A series of 2 min shorts to be released on YouTube, once each day over Fairtrade Fortnight (25th Feb to 10th March 2013).

A free ReelReals showcase with refreshments will be held at Summerhall, Edinburgh on Sun 10th March 4pm to 6pm.

RealReels is a series of films showing the work of Equal Exchange and some of our partners who bring you our delicious food and beverages. These films contain interviews with the farmers who grew our gorgeous Fairtrade and Organic coffee, nuts and honey. We watch what happens to the coffee when it arrives in the UK and how it makes the perfect cup of coffee. We then see what some of our customers think about Fairtrade, Equal Exchange and our products.

Many of the interviews are with women farmers who are part of our ‘Grown by Women’ initiative launched in 2011.

A recent report published by Oxfam, Save the Children and Action Aid amongst others, suggests that by focussing on supporting women farmers, women smallholders can be empowered to improve the communities they live and work in and achieve food security.

Although 85% of world farming is done by women, they often receive little in the way of financial gain or support due to existing gender inequality. Evidence shows that where women control household income the family’s health, nutrition and education is more likely to improve.

Grown by Women products are sourced exclusively from women in the co-operatives we work with. There is also a small additional premium paid which the women use in many different ways. We have heard first-hand the changes the women’s premium has made. It empowers the women to take control of their household finances, to finally be heard within the co-operative and they are using the premium to fund women’s projects in their communities.

In October 2012, Equal Exchange won a major UK Award for its continued dedication to go the extra mile for the farmers they work with in some of the poorest areas of the world. This includes pre-financing harvests, sourcing direct, encouraging organic agriculture, empowering women to join their co-operatives and packing at source.

The awards, organised by Co-operatives UK, were announced at an international gala dinner of 900 people at Co-operatives United in Manchester, part of International Co-operative Alliance Expo attended by co-operatives from all over the world.

Equal Exchange supplies over 60 products into the independent wholefood and fine food sectors, Fair Trade retailers and now has listings in The Co-operative, Sainsbury’s and Booths.

Supplying and campaigning for Fair Trade since 1979, based in Edinburgh. Equal Exchange Trading is a 100% Fair Trade co-operative distributing premium Organic and Fair Trade products to the natural and fine food sector, Fair Trade shops and increasingly now available in supermarkets like The Co-op, Sainsbury’s and Booths. We continue to expand our exports and also supply bulk ingredients for beauty and other products. Last year we supplied Fairtrade and Organic nuts for muesli at the Olympic Games village.

All Real Reels videos can be viewed on our youtube.