Fair trade products gain patronage from tourists

CEBU, Philippines – Although highly dependent upon the international market for patronage and consumption, fair trade products now found an avenue in the local market to showcase the craftsmanship of small producers through tapping one of the flagship stores of Island Souvenirs.

Jay Aldeguer, CEO of retail chain Island Souvenirs said that since more than two weeks ago, their pasalubong center in Mactan has been displaying and selling some fair trade items like bags made of tin foils and delicacies like processed organic mango, accessories and crafts, among others.

Although the evaluation the products' sales performance is still to be determined by the end of this month, Aldeguer said that the fair trade products displayed in his store have already been receiving positive feedbacks from their client-base especially the Japanese foreigners who frequent the center.

"If fair trade producers will be serious in marketing their products to the retail market and try to address their limitations especially on the sustainability of the supply, some of these products can take off,” said Aldeguer in an interview during a recent Fair Trade Forum organized by the Cebu Fair Trade Network (CFTN).

He said that fair trade producers do have the necessary skills needed to meet the market demand but it still needs a little tweaking for their products to really penetrate the consumer market.

"To really compete domestically or even in the international market, fair trade producers have to professionalize their businesses and make sure that they are competitive enough to provide quality and should adopt better pricing strategies for their products and they must be able to address the supply demand which by far is one of their limitations," he said.

Aldeguer also said that the producers should try to endure their businesses on their own through gaining more knowledge and trainings so that they will not be hugely dependent upon the branding of their products under the fair trade label.

"If the producers can come up with a nice line of fair trade products and if they can ensure to provide us with a steady supply then I can commit to bring these items to all my stores. Right now we have plans to also display more of these fair trade products in our other stores," said Aldeguer.

He added that he is open to do a full blown campaign that will promote fair trade products to the market and even to the idea of doing a special display for these products that fit the image and concept of their stores before Christmas.

"We are happy to support efforts in pushing for fair trade advocacy in Cebu and the country. Up until now I’m still overwhelmed by the concept of fair trade. The company also share the same values with the organization such as the aim to transform communities and get people involved," said Aldeguer.

Meanwhile fair trade producer Geraldine Labradores said that the showcase of fair trade products in the Island Souvenirs Pasalubong center has been helpful to CFTN members get monthly sales especially at these times when orders from abroad have been in a slump due to the economic recession.

She revealed that other than Island Souvenirs, they are also working out plans with other local buyers to sell and patronize fair trade products like two travel and tour groups and an export company; although nothing final has materialized so far.

Labradores also said that they are planning to reach out to more businessmen like Aldeguer through the big brother approach and right now, they are in talks with some retail supermarket chains like Robinsons and they are hoping to also tap other supermarkets like Rustan’s, Ayala and SM as well as hotel shops so that fair trade products will have bigger access to the domestic retail market.