Pirkka range has made Fairtrade available to consumers throughout Finland

The Association for Promoting Fairtrade in Finland gives annual recognition to the trading sector and non-governmental parties which have contributed to promoting Fairtrade activities. The 2008 Fairtrade prize was given to Kesko Food whose Pirkka range has made Fairtrade available to consumers throughout Finland.

"Last year, as many as 94,000 small farmers with their families and workers in 27 countries benefited from the Fairtrade products sold by K-stores. This year, Kesko Food's determined work to widen the range of Fairtrade goods and to develop new Pirkka Fairtrade products has further increased the number of people benefiting from collaboration," says Tuulia Syvänen, Executive Director of the Association for Promoting Fairtrade in Finland.

Among nation-wide store chains, K-food stores offer the widest selection of Fairtrade certified products in Finland: more than 120 Fairtrade products, of which 16 belong to the Pirkka range. The number of products has increased fast, as at the beginning of 2008 the selection consisted of 64 product names, of which 8 were Pirkka products.

"We are actively looking for new Fairtrade goods, and they are particularly suitable for the Pirkka range. According to the survey conducted by TNS Gallup, the purchase threshold for Fairtrade products decreases if the product in question is Pirkka. The reason is that Pirkka products are considered reliable and constantly low-priced," says Minna Kurunsaari, Vice President, Commerce.

The Pirkka range has also been a pioneer in the field of the so-called combination Fairtrade products in Finland. Pirkka yogurt, which combines Fairtrade ingredients and Finnish work, was launched in autumn. Pirkka spelt biscuits, made of Fairtrade ingredients, were introduced to K-food stores at the beginning of December.

Photos of Pirkka Fairtrade products can be downloaded at http://aineistopankki.kesko.fi/kesko_en.

Further information:
Minna Kurunsaari, Vice President, Commerce, Kesko Food Ltd, tel. +358 1053 28900
Tuulia Syvänen, Executive Director, Association for Promoting Fairtrade in Finland, tel. +358 44 287 5400

Kesko (www.kesko.fi) is a retail specialist whose stores offer quality to the daily lives of consumers. Kesko has about 2,000 stores engaged in chain operations inthe Nordic and Baltic countries, Russia, and Belarus. Kesko Food is part of the Kesko Group.