Wine
For those with a nose for real quality, try our Fairtrade wines
Did you know our Fairtrade wine has helped work begin on a second Fairtrade project to fund a new secondary school
In 2001 The Co-operative broke new ground by launching the UK’s first fairly traded supermarket wine, and we haven’t looked back since.
Back in 2001, there were no internally agreed criteria for wine to carry the FAIRTRADE Mark. So we worked in partnership with Traidcraft, the UK’s leading Fairtrade organisation, to set up a trading relationship with the Los Robles co-operative in Chile.
Today our range of wines carrying the mark comes from all over the New World; from Chile, Argentina and South Africa.
Each of our Fairtrade wines tells a story; about struggling communities revived and renewed, about schools built, clean water supplied and hope restored. So when you’re sipping our velvety Argentine Malbec or Chilean Sauvignon Blanc, or celebrating with our Cape Sparkling Brut, you can be sure it means a fairer price is paid to the producer and you’re not paying over the odds yourself. So it’s fair for everyone.
Turning wine into water
La Riojana gained Fairtrade certification in 2006 and, as the largest co-operative in Argentina, assists many smaller communities in the region.
As well as receiving the Fairtrade premium for their grapes, wine producers in La Riojana benefit from an additional premium paid by The Co-operative social projects.
The first year’s funds were used to install a new water facility for 381 in habitants of Tilimuqui, as small village near Chilecito. Previously water was delivered once a week in a truck, but now every home has access to clean drinking water on a daily basis.
Following the success of the water facility, work has begun on a second Fairtrade project to fund a new secondary school for children aged between 13 and 18 years old living in the Chilecito region. So, it’s fair for everyone.
Find out more about the producers of our wines:
• Chilean wine producers
• South African wine producers