Issue 1   < Cover page TOP STORY & ANALYSIS In NPD, More Is More FMCG NEWS UPDATE Supermarket Labelling Misleading Co-Op CEO Targets Big Four Divine Chocolate MD Honoured In New Year's List Nestle's Mantra Remains Onwards And Upwards Food Factories To Close Down The Aisle... Birds Eye's Profits Up Out To Launch... Wosits New Flavour Supermarket News... Every Little Bit Helps- Tesco's Price Cuts Beverage Bulletin... GlenDronach Distillery Defies Economic Downturn Healthy New Year! RETAIL Up The High Street... M&S To Close Stores Green Room... Reckitt Benckiser Launches Major Carbon Initiative MARKETING Sales & Marketing... Brains Need Water From Britvic Movers & Groovers... New Marketing Director For Whyte & Mackay CLICK AWAY Internet Retailing... John Lewis Traffic Was Up 12 Times TRENDS Consumer Trends For 2009 TEA BREAK We have smirnoff , why Siamease twins came to the UK and why why why ??  [FULL STORY]   Video Of The Week Animation   EXTRAS Feedback Send to a colleague Unsubscribe SUBSCRIBE Email Address: First Name: Last Name: Title: Company: Add Remove Send As HTML SEARCH Search for articles containing: PRIVACY STATEMENT Privacy Statement ARCHIVE Issue 71 December 17, 2008 Vol. 1 Issue 70 December 10, 2008 Vol. 1 Issue 69 December 3, 2008 Vol. 1 Issue 68 November 26, 2008 Vol. 1 Issue 67 November 19, 2008 Vol. 1 Issue 66 November 12, 2008 Vol. 1 Issue 65 November 5, 2008 Vol. 1 Issue 64 October 29, 2008 Vol. 1 Issue 63 October 22, 2008 Vol. 1 Issue 62 October 15, 2008 Vol. 1 Issue 61 October 8, 2008 Vol. 1 Issue 60 October 1, 2008 Vol. 1 Issue 59 September 23, 2008 Vol. 1 Issue 58 September 17, 2008 Vol. 1 Issue 57 September 10, 2008 Vol. 1 Issue56 September 3, 2008 Vol. 1 Issue 55 August 27, 2008 Vol. 1 Issue 54 August 20, 2008 Vol. 1 Issue 28 Issue 53 August 13, 2008 Vol. 1 Issue 52 August 6, 2008 Vol. 1 Issue 26 Issue 51 July 30, 2008 Vol. 1 Issue 25 Issue 50 July 23, 2008 Vol. 1 Issue 24 Issue 49 July 16, 2008 Vol. 1 Issue 23 Issue 48 July 9, 2008 Vol. 1 Issue 47 June 27, 2008 Vol. 1 Issue 21 Issue 46 June 25, 2008 Vol. 1 Issue 24 Issue 45 June 18, 2008 Vol. 1 Issue 23 Issue 44 June 11, 2008 Vol. 1 Issue 43 June 4, 2008 Vol. 1 Issue 42 May 28, 2008 Vol. 1 Issue 41 May 21, 2008 Vol. 1 Issue 40 May 14, 2008 Vol. 1 Issue 40 Issue 39 May 7, 2008 Vol. 1 Issue 39 Issue 38 April 29, 2008 Vol. 1 Issue 38 Issue 37 April 23, 2008 Vol. 1 Issue 37 Issue 1   June 14, 2011 Divine Chocolate MD Honoured In New Year's List Sophi Tranchell started Divine Chocolates in 1999 Sophi Tranchell, Managing Director of the leading Fairtrade chocolate company, Divine Chocolate Ltd, has been awarded an MBE in the Prime Minister’s New Year’s Honours List for service to the food industry.  Sophi has led Divine from a under-capitalised idealistic start up in 1999 to today’s status as a mainstream and popular Fairtrade brand with £12m turnover, and profits shared by the Ghanaian cocoa farmers’ cooperative, Kuapa Kokoo, which owns 45% of the company. As well as expertly leading a small dynamic team which has consistently punched above its weight, Tranchell has ensured that Divine presented a challenge to the chocolate industry, proving it was possible to run a successful large scale business with a more equitable and empowering trading relationship with the growers at the start of the supply chain. Sophi is delighted that this recognition will mean more people hear about and discover Divine, and through it – an alternative way to do business. “It is great to be acknowledged for doing something you love,” she says. “Working for the farmers of Kuapa Kokoo has been a privilege but it has also been a constant inspiration to see chocolate lovers here respond to Divine and the farmer-owned Fairtrade proposition. Growing a business in such a competitive environment can be tough – but chocolate invariably makes people smile – and we offer a very big reason to smile.” She adds, “In this challenging economic climate I hope that the success of mission-driven companies like Divine heralds a new era of businesses where decision-making and money ends up in the hands of the many, not of the few.” Throughout her time at Divine Chocolate, Sophi has persuaded banks, faith groups, NGOs, retailers, MPs and thousands of consumers who have heard her speak passionately about Fairtrade, to support and get behind her vision – and be part of a worldwide movement for change. She oversaw a ground-breaking deal with the Co-op which saw all the supermarket’s own-label chocolate converting to Fairtrade, supplied by Divine, and agreements with all the major supermarkets to stock Divine products. She was also behind the launch of Divine Chocolate Inc in the USA in February 2007, and that year was particularly delighted to see Kuapa Kokoo receive its first Dividend cheque as Divine paid off all its loans.  Sophi has always been driven by the compulsion that “when you see something that is wrong, you have to do your best to make it right” and has put her boundless energy, commitment and good humour into changing the way trade with farmers in developing countries is done. Throughout she has considered it an enormous privilege to have been able to work for the 45000 farmers of Kuapa Kokoo who have created such a thriving and dynamic democratically run cooperative. Divine Chocolate is celebrating its first Decade, and remembering and thanking all those that helped Divine be a success has given the company a big boost to take on the next ten years of growth. Divine continues to aim to get more products, to more people, in more sectors and territories.  Sophi was announced First Woman of Retail and Property and the First Woman awards in 2006, led Divine to win Best Social Enterprise 2007 and Observer Best Ethical Business 2008, is co-chair of Social Enterprise London (SEL) and is on the Council for Social Action, set up by the Cabinet Office of the Third Sector. Prior to joining Divine Sophi was Managing Director of art film distributors Metro Tartan. She has always fought for human rights issues. She is married with two children and lives in London. [PRINTER FRIENDLY VERSION] Published by diane@emailgatherers.co.uk - FMCGenews Copyright © 2009 FMCG. All rights reserved.

Created with Newsweaver