Monday marked the beginning of Fairtrade Fortnight in the UK. This is an annual campaign organised by the Fairtrade industry to promote and encourage the sale of Fairtrade brands and products to help farmers in the developing world. It sounds silly but it's easy to forget that the ingredients in our food actually come from somewhere and that they don't just magically appear on the supermarket shelves! Times are tough for everyone right now in this double-dip recession (or is it triple now? I can't keep count), so it's easy for us to want to save a buck or two when we shop. When I'm at the supermarket, I don't often think of the cocoa, coffee, sugar and banana farmers that work incredibly hard to provide us with top quality foods. I just want to pick up my groceries at a great price and get the heck out of there. Imagine the devastation if there's a bad crop or unseasonable weather in farming towns or regions though. The first thing we'd do then is complain that there's a price increase or low stock in shops across town. It's also a sad reality that we consume these foods quicker than they're produced and that the farmers often aren't rewarded with substantial salaries for their hard labour from the large supermarket chains that buy from them. This is where Fairtrade comes in: every time you purchase a Fairtrade product (look for the blue and green symbol people!) farmers will receive a fair price for their crop, giving them the financial security they need to provide for their families while sustaining their farming businesses. Unlike ten years ago, many common brands now offer Fairtrade products such as Tate & Lyle, Divine, Cadbury, Ndali, Ben and Jerry's (mmmm!) and the list goes on and on.
By no coincidence at all, Monday was also the day that London's first Fairtrade hotspot officially opened its doors to the public! Fairly Square (51 Red Lion Street in Holborn for all your Londoners out there), is a really unique, laid-back and environmentally friendly place that's open from early til late seven days a week. I love the concept behind this place. The flooring and the bar are made from twice reclaimed wood, the furniture is repurposed or second hand with a vintage feel and mainly sourced from two charities, the paint is eco friendly, the serving plates are made from recycled glass and the light bulbs are the energy saving kind. It's a warm and cozy place where you can go to hang out with friends and sip on some Fairtrade coffee while eating a…CUPPIDY CAKE! That's right, I've just started supplying cupcakes to this fabulous establishment and can proudly say that the cakes are made with fairly traded, organic and locally sourced ingredients- where possible. Last time I checked, coconuts don't grow in London...
 |
| Lovely owner, Onome Okotie |
 |
| The shop front |
 |
| Recycled and repurposed furniture. |
 |
| Chili chocolate, red velvet and rose cupcakes c/o Cuppidy Cakes :) |
The launch party was packed with the most friendliest people around town. The music was spot on, a mix of folk, jazz and opera (which sounds completely random but trust me it was great). The drinks were flowing all night long, the veggie nibbles were delish and the brownies and cupcakes were devoured by all. The vibe was great. Onome Okotie, owner of Fairly Square, gave a touching speech on how she made her dream into a reality by opening up her very own Fairtrade place. I wish her all the success in the world and am proud to be one of her suppliers.
 |
| Friendly faces piling in |
 |
| The band played on |
 |
| The launch party was steaming hot. Literally. |
Now what are you waiting for?! Get down there and have a cupcake!
