Fair trade coffee and wholesale coffee beans.
Fair trade wholesale trade is the association between wholesalers and producers of goods from economically disadvantaged countries or socioeconomic groups. The products sold are usually self-made special items or products of small private companies. Organizations that specialize in wholesale fair trade offer what they consider to be a fairer price for products than a traditional wholesaler would offer. They partner with retailers interested in promoting fairer business practices and offering customers a product that supports economic fairness.
For goods to be considered fair trade, they cannot be produced with child labour.
Many fair trade wholesale companies partner with product manufacturers in third world countries. The distributed products come from farmers and artists who live in poor regions of continents such as Latin America and Africa. If these manufacturers tried to sell their products in the traditional way, they could be charged a price that would not support a minimum standard of living. Fair wholesale trade seeks to pay a fair price, given the market conditions in the local country.
One of the goals of fair trade is to help small independent manufacturers lift themselves out of poverty. There are some wholesale companies that focus on products created and manufactured by women. Historically, the economic situation of women has been inferior to that of men, even in industrialized countries such as the United States. When retailers agree to buy fair trade products, they are helping to remove some of the barriers that prevent disadvantaged groups from achieving upward mobility.
Products that are distributed through fair trade wholesale are often marked with a label so that consumers can make an informed decision to support manufacturers who are part of an economically disadvantaged group. The power behind consumer spending is strong enough to influence whether a product is sold within a store. If there isn’t enough sales volume to justify launching a product line, or if the reseller can’t make enough profit, that line may be discontinued.
In addition to promoting the economic well-being of groups of people who find it difficult to earn a sustainable wage, fair trade also encourages environmentally sound practices. It tries to ensure that manufacturers do not use child labor or use unsafe work practices. Wholesalers want to establish long-term links with suppliers and look for manufacturers that offer opportunities for advancement in all social groups. In addition, fair trade wholesalers want their suppliers to be willing to take responsibility for their business and actions.