The road heading south between Guayaquil and Machala, on the coast of Ecuador, is lined with banana plantations. Endless rows of green banana plants stretch as far as the eye can see. Economic activity in this tropical region revolves almost exclusively around banana production and export. In fact, Ecuador is one of the world's largest banana exporting countries. Approximately 40% of bananas consumed throughout the world are produced here, leaving the country through the docks at Machala's Puerto Bolivar. For this reason, Machala is often referred to as the banana capital of the world.
Blog
Our blog takes you behind the scenes of Equal Exchange and connects you to our network of farmer partners, customers, and allies around the world. We hope you'll use this space to stay informed and get involved in some big conversations. Also check out Small Farmers Big Change for a more in-depth look at issues faced by our farmer partners and the Fair Trade industry.
-
October 8, 2009
Phyllis Robinson#Products -
August 11, 2009
Ashley SymonsKeith Olcott is Customer Service Manager at Equal Exchange - and our Organic Certification Coordinator.
#Learn -
August 4, 2009
Aaron DawsonThe great thing about working at a place like Equal Exchange is that not only can innovation come from anywhere in the company, but that it is actually nurtured and encouraged from anyone and everyone. Take some of the recent innovations that our Customer Service teams recently initiated.
#At Equal Exchange -
June 5, 2009
Ashley Symons
We held a contest here at Equal Exchange in West Bridgewater, Mass., to answer the question, "Who can come up with the best chocolate cocktail?" The judging panel consisted of me (Ashley Symons, nice to meet you), as well as Chocolate Products Coordinator Kelsie Evans, and Chocolate Products Manager Dary Goodrich.
#Recipes -
June 2, 2009
Mike Mowry
What's a worker-owned co-op? We get that question a lot. And sometimes, it can be hard to explain. But every May, we experience exactly what worker-ownership is about: democracy in action.#At Equal Exchange -
March 27, 2009
Susan Sklar
At the Tierra Nueva coffee and honey co-operative, some new initiatives are helping women to improve their economic standing. Gender roles in Latin America, as in most parts of the world, are inequitable.#Farmer Partners -
March 19, 2009
Phyllis Robinson
Each May we celebrate World Fair Trade Day. It feels important to take this opportunity to revisit the roots of Fair Trade, and reconsider what we aim to accomplish. Most people understand the critical importance of higher prices, advance credit and direct relationships; they allow farmers to stay on their land, send their children to school, and diversify their incomes. Yet, there's another equally - some would say even more important - goal of Fair Trade, one that seems to be slowly disappearing as new iterations of "ethical trade" and "direct trade" appear in the market: empowering communities and social movements. It is for this reason Equal Exchange chooses to work with small-farmer co-operatives.
#Farmer Partners -
February 5, 2009
Ashley Symons
San Fernando Co-op is very young but has a lot of members - around 400. I was one of the first members in 2001. I've always been loyal to my co-op. It has grown little by little. What I like most is the organization. Before we were selling organic, but now the price is raised because it is Fair Trade. [People in the U.S.] should appreciate our coffee and that's important for us because we feel proud.
#Farmer Partners -
February 5, 2009
Ashley Symons
During the five days I stayed in San Fernando, a coffee-farming community remotely located 6,000 feet up in the Andes Mountains of Peru, I only started to understand the complexities of rural life for the farmers and their families. Because of my academic background in gender studies, I was particularly interested in the breakdown of gender roles in San Fernando.
#Farmer Partners -
December 2, 2008
Beth Ann CaspersenEveryone is born with the ability to be a specialty products taster. In fact, we have thousands of taste buds in our mouths, but most of us are just learning how to describe the sensations we experience with everything we eat. The key is to relax, take a deep breath and enjoy the tasting!
#How-Tos