Behind the Scenes: Snack Bar Innovation

When people hear the names Equal Exchange or Tropical Wholefoods, they often think of ethical food brands committed to alternative trading values. And while that's true, it's just a part of a much bigger story.

What many don’t realise is that behind those brands is a thriving production hub based in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, where we run our very own factory. This facility has been a key part of our mission since the mid-1990s, when we first launched our snack bar line to make the most of the dried fruit sourced from our global partners.

Our Tropical Wholefoods snack bars were born from a simple but powerful idea: to purchase even larger volumes of organic, fairly traded mangoes, pineapples, dates, apricots, bananas, and nuts and turn them into something delicious, healthy, and convenient. And we’ve been doing just that ever since.

Scaling Up with Purpose

Over the years, both our processes and our capabilities have evolved significantly. Today, we're proud to be one of the UK’s largest independent snack bar manufacturers, producing not just for our own brands, but for a wide range of white-label clients across the UK and beyond.

From 100% fruit bars to meal replacement bars, our team has developed the expertise to deliver unique, high-quality products at scale. We’ve even been part of some industry firsts: producing the UK’s first 100% Fairtrade snack bar and the first Fairtrade-certified energy bar through collaborations with incredible partners, including parts of Traidcraft’s wonderful Geo Bar range.

Where the Magic Happens: Our Test Kitchen

At the centre of our innovation is our dedicated test kitchen, a creative space where ideas are transformed into real products. Here, we experiment with new flavour combinations, textures, and ingredients, crafting exciting prototype bars.

Once a client signs off on a recipe, the product moves to factory trials which are scaled-up batches to ensure the ingredients blend and set perfectly under real production conditions. From there, we move into packaging design and launch. Our automated lines can produce over 30,000 bars per day, ensuring we meet demand without compromising on quality.

It’s Just Who We Are

What began as a way to support our Fairtrade partners by increasing our imports of fruits and nuts has grown into a vital part of our business. Our snack bar factory isn’t just a production site. It’s a driving force behind our mission to build a fairer, more sustainable food system.

Today, the Tropical Wholefoods bar range continues under the name Just5, a nod to its simple, wholesome ingredients: dried fruits and crunchy nuts sourced from many of the dedicated partner organizations we’ve worked with from the beginning.

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You can find Just5 bars online here or through most independent health food stores. You can find the full Equal Exchange and Tropical Wholefoods range online at www.equalexchange.co.uk.