El Puente translates from Spanish as "The Bridge." And that's precisely the bridge this fair trade company aims to build through its partnerships between the Global North and the Global South. El Puente has now established a network of approximately 140 trading partners in 40 countries. Recently, El Puente products have also been added to our product range. We had the opportunity to speak with these pioneers of fair trade last week...
Back then, many young people wanted to do something about the injustices of global trade. Then, as now, the global economy was largely based on the exploitation of other countries. In Hildesheim, a group of young people joined forces. They traveled to Latin America on their own initiative, bought handcrafted goods, and then sold them in Germany. Their aim was always to educate customers about the unfair conditions of global trade and to give local producers a voice. At first, the goods were sold only at a small market stall. However, the idea quickly gained traction, and El Puente grew into a genuine fair trade business.
Fair trade has become highly professionalized. While initially people drank fair trade coffee purely out of solidarity (and the taste was definitely an acquired taste), today fair trade offers the highest quality. Pure Arabica coffees, hand-picked, grown in organic mixed cultures, and gently roasted over a long period. And this high quality applies not only to coffee, but also to many other food products such as spices, rice, and tea, as well as handcrafted items like bags, scarves, and baskets. Furthermore, fair trade has become a holistic approach that, on the one hand, focuses on social criteria, and on the other hand, is also deeply committed to sustainability and climate protection. This benefits producers in so-called 'developing countries,' who demonstrably suffer the most from the consequences of climate change, even though they contribute the least to it.
The problem is that the term "fair trade" is not legally protected. Unlike in the organic sector, in principle anyone can label their product as fair trade. However, there are definitely a number of trustworthy labels and fair trade companies, including the Fairtrade label, the WFTO label, and fair trade retailers like Gepa, Weltpartner, or us. The best place to find information is the Forum Fairer Handel (Fair Trade Forum), which offers a good overview of the various labels and certifications.
El Puente has been around since 1977. How did it all begin?
Back then, many young people wanted to do something about the injustices of global trade. Then, as now, the global economy was largely based on the exploitation of other countries. In Hildesheim, a group of young people joined forces. They traveled to Latin America on their own initiative, bought handcrafted goods, and then sold them in Germany. Their aim was always to educate customers about the unfair conditions of global trade and to give local producers a voice. At first, the goods were sold only at a small market stall. However, the idea quickly gained traction, and El Puente grew into a genuine fair trade business.
What does “fair trade” mean to you?
For us, fair trade is first and foremost a trading partnership on equal terms, based on mutual respect and trading practices that both sides perceive as fair. This is specifically formulated in the 10 principles of the World Fair Trade Organization (WFTO), according to which we operate. These principles outline aspects such as fair wages, equality, the absence of exploitative child labor, and environmental protection.What changes in fair trade have you witnessed over the last 40 years?
Fair trade has become highly professionalized. While initially people drank fair trade coffee purely out of solidarity (and the taste was definitely an acquired taste), today fair trade offers the highest quality. Pure Arabica coffees, hand-picked, grown in organic mixed cultures, and gently roasted over a long period. And this high quality applies not only to coffee, but also to many other food products such as spices, rice, and tea, as well as handcrafted items like bags, scarves, and baskets. Furthermore, fair trade has become a holistic approach that, on the one hand, focuses on social criteria, and on the other hand, is also deeply committed to sustainability and climate protection. This benefits producers in so-called 'developing countries,' who demonstrably suffer the most from the consequences of climate change, even though they contribute the least to it.
What kind of product range do you offer?
Our product range is very diverse. We have a total of 5,000 products in stock. These include food items for cooking and baking, such as rice, lentils, beans, spices, and coconut oil, as well as many treats like cookies and gummy candies. We also have an extensive selection of handcrafted items, including bags, scarves, baskets, kitchen gadgets, and children's toys. And last but not least, a selection of high-quality coffees.How do you choose your trading partners?
We primarily cultivate long-term partnerships. We've known many of our partners for years, even decades. We've even celebrated our silver anniversary with our trading partner Podie from Sri Lanka, from whom we source high-quality spices. When we enter into new partnerships, we ensure that we work with cooperatives, small producers, or small family businesses that meet Fair Trade standards.There are now many Fair Trade labels – do you have any tips on how to keep track of them all?
The problem is that the term "fair trade" is not legally protected. Unlike in the organic sector, in principle anyone can label their product as fair trade. However, there are definitely a number of trustworthy labels and fair trade companies, including the Fairtrade label, the WFTO label, and fair trade retailers like Gepa, Weltpartner, or us. The best place to find information is the Forum Fairer Handel (Fair Trade Forum), which offers a good overview of the various labels and certifications.
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