Coffee, tea, cocoa
FAIRTRADE
FAIRTRADE is an independent initiative for the promotion of fair trade in the one world. The organisation is the oldest and most internationally renowned of its kind. FAIRTRADE aims at improving living and working conditions for disadvantaged producers in the Global South. Over 1.9 million producers in 72 countries already benefit from fair trade. They also have a 50 per cent stake in the FAIRTRADE system - which makes them active and shapers of equal rights.
The non-profit organisation FAIRTRADE Germany is responsible for products on the German market. It awards the seal to products that meet the international FAIRTRADE standards. For example, these prohibit child labour, stipulate sustainable cultivation and guarantee support for producers via local Fairtrade producer networks in addition to minimum prices and premiums.
The label owner and standard setter is the umbrella organisation FAIRTRADE International in Bonn, which was founded in 1997. Compliance with the standards is verified by the recognised certification company, FLOCERT. By purchasing FAIRTRADE products, consumers can make a direct difference and support small farmers and workers on plantations.
ZHG and FAIRTRADE are already licence partners and the ZHG range already includes a number of FAIRTRADE products in the cocoa and coffee segment, including various breakfast cereals, muesli bars and coffee beans. The focus will continue to be on the expansion of the product range.
Rainforest Alliance
The Rainforest Alliance seal with the green or black frog stands for a better future for people and nature. Human rights must be respected on certified farms - they should be a safe place to work and live for all employees. The producers are given special training on topics such as gender equality and the avoidance of child labour and discrimination.
The Rainforest Alliance is committed to improving the living conditions of farm owners and workers, for example by supporting producers in more sustainable cultivation methods.
As a result, they achieve higher crop yields, have lower costs and are better able to adapt to the consequences of the climate crisis. Certified producers also actively contribute to environmental protection, e.g. by using natural resources sparingly, using less artificial fertiliser and pesticides and avoiding waste. They are also given training on how to preserve protected forest areas and thus biodiversity.
More about rainforest alliance
The ZHG product range includes a number of Fairtrade-certified products in the cocoa category, including breakfast cereals, cereal bars, and one variety of coffee beans. In these products, a Fairtrade sourcing programme, such as the Fairtrade Cocoa Program, is typically used to certify cocoa as an ingredient within the product.
Cocoa: Of our 122 products containing cocoa ingredients, 61.5% are Rainforest Alliance Certified (RFA) and an additional 38.5% are Fairtrade certified, resulting in a certification rate of 100% across our cocoa product range. In 2025, approximately 138.6 tonnes of Fairtrade cocoa were used in our private label products (2024: 71.5 tonnes). We expanded the number of Fairtrade-certified products to 47, nearly quadrupling the portfolio.
Tea: Since 2023, all of our teas and products containing tea ingredients (13 products) have been Rainforest Alliance Certified (RFA).
Coffee: One variety of coffee beans is certified according to both Fairtrade and Organic standards. Of the remaining 21 coffee products, 52.4% carry the Rainforest Alliance seal. The availability of Rainforest Alliance-certified Robusta coffee is currently limited due to crop failures affecting harvest yields.