Making ice cream involves using a fair bit of sugar, so naturally it’s important that the sugar used in Made Fair is fair to the people who grow it and fair to the environment that supports it.  Our sugar comes from Paraguay from a company called Azucarera Iturbe S.A. (AISA).  Around 900 independent sugar cane growers supply organic raw cane which is processed by AISA to create organic sugar of the highest quality. 

Making a difference

Producing fairly traded organic sugar is a complex process that involves the whole productive community – hundreds of independent sugar cane producers, hundreds of workers and service providers as well as the company responsible for the whole system.  

The organic production in Iturbe is a good example of sustainable development.  Hundreds of sugar cane producers of small and medium scale dedicate themselves not only to this main crop, but also other crops that are used for direct consumption.  These producers generally employ traditional methods of agriculture that have been inherited from their ancestors as a part of their culture and tradition.  

Through the long term relationship with these farmers that AISA has established, the farmers are open to new ideas to evolve their production techniques, preserving the best of their traditional agriculture whilst incorporating new and innovative advances in organic production.  

AISA also undertakes reforestation and general environmental maintenance programmes as well as educating everyone in area of influence about the importance of environmental management.  As a permanent project the company also funds the education of hundreds of children in area.