Fairtrade Murals at Ten Food Co-ops

October is a special month for food co-ops. In addition to celebrating Co-op Month, we participate in the annual Fair Trade Month celebrations led by Fairtrade America. October 2024 marks a special milestone in our partnership with Fairtrade as the 9th and 10th murals hosted by NCG food co-ops are unveiled.

Fair Trade Month is a celebration of the work of retailers, brand partners and advocates across the US and Canada toward achieving trade justice. A hallmark of Fairtrade America’s “We are Fairtrade” campaign is the installation of public art that highlights the farmers and workers behind products we use every day and brings to light the challenges that they face because of unfair trade.

This October, two more food co-ops will join the campaign by hosting new murals on their walls!

The Boise Co-op (The Village): In Boise, Fairtrade America is partnering with Boise Co-op Market, Navitas Organics and local artist Bobby Gaytan to present a mural featuring sibling cocoa farmers Carlixta and Francisco Contreras Martínez. Carlita and Francisco belong to a Fairtrade certified cooperative that provides cacao for Navitas Organics, which shoppers can find at the Boise Co-op Market.

Lexington Cooperative Market (Hertel): In Buffalo, Fairtrade America is proud to partner with Lexington Co-op, Gimme! Coffee and local artist Julia Bottoms to present a mural featuring Fairtrade certified coffee farmer Ibu Rahmah. Ibu Rahmah’s Indonesian farm provides coffee for Gimme!, whose blends are sold at Lexington Cooperative Markets.

These two stores join the ranks of eight other NCG food co-ops who have celebrated Fairtrade Month with murals of farmers:

Sevananda Natural Foods Market: In Atlanta, Fairtrade partnered with Sevananda and Navitas Organics to depict Fairtrade cocoa farmer Agnes Senesie.

Wheatsville Food Co-op (Guadalupe): In Austin, Fairtrade, Wheatsville and Tony’s Chocolonely together installed a mural featuring cocoa farmers Sarah Larweh, Eugénie Lago and Assata Doumbia.

The Merc Co+op (Lawrence): In Lawrence, KS, The Merc Co+op, Fairtrade America and Kicking Horse Coffee partnered to highlight Joselinda Manueles, a Fairtrade coffee farmer from Honduras.

Outpost Natural Foods (Bayview): In Milwaukee, WI, Fairtrade, Outpost and Organic India depicted Fairtrade Tulsi (Holy Basil) farmer Ranjana Maurya.

The Wedge Co-op (Lyndale): In Minneapolis, The Wedge, Fairtrade and Equal Exchange together highlighted Johnny Gabriel Navas Aquim, an Ecuadorian banana farmer.

People’s Food Co-op: In Portland, Fairtrade partnered with People’s Food Co-op and Tony’s Chocolonely for a mural featuring cocoa farmer Deborah Osei-Mensah.

Urban Greens Co-op Market: In Providence, Urban Greens, Fairtrade and Ben & Jerry’s worked together to install a mural of Fairtrade cocoa farmer Bengaly Bourama.

Central Co-op: In Tacoma, WA, Fairtrade worked with Central Co-op and Fran’s Chocolates to highlight Fairtrade cocoa farmer Carmen Mueses.

Follow along with this year’s “We are Fairtrade” campaign and find all the murals on Fairtrade America's website.