Fair Trade Certified Cadbury Dairy Milk Bars Hit Store Shelves in Canada

I love love love Cadbury Dairy Milk bars.  As a kid, I remember savoring these bars in my Halloween treat bag.  Now as an adult and mom, these are my prized treats for those days when I need a pick me up!  Now, I’m lovin’ Cadbury Dairy Milk even more after the recent news that Cadbury is now Fair Trade Certified!  What does this mean?

Fair Trade has one of the leading product certification and labeling systems in the world. Its principles are simple: farmers are paid a fair and guaranteed price for their crop, plus an additional social premium that is invested back into their communities. The farmers choose where the premium is invested and the entire process is managed and audited by Fairtrade Labelling Organizations (FLO) International and its member organizations, including TransFair Canada. The Fair Trade mark on a product lets consumers know that the sourcing of the product meets rigorous standards.

Cadbury is sourcing it’s Fair Trade Certified Cocoa from the West African country of Ghana. Cadbury has actually been trading with Ghana for over 100 years (who knew?) and has played a significant role in helping to develop the cocoa industry in the region. Now, Cadbury’s global Fair Trade commitment will quadruple the sale of Fair Trade Cocoa from Ghana and will directly improve the lives of 60,000 cocoa farmers in the region (it also benefits 6000 sugar farmers in Belize through the purchase of Fair Trade sugarcane!)

Beginning August 17, 2010, Cadbury will be celebrating Fair Trade by taking the “Fair Trade Pledge” – a symbolic show of support – to various communities from coast-to-coast. The Pledge features Ghanaian artwork that illustrates the benefits of Fair Trade, and Canadians will be encouraged to add their names as a sign of support for the principles of Fair Trade.

Keep your eye open for Fair Trade Certified Cadbury Dairy Milk bars on store shelves, and now when you indulge yourself you can feel good knowing your purchase goes so much farther than the grocery store.

Check out Cadbury Dairy Milk on Facebook here, or on Twitter here!