Preston and South Ribble Fairtrade Group

The move by Nestlé, which will kick off in mid-January 2010 when the first certified Kit Kat four-finger bars arrive on shop shelves, is benefitting thousands of farmers in Côte d’Ivoire.

As well as the Fairtrade price (or market price if higher) for the cocoa, farmers’ organisations receive additional Fairtrade premium payments to invest in long-term community and business development projects of their own choice, such as education and healthcare, the environment or their businesses.

Harriet Lamb, Executive Director of the Fairtrade Foundation, has welcomed the move by the York-based Kit Kat brand, saying ”Cocoa farmers in Côte d’Ivoire struggle under the relentless pressures of poverty with shockingly high levels of illiteracy and poor access to healthcare. The significant volumes of cocoa that go into making Kit Kat will open whole new possibilities for these farmers in Côte d’Ivoire, giving them a more sustainable livelihood and the chance to plan for a better future.”