Equal Exchange has created Big Change since 1986. Our founders envisioned a food system that empowers farmers and consumers, supports small farmer co-ops, and uses sustainable farming methods. They started with fairly traded coffee from Nicaragua and didn't look back. Today, we continue to find new and powerful ways to build a better food system. We partner with co-operatives of farmers who provide high-quality organic coffees, teas, chocolates and snacks from all over the world, including here in the United States. We invite you to join us. Together we can create stronger local communities, a more just food system and a healthier planet.

The Flying Dog Legend begins in 1983, and like every good legend there are several versions of this tale. The villains of the peace in this story are two non-conformist, 'not likely to take it lying down' ranchers named George Stranahan and Richard McIntyre.As George tells it, he and 11 of his closest friends and family decided to embark on what they called an “amateur mountaineering expedition” to climb K2 in the Himalayas. Under-qualified and unprepared, they started their journey with a Sherpa, a donkey, and a suitcase full of contraband. Naturally, half way through the trip the contraband was gone and the Sherpa and donkey had run off, leaving George and his group to fend for themselves. Luckily, everyone managed to make it off the mountain alive, and with a new outlook on life.

Founder and CEO Rodger Rohde Sr. owns Triarco Industries, Inc. Triarco Industries manufactures all-natural specialty ingredients. They include botanicals, botanical extracts, enzymes, minerals, and teas in powdered, granulated, dry-blended, emulsified, liquid, agglomerated, and suspended forms. It sells branded products (Aminogen, Carbogen, Glycomaize) through retail outlets and as ingredients for companies in the food, nutraceutical, and pharmaceutical sectors. Triarco operates facilities for research and development, testing, processing, and quality control.

Georges Monin makes flavored syrups for use in foods and beverages. Established in 1912 in France and through three generations of the Monin family, Georges Monin company has produced syrup ingredients in a variety of flavors, including as strawberry, toffee nut gourmet, piña colada, watermelon, gingerbread, and white chocolate. In addition, Georges Monin company manufactures a line of flavored liqueurs and coffee and tea concentrates. With key operations in France and the US, Georges Monin's products are available in more than 22 countries.

Kraft Food Ingredients Corp. manufactures and supplies food ingredients for food manufacturers. Kraft Food company offers cheese solutions, such as pasteurized process, soft, and restricted melt cheeses, as well as cheese powders, dairy flavors, and cheese sauces; savory solutions, including pan dripping, roast, fried, sautéed, rotisserie, meat, and vegetarian flavors; and dessert and baked goods solutions comprising marshmallows, caramel, granolas, and crackers. Kraft Food also provides enhancers, such as barbeque sauces, mustards, and steak sauces, as well as salad dressings; and other ingredient solutions, including cereals, tapioca, meals, fat replacers, and non-fat dry milk alternates.

South Dakota Wheat Growers (SDWG) began as a state wheat pool in 1923. We have since grown into one of the most successful cooperatives in the United States. We’ve made sure this growth has not come at the expense of service or by discarding the core values established by our ‘founding farmers.’ South Dakota Wheat Growers (SDWG) is a grain and agronomy cooperative in the heart of the James River Valley of South and North Dakota. Owned by the customers it serves, Wheat Growers exists to provide value for customer owners from Interstate 90 to Interstate 94 and the Missouri River to Interstate 29.

Viskase Companies forces hot dogs, sausages, and salami to shape up and ship out. The company is one of the world's leading producers of non-edible cellulose casings used to manufacture sausage and hot dogs. Viskase's casings are sold under brand names such as NOJAX (skinless hot dogs have "no jackets"), VISFLEX, and VISMAX. The company also produces SEALFLEX SILVER heat-shrinkable plastic bags for the meat poultry, and cheese industries. In the non-food arena, Viskase makes MEMBRA-CEL for use in dialysis. Viskase has production facilities in Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Mexico, Poland, and the US. Billionaire and corporate raider Carl Icahn owns about 72% of Viskase.

Staple Cotton Cooperative Association was formed in 1921 in response to a major problem facing Mississippi Delta cotton producers: the chaotic system by which their crops were marketed. Known today as Staplcotn, the organization is the oldest as well as one of the largest cotton marketing cooperatives in the United States. Our mission is to enhance our members' incomes by providing cost-effective marketing, warehousing, financing and other authorized services in a manner that fosters their trust and confidence in the cooperative and meets exemplary standards of business and personal conduct. For more information on Staplcotn's history, please visit the Timeline (PDF) and 75 year history sections of this website. Staplcotn considers our producers as our most important assets. Along with Stapldiscount, we provide a range of services to our members including domestic and export marketing, cotton warehousing and agricultural financing. The Mill Sales Program offers a flexible range of options for Mid-South and Southeastern cotton producers to market their crop. Staplcotn and Stapldiscount seek to provide a cost effective, high return program for all members.

Chartwells Educational Dining Services is a foodservice operator for schools and universities. It offers a full menu of meal planning and catering services to satisfy the tastes and nutritional requirements of students in more than 500 public school districts. The higher education division provides dining services to more than 200 colleges and universities. In addition, its FLIK Independent Schools division serves more than 115 independent private schools and academies. Chartwells is a division of Compass Group USA, the North American operating unit of UK-based contract foodservices provider Compass Group.

Synutra International knows how to pack a nutritional punch -- and put it into a can. The company develops, manufactures, and sells enriched milk- and rice-powder products for infants and children. The company also makes powdered nutritional products for adults; however, most of the company's business comes from the sale of its infants' and children's powders. Synutra products are sold at more than 65,000 retail outlets located throughout mainland China. Chairman and CEO Liang Zhang owns 67% of the company.

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