Vegetarian Food Asia (VFA) is Hong Kong's most comprehensive vegetarian and green lifestyle exhibition, together with the co-located LOHAS Expo, displays 4,000 vegetarian, vegan, natural, organic, and green living products. The Show, packed with a series of exciting green living events. This year’s VFA was held at Hall 3F&3G of the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center from 10th to 12th June. Fair Trade Hong Kong also participated in the exhibition, selling various Fairtrade products, including drip bag coffee, tea, rice milk, Chinese egg noodles, snacks and seasoning with discounts. Thank you for coming and supporting Fair Trade. It is hoped that everyone can put sustainable consumption into practice through purchasing Fairtrade products more frequently. 

The fifth wave of the epidemic has brought both psychological and economic burdens to vulnerable groups. Partnering with churches and charities and with the support of the Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust and DRS Richard Charles and Esther Yewpick Lee Charitable Foundation, Fair Trade Hong Kong Foundation distributed 2,770 bags of Epidemic Care Pack and 300 sets of rapid test kit to target beneficiaries who are cleaners, elderly living alone, SEM families, unemployed, those living in subdivided flats and / or heavily rely on subsidies and social support. We sourced through a network of local fair trade, organic and certified product suppliers to ensure adequate and high quality product supply. Among them, masks, face shields, rapid test kits, and cleaning and disinfection products have reduced the burden of epidemic prevention materials on the grassroots.   Furthermore, we hope to improve nutritional inequity in grassroots household diets with fair trade quinoa packets in epidemic prevention kits. We designed an Epidemic care Leaflet which included tips for cooking quinoa, balanced diet and social online supporting services and hotlines, so as to provide networks for emotional and mental support to the target beneficiaries. 2,770 underprivileged families living in Yau Ma Tei, Sham Shui Po, Cheung Sha Wan, Ma On Shan, Sha Tin, Tai Po, North District, Quarry Bay, Sai Wan Ho, Shau Kei Wan and outlying islands including Cheung Chau, Tai O, Ping Chau and Tung Chung, have benefited from this project. disadvantaged households in the region. In addition, with the help of our community partner, Kaifong Tour, 300 quick test kits were also distributed to grassroots communities in Cheung Sha Wan with the help of our community partner Kaifong Tour. The families indicated that the support and care we provided encouraged them to face the challenges brought by the epidemic more positively.

On every second Saturday in May, known as the “Global Fair Trade Day '', Fair Trade Hong Kong Foundation organizes the Fairtrade Bazaar to promote the Fair Trade concept to the public. This year with the theme of “Connecting a Fair World”, we organized the bazaar in D Park with the attendance of YouTuber Ah J and Michael Chu  of ‘Pomato’. They shared their excellent ideas on the reasons for supporting fair trade and their favorite Fair Trade products. This year's prize-giving ceremony of ‘‘Fair Trade Awards’’ was held during the Fair Trade Fiesta. We presented awards to 20 winning companies in recognition of their contributions to the fair trade movement. The concept of "sustainable development" is increasingly valued by the business community, and fair trade is one of the elements of sustainable development. In the past year, we have continued to work closely with enterprises to jointly support certified products and production chains, organize Fair trade promotions, etc.   On the second day of the Fair Trade Festival, we held a Fair Trade Symposium, and invited Ms. Maisy Ho, project manager of Fullness Social Enterprise Society, Dr. Clara C.K. Kan, Senior Lecturer of the Department of Marketing of Hong Kong Baptist University, and Mr. Anthony Chiu, Director of Hong Kong Fair Trade Power to discuss how to localize fair trade, bring the value of sustainable development into life, and be nearer to the lifestyle of consumers. In addition, school education is also an important part of promoting fair trade. We have established the Jockey Club Fair Trade School Award Scheme to awaken and deepen teachers and students' awareness of global citizenship: through relevant concepts and skills training, students can promote fair trade in schools and the community, and become a "Fair Trade School". In order to commend teachers and students for continuing to organize activities and actively promote the concept of fair trade in the school and the community during the program period, we have held the Jockey Club Fair Trade School Award Scheme Awards Ceremony on the same day. The participating schools in 2020-2022 are Tin Shui Wai Methodist College, Hoi Ping Chamber of Commerce Secondary School, St. Rose of Lima’s College, Carmel Alison Lam Foundation Secondary School, Kiangsu-Chekiang College (Kwai Chung), HKFYG Lee Shau Kee College, Shun Tak Fraternal Association Leung Kau Kui Middle College, Lions College.   Congratulations to the 8 secondary schools that actively promoted fair trade in 2019-22, and look forward to the students of the award-winning schools continuing to practice fairness in the community.

