My reply from Cadbury Canada.

Ticket story and RAW highlights forthcoming...


Dear Ms. Brindle:

Thank you for contacting us about our products. Your comments and inquiries are appreciated because they provide valuable feedback about our brands.

Cadbury has been making great brands that people love for more than 200 years. We are proud of our family of confectionery products and are committed to providing a wide range of choices for all individuals.

Described below are some of the key initiatives undertaken by Cadbury regarding cocoa farming and harvesting:
“We are working with all stakeholders involved in the production of chocolate - from bean to chocolate bar - to boost the economic livelihood of cocoa farmers and workers and ensure that cocoa is grown in a sustainable and ethical way. Working with governments and other international organizations, we have programs underway throughout West Africa to:- Help farmers collectively market their produce - resulting in 15-20% increases in producer prices for those involved in the program.- Help cocoa farmers create a sustainable, biologically diverse agricultural system to generate better yields, more consistent crops and respect the environment.- Implement responsible pest and disease management.- Invest in social infrastructure, for example building water wells.- Promote ethical working practices with a time bound program to certify that cocoa is grown and harvested under internationally acceptable conditions with regard to the use of labor of all ages.

These are complex issues and it will take time before the real results can be seen. However, Cadbury has a long heritage of supporting cocoa farmers and a strong ethical foundation that has and continues to guide all aspects of our business. We continue to be committed to the achievement of these goals. “

Fair trade - and the Cadbury approach
We are committed to improving the livelihoods of cocoa farmers and their families and share this goal with the Fair Trade Movement.We want all farmers to receive a fair return for their cocoa crops and Fairtrade is one way of achieving this goal.

Fairtrade - the facts
In the Fairtrade system farmers must be members of a co-operative.A minimum price is paid for the produce and a $150 premium goes into a social development fund run by the co-operative.Benefits to the farmer come from the efficient co-operative system, which keeps costs low. From those savings farmers can receive a small annual bonus.

Co-operatives
Fairtrade works with farms that have access to good communications and warehousing facilities and can form co-operatives.However, there are very few of these. The majority of cocoa farmers do not have access to this level of infrastructure as many are small family-owned operations in remote areas. Therefore they are unable to benefit from the Fairtrade system.The majority of Fairtrade chocolate comes from co-operatives in three countries: Ghana Bolivia Belize the Dominican Republic.Successful and well-managed co-operative systems are relatively new in the Cote d'Ivoire. Until recently all cocoa marketing was controlled by the national government.

The Cadbury approach
Fairtrade is not the only way to ensure farmers receive a fair return for their crops - particularly since many do not have access to the infrastructure to make Fairtrade possible.We aim to help all cocoa farmers improve their standard of living by developing sustainable crops of quality beans that command a higher price.

We are constantly working with all stakeholders involved in the production of chocolate - from bean to bar to: boost the economic livelihood of cocoa farmers and workers ensure that cocoa is grown in a sustainable and ethical way.

Our work with governments and other international organisations has helped establish programmes throughout West Africa to: Help farmers to collectively market their produce - resulting in an estimated 10% increase in producer prices for those involved in the programme Assist farmers in creating a sustainable, environmentally and biologically diverse agricultural system - to generate better yields and consistent crops Implement responsible pest and disease control management Boost investment in social infrastructure, for example, building water wells.

Cadbury and Ghana - a history
Ghana supplies Cadbury with the great majority of its cocoa.In 1908 William Cadbury turned to the Gold Coast (now Ghana) where the cocoa industry was in its infancy.He worked with the local chiefs to improve the quality of cocoa and provide a ready market for their produce.For almost 100 years, we have continued to help Ghanaian cocoa farmers to maximise their benefit from cocoa growing.Ghana's cocoa production grew from 2,800 tons in 1905 to 400,000 in 2002. Cadbury has played a leading role in this as well as the economic, social and agricultural development of the industry and the country.By the late 1960s, Ghanaian cocoa was considered to be among the finest in the world, largely because of Cadbury's efforts.The quality of the Ghanaian cocoa crop still commands a premium of some three per cent over the price of cocoa from the neighbouring Cote d'Ivoire. This additional revenue is a huge benefit to the Ghanaian economy.

Cadbury also directly supports cocoa farming communities.For example, drinking water is not readily accessible in many remote cocoa farming areas.More than 250 water wells have been built in recent years.We are working to build more, to provide year-round access to clean drinking water for cocoa villages in Ghana in partnership with the farmers' co-operative, Kuapa Kokoo.

Summary
It is vital for the whole industry that all farmers receive a fair return for their cocoa crops.We endorse the goals of the cocoa industry to help all farmers produce quality cocoa beans in an environmentally sustainable way that also generates wealth for the farmer and his family, and the communities in which they live.
We are committed to the achievement of these goals.
For full information, we encourage you log on to their website, at Cadbury.com.
Thank you for taking the time to contact us. We hope that you will continue to purchase and enjoy our products.
Sincerely,
Consumer Relations