Beansprouts

Leading the way in Fairtrade product innovation 

The Co-operative is continuing to lead the way in Fairtrade product innovation with first-to-market beansprouts that have been grown from Fairtrade mung beans.

Beansprouts - eaten widely in Chinese cuisine such as stir-fries - are grown from mung beans, which are widely cultivated in China. 

The Co-operative leads the way with the first beansprouts grown from fairtrade mung beans

For the first time, a group of growers in Inner Mongolia have been given Fairtrade accreditation, which means they will receive a fair price for their mung beans, as well as a Fairtrade premium. 

The Jurihe/Zhaluteqi farmer association is located near TongLiao City in Inner Mongolia. Inner Mongolia is the third largest subdivision of China and one of China's poorest rural areas.  Families in the Jurihe village are particularly needy. Many children do not get a basic education, as schools are old and ill equipped and the children have to walk more than an hour to reach the school. In winter, temperatures are below minus 20 degrees Celsius  

The Fairtrade premium will allow the village to improve education facilities and the condition of local schools, as well as providing materials and equipment. It will also support local families by funding items for their houses such as heaters and warm clothes for winter.  

After the mung beans are harvested by the growers, they are hand-sorted and transported by sea to the UK, where they are grown into beansprouts and packed for The Co-operative.  

The beansprouts, which have a limited shelf life, are grown in the UK to ensure optimum freshness, whilst avoiding the use of air freight.