Description
GEPA – The Fair Trade Company is a German fair trade importer founded in 1975 and based in Wuppertal. It sells coffee, tea, chocolate, honey, cocoa, sugar, spreads and handicrafts bought from producer cooperatives in Latin America, Africa and Asia.
It is a limited company owned only by church development and youth organisations: Misereor, Brot für die Welt, the Protestant and Catholic youth federations aej and BDKJ, and the Sternsinger children’s mission, as its articles require. In 2025 its turnover passed €100 million for the first time, with about 160 employees, and nearly 90 % of its food sales were organic. GEPA buys directly from producer organisations, keeps long partnerships (more than 30 years with Tea Promoters India) and pre-finances harvests on request; by its own account it often pays above Fairtrade prices.
Its products meet the Fairtrade standards, audited by FLOCERT, and many carry the Naturland Fair or EU organic labels. Since October 2026 GEPA has also been certified to the WFTO Fair Trade Standard. The “fair+” mark it used from 2011 is being dropped in 2026 because of new EU rules on sustainability claims. GEPA is sold in about 900 world shops (Weltläden), in organic shops, supermarkets and online.
Strengths
- Owned only by church development and youth organisations, as its articles require.
- Direct, long partnerships with producer cooperatives, with pre-financing on request.
- Nearly 90 % of food sales organic, sold in world shops, organic shops and supermarkets.
Weaknesses
- More expensive than conventional brands.
- Products travel far: buy them as a treat, not in bulk.
Who it is for
Coffee, tea and chocolate lovers who want growers to earn a living.
Sources
- GEPA: Wer wir sind, Gesellschafter, GEPA-Kriterien, Zahlen, Daten, Fakten, EmpCo (July 2026), Lieferketten, checked November 2026
- Wikipedia: GEPA – The Fair Trade Company