Liberation nuts
Liberation: Fairtrade nut buyer in the UK
Liberation is one of Shared Interest’s longest-standing customers. Established in 2007, the business was founded on a different way of trading: one where farmers have a voice at the table, not just a product on the shelf.
Unlike most of our customers, Liberation is not a producer, but a buyer – a company that purchases directly from smallholder co-operatives and exports goods such as nuts, dried fruit and sesame oil to retailers and wholesalers around the world. Importantly, they also access markets that Shared Interest cannot currently serve due to legal and regulatory barriers, such as parts of Asia.
You can read more about Liberation in QR 137, QR 136, QR 135, QR 131, QR 126 and QR 121.
Image: An ensemble of Liberation's most popular products.
United in our commitment to farmers
While producers need finance to grow and harvest their crops, buyers need it to make timely payments and secure stock from their suppliers. For ethical buyers like Liberation, having access to affordable, flexible finance is what enables them to pay a good price - in good time.
Shared Interest has supported Liberation with Buyer Credit since 2007, helping the organisation to grow and build lasting relationships with producer organisations across Africa, Asia and Latin America.
As Managing Director Dan Binks explains:
“The co-operative gets the money that they need to buy nthe crop. And the co-operative gets that at the time that they need it.”
But this relationship is about more than just finance. Liberation and Shared Interest are strongly aligned in purpose, from their shared focus on trade justice to a deep-rooted belief in co-operative values. Liberation’s governance structure puts farmer voices at the heart of decision-making; a model that firmly represents Shared Interest’s commitment to empowerment, accountability and fairness.
Whether supporting women to start businesses in Nicaragua, or investing in agroforestry systems in Malawi, Liberation’s work is grounded in the same inclusive, innovative approach that guides Shared Interest’s lending.
You can learn more about Liberation and the impact of our members' investments on the organisation, in our Liberation Impact Study here.
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