History

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47 years of Fair Trade Original

• 1959: The incorporation of the Komitee SOS, the Stichting Steun voor Onderontwikkelde Streken (‘Support for Underdeveloped Regions Foundation’), later renamed the Stichting SOS (Steun Ontwikkelings Streken, ‘Support of Development Regions Foundation’). We begin with the supply of milk powder to malnourished children in Sicily.

• 1967: The start of the Stichting SOS’ trading operations in Kerkrade. The first product we market is a wooden carving from Haiti.

• Early 70’s: We establish subsidiaries in Austria, Germany and Switzerland; five regional warehouses are opened in the Netherlands for the supply of goods.

• 1973: Major breakthrough in imports of coffee from Guatemala. The coffee is supplied by cooperatives of small farmers. Sourcing the coffee from these cooperatives is intended to provide the farmers a substantial market governed by fair trading terms and conditions. The Koffiekrant coffee magazine informs consumers of the need for a new form of trade conducted in a socially-responsible manner.

• 1974: Opening of our first SOS store in Nijmegen.

• 1974: A separate branch is opened in Genk to serve the Belgian market. This branch subsequently moves to Leuven, and is now located in Bierbeek.

• Late 70’s: The subsidiaries in Germany, Switzerland and Austria become independent organizations.

• 1980: The Foundation is renamed SOS Wereldhandel (‘SOS World Trade’).

• 1986: Centralization of the warehouses and offices in Culemborg.

• 1987: The bulk-supplies department begins operations, with sales of coffee to the government, companies and institutions.

• 1987: Following a blind taste test the House of Representatives of the States General selects our coffee. The coffee, a melange prepared especially for the House, is supplied under the Residentie koffie brand name.

• 1988: We are involved in the introduction of the Max Havelaar Seal of Approval, now part of FLO International. The Max Havelaar criteria are based on the principles of Fair Trade Organisatie (‘Fair Trade Organization’, at the time the SOS Wereldhandel).

• 1990: We are at the cradle of the European Fair Trade Association (EFTA). We, together with other European Fair Trade organizations, have by now established an advocacy office in Brussels.

• 1990’s: We develop a unique food and home-furnishings product range compiled by our designers working together with our trading partners. Our original product, coffee, is supplemented by a continually increasing range of food products such as tea, honey, chocolate, and breakfast products. We combine craftsmanship and traditional designs from the countries of origin with our know-how of markets, preferences, and designs.

• 1991: We offer our trading partners comprehensive support encompassing product development, long-term programmes designed to ensure for compliance with the stringent food-safety requirements, management consultancy services, and courses in sturdy and economical packaging techniques.

• 1994: Our name is changed into Fair Trade Organisatie (‘Fair Trade Organization’). Our support activities are brought under the separate Fair Trade Assistance Foundation. Our stores are renamed Fair Trade Shops, and the products are marketed under the Fair Trade brand name.

• 1998–2000: Fair Trade Organisatie is a fervent advocate of Corporate Social Responsibility. In a coalition with other organizations:
- we call the major coffee brands to account for their responsibilities for the conditions at the large coffee plantations. This results in Utz Kapeh, a code of conduct for the coffee trade.
- we draw attention to the poor conditions in the clothing industry. This campaign results in initiatives for fair clothing trade seals of approval.
- we expose the use of child labour in the Pakistani football-manufacturing industry, and import a Fair Trade football supplied by the manufacturers for a considerably higher price. Child labour in the Pakistani football-manufacturing industry is now virtually eliminated.

• 2000: The trend towards corporate Social Responsibility becomes increasingly apparent. Five to ten years ago municipalities and other government bodies were the major customers for our coffee; however, we now increasingly deal with major listed concerns. We gain clients such as Shell, ING, SNS, KPN, and Fortis.

• 2000: Our culinary range has been greatly expanded to include products such as chutneys and tapenades, sauces, noodles, etc. The success of these products results in a substantial increase of our sales of ‘other foods’, which now account for one-third of our total turnover.

• 2000: Fair Trade Organisatie focuses on the gifts retail channel, and implements a more commercial management of the Fair Trade Shops. The stores are brought under a franchise formula. A chain of eight stores develops at prominent 'A' locations.

• 2004: Largest Christmas-hamper order in the Fair Trade Organisatie’s history: TPG (now TNT) orders 75,000 hampers. Fair Trade Assistance provides intensive support to the various trading partners involved in the order, thereby ensuring that the large number of products can be supplied in accordance with the stringent quality requirements and the tight deadline.

• 2004: The Wereldwinkels (‘Third World Shops’), sales channels which account for more than 40% of the sales of Fair Trade products, begin a major transformation project. Within a space of two years 300 Wereldwinkels are converted to a recognizable and contemporary design. The modernization encompasses a new house style and a new design of the store interiors, as well as more professional buying and automation operations.

• 2004-2005: Our core business is assisting our trading partners in Africa, Asia and Latin America to become powerful players in the export markets by means of trade with the Dutch Fair Trade Organisatie and our colleague organizations in other countries. We organize training courses in product development and organizational improvement, and we advise our partners on compliance with the international standards for sustainable entrepreneurship. We begin a major project, with financial support from the Dutch Government, to prepare eight trading partners for independent operations in the regular commercial markets.

• 2006: Fair Trade Original, formerly Fair Trade Organisatie, now begins to focus on the general public. We introduce our new Fair Trade Original brand name. We restyle the packaging of our food products with an eye-catching design. During the past years we, with support from the authorities, carry out research into the opportunities available for the sale of our products at supermarkets. Major achievements to date: 15 Fair Trade Original products will be stocked by the Albert Heijn supermarket chain from the spring of 2006, and in January the Super de Boer supermarket chain signs a letter of intent relating to more intense collaboration.