AgroFair

AgroFair is a Fairtrade fruit company and was established in 1996 in the Netherlands in order to offer security of supplies and guaranteed prices for fruit producers in developing countries.

The company imports and distributes both Fairtrade and organic-Fairtrade tropical fresh fruit from growers overseas in Burkina Faso, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Ghana and Peru. Fairtrade fresh fruit is branded Oké; Organic-Fairtrade fresh fruit is branded eko-oké. AgroFair is owned by the growers it works with who are its shareholders. Some sit on the Board. It buys all products directly from the producers or their organisations, without the intervention of intermediary buyers. All fruit producers, organised as plantations or co-operatives, are FLO registered and some are also certified organic producers.

Agro Fair’s mission is to increase both its product range and its market share which will provide long term security for the producers and the farmers supplying the fruit. FLO ensures independently that the producers establish good practices such as payment of fair wages, safe labour conditions, product quality improvements and environmentally sustainable farm practices.

AgroFair sells over 50,000 boxes of bananas a week into Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Italy, the Netherlands, Switzerland and the UK. In addition to sourcing, selling and marketing bananas, AgroFair also works with and imports mangoes and pineapples and is developing a supply of citrus and other tropical fruits to complete its Fairtrade fruit bowl.

The company’s technical support arm, AgroFair Assistance and Development, offers producers support to start up and implement Fairtrade and organic-Fairtrade agriculture. It gives technical support, helps in gaining Fairtrade certification, helps with quality issues and packaging and gives all the logistical support needed to handle fruit imports into the EU.

AgroFair's shareholding reflects its Fairtrade principles and commitment to fruit producers in developing countries. Half of the company is owned by fruit producers in developing countries and the remaining 50% of share capital is held by European development organisations such as Solidaridad in the Netherlands, the alternative trading company Twin in the UK and CTM Alteromercato in Italy.

AgroFair is located in Barendrecht in the Netherlands where it owns a warehouse specially designed for the storage of fruit and vegetables. From here the company sells directly to the European markets with the exception of the UK and Italy which have separate Sales and Marketing offices.