soccer facilities, an auditorium and shared spaces. Still to come: a therapeutic pool, cafeteria, toy library and more. A pretty impressive example of what happens when producers get to decide where their Fairtrade Premium goes.

STILL GOT QUESTIONS?

WHAT DOES IT MEAN WHEN A BANANA IS FAIRTRADE-CERTIFIED? ×

Fairtrade-certified means that the brand (e.g. Equifruit) and the growers are both following strict standards from Fairtrade International, covering everything from fair pay and safe working conditions to zero tolerance for child labour and deforestation.

WHY SHOULD I CARE ABOUT FAIRTRADE BANANAS? +

You should care about Fairtrade bananas because for decades, banana workers have faced low pay, poor work conditions, and environmental damage, all so we could get cheap bananas. Enough is enough. Equifruit’s 100% Fairtrade bananas put people and planet first, with fair wages, robust standards, and a whole lot more respect for the folks who grow your food.

WHAT IS THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF BANANA FARMING? +

Banana farming can have serious environmental consequences if not done right. But the Fairtrade Standards are cleaning up the act: rules around pesticide usage, real care for biodiversity and waste management, and a ban on deforestation. Want the nitty gritty? You can dive deep into the environmental impact of banana farming on Fairtrade.ca.

WHAT IS THE FAIRTRADE PREMIUM? +

The Fairtrade Premium is a core part of the Fairtrade Standards. For each 40lb case of bananas (roughly 100 bananas) that we buy, Equifruit pays a $1 US Fairtrade Premium. The Fairtrade Premium goes straight to banana-growing communities, where the farmers themselves decide how to invest it in life-improving projects like healthcare, housing, education and more. 

HOW DOES THE FAIRTRADE PREMIUM HELP FARMERS’ COMMUNITIES? +

The Fairtrade Premium supports local change and sustainable development. It goes directly into the hands of banana farmers who decide how to use it to make life better for their families and communities. Some choose to invest in dental care or first aid clinics, others in school and training programs, or climate resilience measures. That extra $1 US per case of Equifruit bananas? It adds up fast. To date we’ve paid over $6 million US in Fairtrade Premium to farmers. 

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THIS IS WHAT CHANGING BANANAS LOOKS LIKE

No shortcuts.
No half-measures.
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Equifruit organic Fairtrade banana box packaging with fair trade messaging and certifications

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