Fairtrasa - Latin America

Info

Fairtrasa is a global social enterprise with a unique development model that empowers small-scale farmers to lift themselves out of poverty.

Geschichte

Fairtrasa is a global social enterprise that empowers small-scale farmers to lift themselves out of poverty. Our unique development model gives farmers the training, resources, and direct market access they need to become organic producers and independent agro-entrepreneurs. Through our integrated supply chain, farmers provide high-quality produce to our customers worldwide, receiving fair income for their work. Fairtrasa sells a wide variety of fruit products and is one of the largest providers of Organic and Fairtrade fruit from Latin America.

Fairtrasa was founded in 2005 in Mexico by Patrick Struebi, a former executive at an international commodities trading firm in Switzerland. Patrick left his corporate career after a personal epiphany to devote himself to social entrepreneurship, and soon shipped the world’s first container of Fairtrade Organic avocados. Since then, Fairtrasa has grown into a global group of 15 companies in 12 countries, impacting more than 40,000 lives.

Fairtrasa is founded on our unique and pioneering Three Tier Farmer Development Model, which gives small-scale farmers hands-on support tailored to their specific needs. Our dedicated local teams help farmers learn organic farming skills, organize themselves effectively, build and operate their own infrastructure, and achieve independence as producers and exporters. The goal is for farmers to improve their businesses, communities, and lives—permanently and sustainably.

In recognition of our impact, Fairtrasa and founder Patrick Struebi have earned awards and fellowships from Ashoka, Endeavor, the Schwab Foundation, the World Economic Forum, the abc* Foundation, Yale University, Fordham University, and the Clinton Global Initiative, among others.
Fairtrasa is headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland, with supply and farmer development companies in Mexico, Peru, the Dominican Republic, Chile and Colombia, and import and sales companies in Holland, Germany, Spain, the UK, and the US.