Over the last two years Traidcraft has experienced exceptional sales growth and rapidly increasing breadth in its food range which has necessitated the brand identity and pack design overhaul.
The company achieved a turnover of over £19m during its last years' trading, with growth in its food sales up 21% on the previous year. And the sector overall is growing - sales of Fairtrade marked products in the UK increased 38% from 2004 to 2005 to almost £200m (Source: Fairtrade Foundation).
The first newly branded product to hit the shelves from mid-November 2006 is the cookies range, followed by muesli in December, with the entire portfolio slowly rolling out over the ensuing months.
Jenny File, Traidcraft's Product and Brand Manager, says: “We wanted to create greater brand coherency and visibility for our products so that shoppers can identify Traidcraft products quickly on the shelf. We also wanted our packaging to enable consumers to identify the positive ethical aspects of their choice of Traidcraft foods over those of other products. Our new brand represents the way in which Traidcraft goes well beyond other fair trade products.
"We have a sophisticated mix of shopping channels, including major retail outlets such as Tesco, Sainsbury and Waitrose, our own webstore, mail order, independent retail outlets and a network of around 5,000 Fair Traders (individuals who sell Traidcraft products) and we are constantly looking for new ways to make the shopping experience easier and more rewarding for our existing and potential customers.”
Traidcraft has adopted an uncompromising roundel as their brand mark - it's a device straight out of the charity world delivered regularly to consumers via their weekly shop. The roundel tells consumers two very important stories at a glance:
- Traidcraft has the most direct fair trade link between producers and consumers
- Traidcraft's work centres around continuous, sustainable development.
To build on this, in the middle of the roundel messages from real growers tell consumers how buying that product directly benefits the grower.Powerful stuff, but wrapped up in all the usual cues of taste and quality - with Traidcraft products there is no need to sacrifice quality in order to eat ethically.
Explains Landor's Planning Director Phil Gandy: “The fair trade grocery market is currently polarised between niche single-category premium brands and cross-category retailer own label ranges. While both offer a wide choice they make less of a fair trade contribution.
"Many customers are further confused by token 'ethical lite' offers from mainstream commercial brands. Consequently Traidcraft offers a more robust proposition by targeting engaged consumers who want to make a genuine fair trade contribution with their everyday shopping. Against the 'fairly fair trade' jumble - and even against the specialist fair trade brands - Traidcraft stands apart as the fairest trader of them all, making the most significant and sustainable difference to emerging market producers.”
And it's not just Traidcraft's packaging that has changed. The Muesli recipes have been reformulated, boosting both their fruit and fair trade contents to make them even more luxurious, delicious and ethical. For example, the Apricot Muesli now contains softer, tangier apricots and a small addition of cranberry, enhancing texture, flavour and appearance. Just as important, the hydrogenated vegetable oils in the original recipe of Traidcraft's cookies (double chocolate chip, stem ginger and brazil nut) have been removed, making for a healthier snack.
Landor Associates was appointed back in May 2005 following an agency selection process involving three other top London agencies.