Under the fifth wave of the epidemic, many people are working from home. You may wish to participate in online workshops in your spare time and make small handcrafts at home to cultivate your temperament. At the end of March, we worked with Bank of East Asia staff online to make candles from the remaining coffee grounds at home, and also shared the uses of coffee grounds and their deodorizing effects. In addition to the production, we also take this opportunity to introduce the production story behind the coffee and understand the various unfair treatment faced by small farmers who produce coffee beans. We hope that everyone can understand the influence behind consumption and jointly promote fair trade in coffee production. We would like to use this opportunity to thank the Bank of East Asia for inviting us to share fair trade knowledge with them through a light-hearted and fun workshop.

To encourage ethical consumption and production through Fair Trade, Fair Trade Hong Kong, Lee Gardens Association and Hysan Place co-organised "Merrier Together x Fair Trade Christmas Limited Pop-Up" on 25-27 December 2020 at Urban Sky, 9/F, Hysan Place. 12 retail partners brought us various Fair Trade products, including coffee, tea, chocolate, handcrafted soap and cookies, organic food and skin care products, and mask covers etc. Approximately 1,200 people visited the bazaar, generating $60,000 turnover. We also launched a Fair Trade Quinoa Redemption Scheme, a total of 40 customers who spend $600 or more redeemed a pack of Fair Trade organic quinoa (500g). All retail partners will donate 10% turnover to Fair Trade Hong Kong Foundation Limited to support our work on promoting Fair Trade movement in Hong Kong.   Participating Retail Partners: FairTaste Welspring WE∙Shalom Jol Cacao SIU Vision Kourmet52 Amity WEDO GLOBAL SAWAfrica Eco-Greenergy Think Action Ltd Sew On Studio

Under the epidemic situation, we may not go out frequently. It would be great if we can do some small handicrafts at home to cultivate your temperament. We are honored to be invited by Wharf Peak Properties Limited to hold an online workshop on coffee grounds candles for their tenants. There were more than 120 employees from 68 companies participating in the workshop, and the response was overwhelming! Hope the workshop will help the participants learn more about fair trade!

Vegetarian Food Asia (VFA) is Hong Kong's most comprehensive vegetarian and green lifestyle exhibition, together with the co-located LOHAS Expo, displays 4,000 vegetarian, vegan, natural, organic, and green living products. The Show, packed with a series of exciting green living events. This year’s VFA was held at Hall 3F&3G of the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center from 23th to 25th June. Fair Trade Hong Kong also participated in the exhibition, selling various Fairtrade products. Apart from the official coffee ground dye workshop, some games are provided at our stall with fabulous prizes, including organic fair trade drip bag coffee, fair trade anti-epidemic soap, organic soak free red rice, scorched brown rice, and snow chrysanthemum tea, etc.

In October, the Fair Trade Hong Kong Foundation and Unique Beauty, a Danish natural and organic brand set up a pop-up store at Langham Place, Mong Kok, selling organic hair care products and fragrances. Unique Beauty's hair care products use shea butter from Africa and aloe vera from Mexico. Both ingredients are based on the concept of fair trade. Not only are they grown in a sustainable way, but they also help women in Africa become self-reliant and provide farmers in Mexico with stable and reasonable income. The event has received enthusiastic response. We would like to thank all customers for their support. It is hoped that this cooperation will allow all of you to learn more about the brand story and the concept of fair trade!

This year's Caring Company Partnership Expo 2019 was held on May 20 at the 5FG Exhibition Hall of the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center, Wan Chai. As a member of the social welfare sector, we also participated in this year's exhibition to let you know more about the information of the business community and the social welfare sector, and promote exchanges and cooperation between partners.

HOFEX, the only food and beverage trade show in Hong Kong, was held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Hall 5G from May 7th to 10th this year. In addition to exhibiting fair trade coffee and other products, we also participated in the fair to answer questions about fair trade.

