We launched the foundation in 2015
to create awareness of social and
ecological well-being in the
communities we operate in. Through
the fair trade premium made from
Fair for Life purchases with
Tripper, we allocate funds to
T.E.A`s social and environmental
projects based on a deep
understanding of local communities,
producer needs, and global
Sustainable Development Goals.
NEWSLETTER ISSUE XXIV:FEBRUARY 2018
Our T.E.A. foundation replanted over 100
percent
of the cinnamon we harvested in
2017.
We launched the foundation in 2015
to create awareness of social and
ecological well-being in the
communities we operate in. Through
the fair trade premium made from
Fair for Life purchases with
Tripper, we allocate funds to
T.E.A`s social and environmental
projects based on a deep
understanding of local communities,
producer needs, and global
Sustainable Development Goals.
Our community-led fair trade committee elected to put
part of the fair trade premium fund towards
purchasing and distributing Cinnamon seedlings to
over 150 farmers across West Sumatra and the
Lempur
area. Lempur recently received a Geographical
Indication by the government of Indonesia for its
quality Cinnamon.
Inspired by the
lush greenery surrounding our Bali headquarters,
we built an
atrium with eco-friendly builders Asali Bali
Bamboo.
The area serves as a communal space for lunch breaks,
yoga sessions,
celebrations and monthly meetings. The atrium is
constructed of
natural and sustainable materials including bamboo
and a roof
fabricated from recycled metal drums.
Water runoff gathers in a central pond that will be
used to for watering a soon to be
planted garden of edible and environmentally
friendly plants. In the future we will
plant a green canopy of marquisa on the roof to keep
the structure cool and build
furniture and other functional areas from recycled
materials.
Many buyers are asking- why the
high prices and when can we anticipate a price
reduction?
Demand is stable but Cinnamon availability is based
on the 15-20 year grow cycle of
the trees. The long grow cycle of Cinnamon farming
is the foundation for pricing and
the reason we have seen Cinnamon prices creep up in
this manner before.
From 1990 to 1995, when prices were at USD 4.5 per kg,
farmers replanted Cinnamon. Peak
pricing ended in 1998 and we witnessed a drop off in
planting because farmers were not
incentivized. Due to the plantings in the early 90`s
there was a large harvest from 2000
to 2005. This `oversupply` coupled with the strength of
the US dollar against the rupiah
during the 1998 economic crisis led to a major reduction
in the price of Cinnamon.
The long term
results of
neglecting consistent planting schedules
can be devastating. Only in
recent years have farmers begun to
replant but we will not see the
results of this for some time. This is
why supporting the sustainability
of the Cinnamon
industry is so
important to
us and we make sure to replant 100
percent of what we consume by
supplying seedlings to farmers.
Take a look at the
story behind our Cinnamon
here
The first harvest of the 2018
crop in Indonesia will take place at the end of
February through March. It is
estimated to be an improvement to 2017`s harvest
of around 150 metric tons which
did not provide as much relief to the market as
was expected.
The only real long-term effect on Vanilla prices
requires a drop in both demand and
consumption and an increase of production volumes in
alternative producing
countries, which is highly unlikely.
Indonesian suppliers are not budging on price for the
moment. That being said, prices
will likely remain the same over the next few months
but availability poses a
different challenge. Considering that the result of
current plantings will not
produce any serious volumes until 2019, it is wise
to secure stock to cover at least
three months usage.
If you have not seen our Vanilla
video check it out
here
With Vanilla
prices at an all time high,
many are looking for alternatives to liquid extract and whole
beans. Our Vanilla
Extract
Powderis just the ingredient to keep the flavor of this
culinary staple in your
products.
We use pure Vanilla extractives with organic rice polysaccharides to
bring out the best flavor
and aroma in our extract powder.
Our Vanilla extract is
extremely versatile in powder
form. It is gluten and alcohol free, and water soluble. Its airy
texture and light color make
it the perfect additive for baked good, chocolate, dairy and beverages.
It can even be used to
flavor edible lip balm.
If you are
looking to add Vanilla flavor
without discoloring your final product, our Vanilla
Extract Powder is for you. It is
a go to ingredient for producers of coffee creamer and
frosting. Increasingly
popular health and wellness brands reach for Vanilla
Extract Powder to add to
powdered drink supplement blends, granola, and healthy
snack bars for a subtle
natural sweetness.
Although there are several alternatives for
leaving Bali, media outlets made major news of
the brief closing of the island`s
international airport.
Despite the international fervor, business is operating
as normal. The government, good samaritans
and businesses are taking action to support those who
have been relocated outside of the eruption
zone. Tourists and residents are kept up to date on the
latest news and safety information. At our
Bali headquarters we have established safety procedures
and a contingency plan for our staff and
factory during this time.
For many residents of Indonesia, volcanic eruption is not an uncommon
event. In Bali, Mount Agung holds extreme
spiritual significance as it is home to the Hindu deity Shiva.
Images of a local priest conducting a
ceremony atop the smoking mountain have gone viral. Of Bali`s 10,000
temples, the `Mother Temple` also known as
Pura Besakih, is located on Mount Agung. Its eruption signifies
cleansing and a display of godly power.
Last
November, Tripper headed to
Food Ingredients Europe in Frankfurt.
We had more visitors than when we previously attended
the event two years ago
in Paris.
Some of the attendees were surprised to learn of Indonesian
Vanilla
production. We were happy to let them know that Madagascar is not
the only quality Vanilla
producer around. Our extract powders generated a lot of interest and
the cookies we brought
along, made from our premium Moringa
Extract Powder,
disappeared
quickly.
A big thank you
to everyone who took the
time to stop by our booth.
