How to bring back a classic

The story of new-era Traidcraft tea.

When Traidcraft plc closed its doors in 2023, one of the first questions many in the fair trade movement asked was ‘But where will I get my tea?’

Traidcraft tea is an iconic product - and when Transform Trade was given the task of looking after the Traidcraft brand and legacy, one of the first questions we wanted to answer was ‘what can we do about tea?’

Could we, in the complicated world of 2024 and with limited resources, build a truly ethical tea supply chain?

It wasn’t easy - but thanks to radical collaboration between passionate supporters, ethical retailer True Origin, and the inspirational smallholder tea growers Transform Trade works with across the Rift Valley in Kenya - Traidcraft tea is finally back, in a new and refreshed form!

Transform Trade have worked directly with the tea farmers supporting them to fight for a better price for their tea and more say over the terms on which they sell - you can learn how here. Transform Trade and True Origin have worked closely together to source, package and market the tea to ensure we can directly support producers through tea sales.  

Smallholder tea growers in Nyeri, Kenya. Credit Brian Otieno/Transform Trade

This new tea is grown and picked in the East of side of the Great Rift Valley, Kenya and is Fairtrade certified - providing a fair income for the farmers who grew it and a Fairtrade Premium for community projects that benefit farmers, tea workers and their families, including sustainable energy initiatives which support the planet. True Origin will donate 5% of their selling price to Transform Trade, and we will re-invest these funds in the inspirational producer groups fighting for a fair deal from trade.

It will keep getting better.

What’s different about our supply chain is the radical commitment to continued active and open dialogue between all parts of the supply chain - from the smallholders who grow and pick the leaves, to the collection centres where they store their tea, right the way to the packaging suppliers and retailer True Origin. We’re working directly with smallholders to fight for better terms which go beyond fair trade certification - supporting them to raise minimum leaf prices, and come together to make changes to the tea industry across Kenya.

It’s been a long process, a steep learning curve, and we are proud of the end product. But Transform Trade isn’t looking to be a fair trade retailer. What we want is to build an alternative trade movement - and Traidcraft tea is a brilliant example of what that can look like.

We’re investing in new ways of supporting producers - from investing directly in collectives and businesses across the world, to supporting producers to challenge exploitation and unfair terms in existing supply chains. Step by step, we can build a movement of amazing people showing the world that trade can be a force for positive change.

We need you to join us - and your journey can now start with a cup of Traidcraft tea…