How We Came to Tea
Nicole Lamond made the decision to start a fair trade business in 1998 after returning from a trip to India and East Africa. Along with the typical, memorable backpacking experiences – stolen bags, bed bugs, vomiting all night from food poisoning – there was one memory that stood out.
In Kenya, Nicole had the opportunity to visit some families that worked on a tea plantation. They were aid recipients as a part of a World Vision project which helped give them access to education, clean water and other resources; yet both of the parents worked full time and seemed intelligent and hard working types. How would someone advise them to improve their lot in life if they were both working full time?
They lived in a very humble home (I would’ve said shack, but that felt disrespectful as I could see they had gone to a lot of effort to decorate it and make it look home’ish) and they couldn’t even afford the basic essentials for their children such as healthcare and education….this led me to the question - so what are the flaws in the system that created these impoverished circumstances and why do people tolerate it?
If a tea product was worth making, buying and consuming, then why wasn’t there enough in it for everyone? Are consumers in rich countries not paying enough for the finished product, or is someone syphoning off too much profit somewhere along the supply chain?
Thus began a journey of questioning the status quo; of how business is done, how the people in power make their decisions, and can a business be run so that all people involved can be paid a living wage?
When Nicole returned to Melbourne, Australia and read an article about fair trade, she decided that that was what she was going to do with her life - start a fair trade business.
A mainstream vision
In 2000, in Melbourne Australia there was a small group of people importing fair trade products called People for Fair Trade (PFFT) who were selling to churches and the like. Nicole’s vision was to take fair trade into the mainstream and make it the norm, so anyone could buy fair trade products from their local supermarket.
The Fairtrade Label comes to Australia
In 2002, Nicole met Sasha Courville and Natasha Lewis, among others who collectively worked towards setting up the Fair Trade Association of Australia and New Zealand and to bring the International Fairtrade Certification Label to Australia. Nicole became a founding board member of the Association.
There have been many twists and turns in the journey; some inspiring, some ‘oh-my-god is this the end, gut-churning moments, and a whole lot of plain old work….read on here
https://www.gravity-world.com/viewtopic.php?t=33417
https://www.gravity-world.com/viewtopic.php?t=33419
https://www.gravity-world.com/viewtopic.php?t=33421
https://www.gravity-world.com/viewtopic.php?t=33424
https://www.gravity-world.com/viewtopic.php?t=33427
https://www.gravity-world.com/viewtopic.php?t=33432
https://www.gravity-world.com/viewtopic.php?t=33435
https://www.gravity-world.com/viewtopic.php?t=33436
https://www.gravity-world.com/viewtopic.php?t=33438
https://www.gravity-world.com/viewtopic.php?t=33441
https://www.gravity-world.com/viewtopic.php?t=33444
https://www.gravity-world.com/viewtopic.php?t=33706
https://www.gravity-world.com/viewtopic.php?t=33708
https://www.gravity-world.com/viewtopic.php?t=33709
https://www.gravity-world.com/viewtopic.php?t=33710
https://www.gravity-world.com/viewtopic.php?t=33712
https://www.gravity-world.com/viewtopic.php?t=33713
https://www.gravity-world.com/viewtopic.php?t=33714
https://www.gravity-world.com/viewtopic.php?t=33715