Vegetarian Food Asia (VFA) is Hong Kong's most comprehensive vegetarian and green lifestyle exhibition, together with the co-located LOHAS Expo, displays 4,000 vegetarian, vegan, natural, organic, and green living products. The Show, packed with a series of exciting green living events. This year’s VFA was held at Hall 5F&5G of the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center from 22th to 24th February. Fair Trade Hong Kong also participated in the exhibition, selling quinoa from Peru charitably. With every sale of "Fair Quinoa For Children", Fair Trade Hong Kong delivers the same amount to local low-income families to mitigate social problems of an unbalanced diet and high risk of obesity. The Organic Fair Trade Quinoa used in the project is produced by Coopain Cabana cooperative in Peru. Not only does it benefit the underprivileged families in Hong Kong, but it also fosters sustainable development in the Peruvian community because the farmer of Peru can gain income which is 2.3 times of the market value . The event was held successfully and thank you for coming and supporting Fair Trade. 

Fair Trade Hong Kong's study in 2018 shows 1 out of 5 local deprived children suffers from obesity, which number is higher than the overall obesity rate among students in Hong Kong (16.7%) and it indicates insufficient healthy diet. A nutritionist, Mimi Li, analyzed the diet of deprived families and found these families, due to low affordability, always made soup with bones and took low-cost food such as chicken wings and meat skin. It is believed to be one of the reasons leading to obesity. In the meantime, when the market demand for healthy food items increases, the high price further prevents deprived children from obtaining healthy diet.   In Academic Year 2018-2019, a food assistance project, “Fair Quinoa For Children”, was newly launched to alleviate the concerned diet issues of deprived children. With every sale of "Fair Quinoa For Children", Fair Trade Hong Kong delivers the same amount to local low-income families to mitigate social problems of an unbalanced diet and high risk of obesity. The Organic Fair Trade Quinoa used in the project is produced by Coopain Cabana cooperative in Peru. Not only does it benefit the underprivileged families in Hong Kong, but it also fosters sustainable development in the Peruvian community.    "Fair Quinoa For Children" had received great support from celebrities, namely politician Mr. Roy Kwong, actress Miss To Siu Kiu, and that New Youth Barbershop wrote “The Quinoa Song” to educate the public through music. As of February 2019, approximately five thousand packages have been delivered to more than a thousand grassroot families throughout the project.

On every second Saturday in May, known as the “Global Fair Trade Day”, Fair Trade Hong Kong Foundation organises the Fairtrade Bazaar to promote the Fair Trade concept to the public. This year with the theme of “Fairness Inside You”, we organised the bazaar in Kwai Fong Plaza with the attendance of celebrities like artist Miss Leila Kong and singer Miss Eman Lam. They shared their excellent ideas on using Fair Trade products and showed their enthusiasm on visiting Fairtrade counters inside the venue. Representatives from Hong Kong broadband and volunteers from various organisations also kindly helped to promote the products from various counters that sold Fairtrade products like DIY coffee and Fair Trade skincare products. With all these X-factors, the bazaar event has generated record-breaking revenue for the attended trader partners and proven to be the leading event that raised the awareness of Fair Trade.

Our organisation held the premiere event of the film “Chasing Ice” to raise public awareness on global climate change and Fair Trade concept. Directed and filmed by James Balog, a well-known photographer from National Geographic, the film captures the accumulated changes in glaciers and has successfully won more than 30 international film awards. In the discussion forum session, we prepared delicacies from Fair Trade Food and invited female explorer Ms. Rebecca Lee, ex-director of the Hong Kong obervatory Mr. Lam Chiu Ying SBS, popular-science writer Doctor Lee Wai Choi and ProjecTerrae director Mr. Jackie Chu to attend and share the message of “Support Fair Trade to combat climate change". With the support of more than 13 corporations and 600 guests by attendance, we have successfully propagated the message of “Support Fair Trade” and “Support Sustainability Development”.

Hong Kong Fair Trade Fortnight kicked off on 10 May, 2014. The topic was “Buy Fair Trade products to support farmers away from poverty”. It was our pleasure to invite Anthony Wong as the Fair Trade Ambassador to promote Fair Trade and share his experience in supporting Fair Trade. Additionally, Kenny Chan from C All Star also played wonderful freestyle football and promoted Fair Trade Charity Football Match. Several Fair Trade retailers and traders also attended Metroplaza and sold their Fairtrade products. It was encouraging that the revenue generated was nearly HKD$240,000 in three days. The enthusiastic support from the citizens shows that the general public have deepened their understanding on Fair Trade and support farmers through practical action. Let’s help eliminate poverty by swapping into Fair Trade products.