True Origin – providing “true impact, at origin, through food.”

This year, a longtime member of the UK ethical trading community launched its new identity – Just Trading Scotland became True Origin. They have been collaborating with producers for 15 years, directly sourcing ethically produced goods and making them available in the UK.

True Origin, now a partner of Transform Trade, started with ‘a little treasure trove of a shop’ called The Coach House just outside of Glasgow. The shop had a café selling good coffee and all the profits went into grant-making to producers.

Their founder John Riches was inspired by a woman representing a saris business from Bangladesh.  He offered her a grant, but she said ‘no I want you to buy my products and give the women dignity not charity’ - and so was born the first True Origin strapline ‘Dignity Through Trade’. True Origin Managing Director, Tracy Mitchell, said:

Our desire is to make the world fairer for our producers by offering them sustainable income – to provide true impact, at origin, through food. The core is still exactly as it has been, smallholders and disadvantaged producers. We positively discriminate in favour of the marginalised and disadvantaged, working with smaller organisations, co-operatives and family-based businesses, who are often not yet Fairtrade accredited.

The UK Fairtrade mark is often the most recognisable evidence of ethical practices for UK consumers – but it’s not perfect.

It’s in some ways the  gold standard of product certification. But there are challenges around the fact that it’s only product certification, and therefore doesn’t assess the whole business. Nestle for example had a Fairtrade mark on some products, yet the mainstream business is in other ways called out for bad practice.

People sense fair trade is done; the issue is sorted – big players have Fairtrade products which means we don’t need to campaign. Nowadays people are understandably increasingly concerned about eco-credentials, sometimes more interested in planet than in people. To us, operating as a sustainable social enterprise, it is important that we conduct our full business according to fair trade principles with a priority on people and planet.

But big businesses receiving Fairtrade accreditations doesn’t mean the fight for ethically produced goods is over – far from it. Still only 1% of world trade is Fairtrade. Which is why True Origin works directly with local producers and looks at the whole business and not just the accredited products.

Our relationships are direct with producers – we work on a long-term basis – we know the people behind the produce and really seek to build strong and trusting relationships with them. We’re not big or focused on one commodity – we’re a multi-commodity food importer. We sell kitchen-cupboard essential ingredients and food gifts through our True Origin range. We are extremely proud to be able to work with other fair trade businesses and promote the work they do and make their delicious products available to our customers. Our "Friends” now include Café Direct, Divine, Equal Exchange, Liberation, Nutcellars, Revolver, Tropical Wholefoods and Zaytoun.

True Origin is a World Fair Trade Organization Guaranteed Member, and has helped producers achieve WFTO status.

You can stock up on your favourite brands for Christmas at True Origin Foods!

With its producer partners feeling the effects of climate change firsthand, True Origin is clearly also concerned about the planet.

Climate change has got to be right up there as one of the most important things we’re trying think how we support with – we are very inspired by Meru Herbs investing in solar panels and are very conscious of the packaging we use. Our charity, True Origin Partnerships (previously The Balmore Trust) has supplied irrigation pumps to rice farmers in Malawi which has made a huge difference as they suffer with erratic rainfall which can have a disastrous effect on their production.

Ultimately, we all want to make better choices about where we buy our food from – by fostering deep, long-lasting relationships with producers, True Origin makes that possible.  

Conscious consumerism is really important – but it's not about us all suddenly thinking about every single purchasing decision we make. Ever increasing small steps - that becomes a habit.