https://www.gravity-world.com/viewtopic.php?t=33716
https://www.gravity-world.com/viewtopic.php?t=33717
https://www.gravity-world.com/viewtopic.php?t=33718
https://www.gravity-world.com/viewtopic.php?t=33719
https://www.gravity-world.com/viewtopic.php?t=33722
https://www.gravity-world.com/viewtopic.php?t=33724
https://www.gravity-world.com/viewtopic.php?t=33725
https://www.gravity-world.com/viewtopic.php?t=33728
https://www.gravity-world.com/viewtopic.php?t=33731
https://www.gravity-world.com/viewtopic.php?t=33734
https://www.gravity-world.com/viewtopic.php?t=33736
https://www.gravity-world.com/viewtopic.php?t=33737
https://www.gravity-world.com/viewtopic.php?t=34349
https://www.gravity-world.com/viewtopic.php?t=34364
https://www.gravity-world.com/viewtopic.php?t=34382
https://www.gravity-world.com/viewtopic.php?t=34397
https://www.gravity-world.com/viewtopic.php?t=34409
https://www.gravity-world.com/viewtopic.php?t=34421
https://www.gravity-world.com/viewtopic.php?t=34433
https://www.gravity-world.com/viewtopic.php?t=34450
https://www.gravity-world.com/viewtopic.php?t=34469
https://www.gravity-world.com/viewtopic.php?t=34482
https://www.gravity-world.com/viewtopic.php?t=34495
https://www.gravity-world.com/viewtopic.php?t=34508
https://www.gravity-world.com/viewtopic.php?t=34522
https://www.gravity-world.com/viewtopic.php?t=34535
https://www.gravity-world.com/viewtopic.php?t=34546
https://www.gravity-world.com/viewtopic.php?t=34555
https://www.gravity-world.com/viewtopic.php?t=34576
https://www.gravity-world.com/viewtopic.php?t=34614
https://www.gravity-world.com/viewtopic.php?t=34628
https://www.gravity-world.com/viewtopic.php?t=34636
https://www.gravity-world.com/viewtopic.php?t=34647
https://www.gravity-world.com/viewtopic.php?t=34655
https://www.gravity-world.com/viewtopic.php?t=34656
https://www.gravity-world.com/viewtopic.php?t=34660
https://www.gravity-world.com/viewtopic.php?t=34662
https://www.gravity-world.com/viewtopic.php?t=34667
https://www.gravity-world.com/viewtopic.php?t=34672
https://www.gravity-world.com/viewtopic.php?t=34677
https://www.gravity-world.com/viewtopic.php?t=34685
https://www.gravity-world.com/viewtopic.php?t=34691
https://www.gravity-world.com/viewtopic.php?t=34698
https://www.gravity-world.com/viewtopic.php?t=34709
https://www.gravity-world.com/viewtopic.php?t=34719
https://www.gravity-world.com/viewtopic.php?t=34731
https://www.gravity-world.com/viewtopic.php?t=34740
https://www.gravity-world.com/viewtopic.php?t=34752
https://www.gravity-world.com/viewtopic.php?t=34764
https://www.gravity-world.com/viewtopic.php?t=34775
https://www.gravity-world.com/viewtopic.php?t=34783
https://www.gravity-world.com/viewtopic.php?t=34789
https://www.gravity-world.com/viewtopic.php?t=34799
https://www.gravity-world.com/viewtopic.php?t=34807
https://www.gravity-world.com/viewtopic.php?t=34816
https://www.gravity-world.com/viewtopic.php?t=34822
https://www.gravity-world.com/viewtopic.php?t=34832
https://www.gravity-world.com/viewtopic.php?t=34841
https://www.gravity-world.com/viewtopic.php?t=34846
https://www.gravity-world.com/viewtopic.php?t=34849
https://www.gravity-world.com/viewtopic.php?t=34852
https://ia902904.us.archive.org/31/items/E-P-Z/E-P-Z_01.pdf
https://ia902904.us.archive.org/31/items/E-P-Z/E-P-Z_02.pdf
https://ia902904.us.archive.org/31/items/E-P-Z/E-P-Z_03.pdf
https://ia902904.us.archive.org/31/items/E-P-Z/E-P-Z_04.pdf
https://ia902904.us.archive.org/31/items/E-P-Z/E-P-Z_05.pdf
https://ia902904.us.archive.org/31/items/E-P-Z/E-P-Z_06.pdf
https://ia902904.us.archive.org/31/items/E-P-Z/E-P-Z_07.pdf
https://ia902904.us.archive.org/31/items/E-P-Z/E-P-Z_08.pdf
