Glasgow beer company set up Fairtrade supply chain with West Africa worth £2m to economy

Glasgow-based ethical brewer Brewgooder has set up the world’s first Fairtrade-certified brewing supply chain for climate-resilient fonio grain – with the ‘game-changing’ potential to put farming communities in West Africa on a level footing with other nations.

The pioneering supply chain was set up in just six months thanks to close working between B-Corp-certified brewer Brewgooder and fonio farming cooperatives in Guinea. It has been set up so farmers are paid a fairer price for their work and grain, while fostering sustainable and equitable economic growth for their nearby communities.

Representatives in the region have described the ‘transformational’ potential the new supply chain could have on communities in Guinea. According to local cooperatives, 67 farmers have signed up, with two thirds of those joining since Fairtrade certification. Depending on the growth and success of the supply chain, it’s hoped hundreds of farmers and the communities that surround them could benefit in future.

In a progressive move, Brewgooder has also made the new supply chain accessible to all. Named ‘Open Grain’, any UK brewer or business looking to utilise fonio will be able to tap into the Fairtrade-certified supply of the grain to further maximise the positive impact made in Guinea and potentially beyond.

The move has been made in tandem with the Glasgow-based brewer’s launch of the first beer made with Fairtrade-certified fonio grain, Brewgooder Fonio Session IPA, which has been backed from launch by three major UK supermarkets. The beer was designed to accelerate the growth of the Fairtrade category in the UK beer market amid rising consumer demand for ethical products.

Fonio, a climate-resilient super grain native to West Africa and one of the WWF’s 50 foods for the future, is quick to harvest, doesn’t require fertilisers, and uses much less water to grow than barley, meaning it can thrive in less fertile soils prominent in countries in West Africa.

Brewgooder Fonio, a ‘delicious, crisp and hoppy’ Session IPA (4.3%), is the maiden product of the Fairtrade supply chain, and has already secured placements in Sainsbury’s, Waitrose, the Co-op, and is also available on British Airways. It was recently recognised with a Great Taste Award.

Alan Mahon, founder at Brewgooder, said: “Alone we can make a small but meaningful difference, but as an entire industry – even if only adopting Fairtrade fonio in small amounts – we can support farmers in Guinea make a game-changing impact on these communities while simultaneously bringing quality and desirable products to market.

“Enabling other beer producers to use our supply chain makes that possible. We’re not adopting Fairtrade fonio to give ourselves a USP, but to show what can be achieved when you collaborate with farming communities for a fairer deal.

“We faced almost impossible odds in bringing this supply chain together in just six months, but we achieved it through the incredible effort, commitment, and drive of our farming and logistics partners. It demonstrates that a vision for a fairer, more equitable world can make seemingly impossible things happen.

“Fairtrade fonio can support communities in Guinea to thrive. It means fairer practices and a fairer deal for farmers, and Brewgooder is delighted to work together with the Fairtrade Foundation and our retailers and commercial partners to bring these principles to a new category.

“There’s a huge appetite for Fairtrade products in the UK, and it's absent in the beer category at present. People care about fair and just trade, and if they can achieve it through the products they buy, then they will make that choice.”

UK consumer demand for Fairtrade products has surged in recent years, with Kantar research from 2022 revealing around 80% of consumers have chosen Fairtrade products over an alternative, with growth in retail sales of bananas, coffee, flowers, and tea.

Brewgooder, whose turnover increased 74% to £3.7m last year, predicts the new product will add more than £2 million in retail sales to the UK’s Fairtrade market annually, with the potential to grow significantly beyond that as the category grows.

Mahon, originally from Belfast, added: “Producing this beer marks a significant evolution in our approach as an impact-making company. Alongside our Foundation’s grant giving strategy, we’re investing in communities by making them suppliers.

“Together as an industry we can create equitable economic growth that provides communities in Guinea and beyond with the same opportunities producers enjoy here in the UK.”