M&S is one of Kenya’s largest tea and coffee retailers. It was the first major retailer to switch all its tea and coffee to Fairtrade back in 2006 and has continued to strengthen relationships with its Kenyan suppliers across the world, to ensure that farmers are paid a fair price for their crop.
M&S is also the first retailer in the world to launch a Kenyan tea that’s packed by the smallholders who grow it. M&S and its Fairtrade tea supplier, Iri-iani, have been working on the project since 2010 with the aim of adding value to the Kenyan tea crop. By providing funds, education and expert advice, M&S has helped the Kenyan farmers acquire the skills and technical knowledge to not only grow, but also package their tea.
In September 2013 the chairman of Marks & Spencers, Robert Swannell, visited Kenya. Arete was asked to produce a short film that showed M&S’s investment in Kenya and the community projects they invest in.
Arete made a short film documenting the Tea project, as well as producing a series of photographs on both their tea and coffee production that has been used for marketing and publicity purposes. An article was also written for Msafiri – Kenya Airways’ inflight magazine.
ClientMarks and SpencerServicesVideo production and photographyYear2017Linkwww.marksandspencer.com