https://ia902904.us.archive.org/31/items/E-P-Z/E-P-Z_09.pdf
https://ia902904.us.archive.org/31/items/E-P-Z/E-P-Z_10.pdf
https://ia902904.us.archive.org/31/items/E-P-Z/E-P-Z_11.pdf
https://ia902904.us.archive.org/31/items/E-P-Z/E-P-Z_12.pdf
https://ia902904.us.archive.org/31/items/E-P-Z/E-P-Z_13.pdf
https://ia902904.us.archive.org/31/items/E-P-Z/E-P-Z_14.pdf
https://ia902904.us.archive.org/31/items/E-P-Z/E-P-Z_15.pdf
https://ia902904.us.archive.org/31/items/E-P-Z/E-P-Z_16.pdf
https://ia902904.us.archive.org/31/items/E-P-Z/E-P-Z_17.pdf
https://ia902904.us.archive.org/31/items/E-P-Z/E-P-Z_18.pdf
https://ia902904.us.archive.org/31/items/E-P-Z/E-P-Z_19.pdf
https://ia902904.us.archive.org/31/items/E-P-Z/E-P-Z_20.pdf
https://ia902904.us.archive.org/31/items/E-P-Z/E-P-Z_21.pdf
https://ia902904.us.archive.org/31/items/E-P-Z/E-P-Z_22.pdf
https://ia902904.us.archive.org/31/items/E-P-Z/E-P-Z_23.pdf
https://ia902904.us.archive.org/31/items/E-P-Z/E-P-Z_24.pdf
https://ia902904.us.archive.org/31/items/E-P-Z/E-P-Z_25.pdf
https://ia902904.us.archive.org/31/items/E-P-Z/E-P-Z_26.pdf
https://ia902904.us.archive.org/31/items/E-P-Z/E-P-Z_27.pdf
https://ia902904.us.archive.org/31/items/E-P-Z/E-P-Z_28.pdf
https://ia902904.us.archive.org/31/items/E-P-Z/E-P-Z_29.pdf
https://ia902904.us.archive.org/31/items/E-P-Z/E-P-Z_30.pdf
https://ia902904.us.archive.org/31/items/E-P-Z/E-P-Z_31.pdf
https://ia902904.us.archive.org/31/items/E-P-Z/E-P-Z_32.pdf
https://ia902904.us.archive.org/31/items/E-P-Z/E-P-Z_33.pdf
https://ia902904.us.archive.org/31/items/E-P-Z/E-P-Z_34.pdf
https://ia902904.us.archive.org/31/items/E-P-Z/E-P-Z_35.pdf
https://ia902904.us.archive.org/31/items/E-P-Z/E-P-Z_36.pdf
https://ia902904.us.archive.org/31/items/E-P-Z/E-P-Z_37.pdf
https://ia902904.us.archive.org/31/items/E-P-Z/E-P-Z_38.pdf
https://ia902904.us.archive.org/31/items/E-P-Z/E-P-Z_39.pdf
https://ia902904.us.archive.org/31/items/E-P-Z/E-P-Z_40.pdf
https://ia902904.us.archive.org/31/items/E-P-Z/E-P-Z_41.pdf
https://ia902904.us.archive.org/31/items/E-P-Z/E-P-Z_42.pdf
https://ia902904.us.archive.org/31/items/E-P-Z/E-P-Z_43.pdf
https://ia902904.us.archive.org/31/items/E-P-Z/E-P-Z_44.pdf
https://ia902904.us.archive.org/31/items/E-P-Z/E-P-Z_45.pdf
https://ia902904.us.archive.org/31/items/E-P-Z/E-P-Z_46.pdf
https://ia902904.us.archive.org/31/items/E-P-Z/E-P-Z_47.pdf
https://ia902904.us.archive.org/31/items/E-P-Z/E-P-Z_48.pdf
https://ia902904.us.archive.org/31/items/E-P-Z/E-P-Z_49.pdf
https://ia902904.us.archive.org/31/items/E-P-Z/E-P-Z_50.pdf
https://ia902904.us.archive.org/31/items/E-P-Z/E-P-Z_51.pdf
https://ia902904.us.archive.org/31/items/E-P-Z/E-P-Z_52.pdf
https://ia902904.us.archive.org/31/items/E-P-Z/E-P-Z_53.pdf
https://ia902904.us.archive.org/31/items/E-P-Z/E-P-Z_54.pdf
https://ia902904.us.archive.org/31/items/E-P-Z/E-P-Z_55.pdf
https://ia902904.us.archive.org/31/items/E-P-Z/E-P-Z_56.pdf
https://ia902904.us.archive.org/31/items/E-P-Z/E-P-Z_57.pdf
https://ia902904.us.archive.org/31/items/E-P-Z/E-P-Z_58.pdf
https://ia902904.us.archive.org/31/items/E-P-Z/E-P-Z_59.pdf
https://ia902904.us.archive.org/31/items/E-P-Z/E-P-Z_60.pdf
https://ia902904.us.archive.org/31/items/E-P-Z/E-P-Z_61.pdf
https://ia902904.us.archive.org/31/items/E-P-Z/E-P-Z_62.pdf
https://ia902904.us.archive.org/31/items/E-P-Z/E-P-Z_63.pdf
https://ia902904.us.archive.org/31/items/E-P-Z/E-P-Z_64.pdf
https://ia902904.us.archive.org/31/items/E-P-Z/E-P-Z_65.pdf
https://ia902904.us.archive.org/31/items/E-P-Z/E-P-Z_66.pdf
https://ia902904.us.archive.org/31/items/E-P-Z/E-P-Z_67.pdf
https://ia902904.us.archive.org/31/items/E-P-Z/E-P-Z_68.pdf
https://ia902904.us.archive.org/31/items/E-P-Z/E-P-Z_69.pdf