Each year, October brings together two meaningful celebrations for Frontier Co-op: Fairtrade Month and National Co-op Month. This overlap is fitting, reflecting a shared commitment to fairness, equity, and the collective responsibility that defines both movements.
As a member-owned co-op since 1976, Frontier Co-op’s commitment to sourcing responsibly is a part of what's defined our work for decades. From the smallholder farmers who grow our herbs, spices, and botanicals to the employees who source, bottle, and sell those products to the shoppers who use them to nourish their loved ones, we strive to have a positive impact on all the lives our work touches.
And yet, for decades the farmers behind many of the products we all know and love – coffee, chocolate, spices, and dozens more – have often been paid far less for their crops than what it costs to grow, harvest, and process them. As global markets become even more unpredictable due to geopolitical issues, historically reliable weather patterns that continue to shift erratically, and climate-related natural disasters that increase in both frequency and intensity, these small-scale farmers face even greater challenges.
For these reasons and countless more, sustainable and responsible sourcing is paramount to Frontier, both for our values and for our business. In 2009 we were proud to launch the first nationally available fair trade certified spices. Since then we have built a strong partnership with Fairtrade America, which plays a vital role in our ability to help drive resilience and stability in our sourcing communities, including a recent pilot program that will support Fairtrade growers in Guatemala.
A patient waits to receive treatment at a mobile health clinic that Frontier Co-op launched in Guatemala.
How Fairtrade Works, and Why It Matters
Fairtrade is more than just a certification. Fairtrade works to rebalance trade, making it a system rooted in partnership and mutual respect rather than exploitation. It's about businesses, shoppers, farmers and workers all working together so we can all experience the benefits of trade.
Fairtrade helps ensure farmers are paid fairly for their products by identifying and maintaining a minimum price, which is informed by the cost of sustainable production. To set a minimum price, Fairtrade consults with farmers and other stakeholders in each supply chain and takes many variables into account, like the size of farms and how good or bad the growing year is. Requiring traders and companies to pay a minimum price is important because it serves as a buffer when there is a decline in global market prices, which are typically established through the commodity market. This gives farmers more security in a world of increasing challenges that drive up market fluctuation.
Sourcing from Fairtrade certified partners is not just about sourcing quality ingredients – it’s about building a supply chain rooted in fairness and long-term sustainability.
In addition to a minimum price, Fairtrade farmers receive the Fairtrade Premium. This is an additional sum, based on volume of product sold, paid to cooperatives. Cooperatives democratically determine how those funds will be spent – whether that’s investing in social systems like education or healthcare, infrastructure such as roads that allow the faster and safer transit of their product or community members, or environmentally responsible agricultural practices. In the last 10 years, farmers have earned more than $1.5 billion in Fairtrade Premium funds.
By choosing Fairtrade certified products, consumers help farmers enjoy more secure livelihoods, reinvest in their businesses, and plan for their futures.
While Fairtrade has historically certified a range of herbs and spices, there were a few that Frontier was interested in sourcing that Fairtrade had not previously established minimum prices for – specifically organic cardamom, turmeric, and allspice from Guatemala. For this reason, Frontier and Fairtrade America have partnered on a pilot program to establish a fair minimum price and fixed premium for these spices.
Setting fixed minimum prices and premiums for these three spices will help the farmers who grow them in adherence with the Fairtrade Standards earn more for their labor and increase the amount of sustainable spice options on the market for consumers. If successful, it can be scaled to strengthen incomes for farmers and expand the availability of Fairtrade spices in the United States.
Using Storytelling to Inspire Action
Fairtrade certification is a powerful tool to drive lasting change and stability in farming communities around the world, so ensuring consumer recognition of the Fairtrade Mark is critical.
When shoppers understand what the Fairtrade Mark represents – fairer pay, safer working conditions, and community investment – it becomes much more tangible how their purchasing decisions directly impact farmers’ lives. Every purchase of a Fairtrade product helps fund stability and resilience in these farming communities, helping farmers and their families thrive. The Fairtrade Mark is far more than a label on packaging – it’s a symbol that helps shoppers find products that align with their values and a reminder that the decisions we make every day as consumers have ripple effects around the world.
In celebration of Fairtrade Month (and Co-op Month!), Fairtrade America is bringing farmers’ stories to life through public art. In communities across the United States, Fairtrade partnered with certified brands, like Frontier Co-op, as well as local retailers and artists to create murals dedicated to the real people behind Fairtrade products.
Frontier Co-op is proud to be a part of this year’s celebrations in partnership with Fairtrade America and our local New Pioneer Food Co-op. We are excited to introduce a mural by local artist Thomas Agran featuring Mr. A.G. Nandasena, a Fairtrade-certified Ceylon Cinnamon farmer from one of Frontier’s supplier partners in Sri Lanka. A.G. is not only a member-owner of the co-op he works with, he’s also a lead farmer, serving to provide education, guidance and leadership to his peers in the region. You can read his full story at FairtradeMonth.net.
We are proud to be a part of and celebrate the work Fairtrade America is doing to use murals as a form of education and inspiration. These murals spark curiosity and inspire people to learn and begin to recognize the very real human story behind the products they purchase every day, deepen awareness of the Fairtrade Mark and the mission it represents.
This fall Frontier Co-op partnered with Fairtrade America and New Pioneer Food Co-op to commission a mural at New Pi’s Coralville location featuring A.G. Nandasena, a Fairtrade-certified Ceylon cinnamon farmer from one of Frontier’s supplier partners in Sri Lanka.
Your Purchase = Your Vote
As consumers, every purchase we make is a vote for the kind of world we want to live in. By choosing products with the Fairtrade Mark, we can ensure smallholder farmers earn a fairer price for their goods and help strengthen their communities. The purchase of Fairtrade products is more than a financial transaction – it represents a vote for a more just, equitable and sustainable economy.
As global trade faces new uncertainties, cooperation and collective action have never been more critical. At Frontier Co-op, we’re driven by the idea that “Doing Good, Works.” As consumers, brands, and cooperatives standing with and supporting Fairtrade, we can move beyond a profit-over-people model to build a food system that works for everyone.
This October, let’s acknowledge and celebrate the power we have collectively to drive lasting change in our global food systems. And let’s strive to promote fairness, cooperation, and equity in the world we’re moving closer toward every day.
