Ubuntu fair trade cola

Ubuntu is an African Philosophy derived from the Bantu languages, one which stands for the unity of humanity: it is to say that we are only as good as is the greater whole of our people. Ubuntu is also the name of the United Kingdom’s first fair-trade cola, one which is derived from fair trade sugar produced in Malawi.

Not only does Ubuntu give its sugar producers fair-trade prices, but the company also is involved in a profit sharing scheme with the Ubuntu Africa Programme that reinvests 15% of profit into Malawi development programmes.

On paper this scheme seems angelic, however It might be argued that Ubuntu, like many fair-trade companies, paint a skewed picture of their good deeds, perhaps exaggerating the extent to which profits are shared with producers. 15% is remotely small in comparison to the buying power that 1 pound yields in a country like Malawi. , Ubuntu only buys cane sugar from the Malawis, when the entire syrup could presumably be made and sold at a higher price than the sugar alone.

The Ubuntu cola recipe is a result of many tasings conducted throughout Birmingham and Manchester, and settled upon after arriving at a 70% approval rating. What distinguishes Ubuntu is its flavour: never before have you enjoyed so fresh a cola, probably because you haven’t tasted one made with fresh cane sugar. The refreshing burst of sweet and tang give you the sensation that this cola is good for you (which it is not), and not just the good of mankind.

Ubuntu is available at a limited number of retailers in the UK including Whole Foods.

http://www.ubuntu-trading.com

Author Mary Grace Wyville