About us & our Fair Trade story

Turqle UK's parent is Turqle Trading in Cape Town in South Africa.

Turqle has been trading since 1997. In the first 15 years we only exported to the mainly Fair Trade markets in Europe, and lately have started branching out into local on-line stores.

Turqle develops the concepts, the recipes and the labels and takes care of the Fair Trade conversation. Products are manufactured at various factories from Wellington and Malmesbury, through to Montague Gardens and Westlake.

Cape Treasures is our own brand and we are brand-guardians to Ukuva iAfrica.

All the salt we use come from Khoisan Natural Salt in Veldrift and although the pepper and some of the spices are imported (spices do not grow in South Africa), we aim to procure local raw materials, bottles, caps, labels, boxes etc.

Most of the products are exported - Europe, Australia - some to the USA and the UK - all the food safety standards are in line with the regulations in the importing countries.

Ultimately the food story is 'taste happiness first'... we believe we're putting the best, most flavoursome products out there - if you're not happy with your purchases, we'll replace or refund - whichever you prefer!

About Fair Trade... 

Turqle Trading is a Fair Trade Food company. This shop is about the FOOD story - with a little 'side' of the Fair Trade story. Here's an "amuse-bouche":

Logo of World Fair Trade Organisation (WFTO)

The World Fair Trade Organisation (WFTO) Guarantees that Turqle Trading is a Fair Trade Organisation. Turqle is also certified by Fairtrade International as a Licensee and a Trader in Wine Grapes and Herbs & Spices. Fair for Life (IMO) has also certified Turqle as a handler of fair trade ingredients.
Apart from the Fairtrade premium that is paid to the black pepper producers in India and the grape farmer in South Africa, Turqle pays 2,5% of the FOB price of every product sold, to the Fair Trade Trust. This money is used for the education of the workers and their children. Ukuva Switzerland and El Puente in Germany also contribute to the Fair Trade Trust.
Turqle further commits a significant amount (roughly 25%) of management time to WFTO - both globally and particularly in Africa and Southern Africa. Turqle is not a non-profit organisation - we aim for a balanced bottom-line: transparency, accountability and sustainable fair trade - people, products, planet = prosperity.
Need more info?  www.turqle.com

Now go shop - its delicious happy-food fun!