18.02.10

Ben & Jerry's has managed to further such a sustainable aura that we're surprised this hasn't happened before: The ice cream Goliath announced a plan this week to go fully Fair Selling by 2013. That means all of the 121 chunks and swirls and 11 hinge ingredients (banana, vanilla, cocoa, etc.) found in Ben & Jerry's ice cream will become public from Fair Trade Certified sources--no small exploit.
The company became the first ice cream maker to offer Fair Trade Certified products in 2005. At this verge, certified flavors include Chocolate, Vanilla and Coffee Heath Bar Chew. Once Ben & Jerry's entire range of flavors goes Pretty good Trade, ice cream lovers can be assured that the farmers behind their Chubby Hubby and Phish Rations are earning a fair income and using sustainable growing practices.
Even though Ben & Jerry's is the first ice cream companions to make a full commitment to Fair Trade, founders Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfeld say the metastasis would have happened much sooner if not for hesitation from higher-ups at Unilever. Regardless, the move will expectedly spur similar change from other ice cream makers. Fair Merchandising certification has already become standard practice at a number of coffee chains, including Starbucks, Peet's Coffee and Tea, Tully's Coffee, and Seattle's In the most suitable way Coffee.
Source: Fast Company