December 2008 Newsletter
Zaytoun on December 3rd, 2008Dear Zaytoun customers and supporters,
Zaytoun would like to wish all our distributors, customers and supporters a very Merry Christmas and Happy Eid and we’d like to thank you for all your hard work and support over the year.
December sale offer on organic oil and dates
Special offer for December:
Organic Olive Oil: 50% off (this applies to Sindyanna and PARC organic oil)
Dates: 40% off
The sale is on stock BBE December 2008 and only applies to orders over £550.
Product Feature: Zaytoun Cous cous
Hand-made… Award-winning… Women’s income generating… Totally Palestinian Cous cous…
Zaytoun’s cous cous (maftoul in Arabic) is a delicious large grain, hand-rolled product. To read more about why Zaytoun’s cous cous in now ‘Totally Palestinian’ click here: www.zaytoun.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/cous-cous2.pdf
If like many of us in-experienced cooks you have yet to make the most of your cous cous in the kitchen, check out a recent piece by Nigel Slater in The Observer, where he gets the tastebuds going: “…imagine couscous but juicy and more interesting in the mouth. Little pearls of starch that soak up flavours, such as garlic and olive oil. It isn’t the easiest ingredient to get your hands on at present…but can be found in Middle Eastern grocers, usually next to traditional couscous.” Nigel goes on to provide what looks to be a delicious recipe for ‘Mograbiah’ known as ‘pearl couscous’ – see: www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2008/sep/07/foodanddrink
Fairtrade Certification and Fairtrade Fortnight
The Fairtrade Labelling Organisation (FLO) is currently in Palestine conducting a second round of inspections for some farmer cooperatives and the first round for others. We will bring you an update on the certification process in the next newsletter. The Palestinian olive oil is still set to be the first olive oil which will be FLO certified. 2009 will see the launch of Palestine as a country and the olive oil and olives as products under the FLO certification and will really boost the market access for Palestinian farmers.
Zaytoun is planning to host a couple of producers from Palestine for Fairtrade Fortnight, 23rd February – 8th March 2009. If you would like to have a meeting in your local area please do get in touch.
Product Update: Olives
Zaytoun are pleased to report that one of our newer products, the green and black olives, have been very popular with customers and we have now sold out. We are expecting out next order in late February.
Featured sellers - Essential Wholefoods
Essential have been a long-term customer of ours, and have even sent a football team out to Palestine! They are a great wholefood wholesalers - for further info about the areas they distribute please see our sellers page.
Although they don’t yet carry our full range, they are planning to relaunch Zaytoun products in their spring catalogue. Until then they do hold stocks of green and black olives for which Zaytoun is now out of stock in our own warehouse, as well as 500ml olive oil and some stocks of Canaan-labelled almonds, couscous, dates and tahini. Their minimum order for delivery is between £150 and £250, depending on location. To open an account and order from them, call 0117 943 0812 or see www.essential-trading.co.uk.
Traidcraft
Just to let customers know Traidcraft are selling mixed cases of black and green olives and sundried tomatoes available here www.traidcraftshop.co.uk/p-9010-zaytoun-olives-and-sundried-tomato-mixed-case-6.aspx
as well as organic olive oil 500ml available here www.traidcraftshop.co.uk/p-8125-zaytoun-fair-trade-olive-oil-6×500ml.aspx
New distributors and shops
Many thanks to all our distributors who are vital contributors to Zaytoun’s success. Please see details of some of our new distributors and shops below and for a full list of distributors in the UK please see our website www.zaytoun.org/sellers
Claudine McCreadie, Kew TW9 3BT dandcmcc@googlemail.com
Jenny Wistreich, Seaford BN251TH jenwist@mac.com
Windmill Hill Shop, Bristol BS3 4EA 0117 963 3233
My Time Shop, Dartington, Devon TQ9 6TQ 01803 847510
Ian Cavell, Norwich ian_cavell@yahoo.co.uk
Visits to Palestine
Zaytoun are pleased to have completed two successful trips to Palestine in October and November. October saw our harvest team assisting farmers as they do every year, in the West Bank olive groves and in November Zaytoun distributors and supporters toured the West Bank to understand more about the situation on the ground and what they can do to make a difference.
A selection of photos from our 2008 harvest team who were in villages in the Nablus and Salfit districts this year, can be found at www.simulacrum.org.uk/plogger
For more info see our journal page which also includes:
On Radio 4’s Excess Baggage on 22 November, Raja Shehadeh was interviewed about his book Palestinian Walks. See below to download an MP3 of this interview www.simulacrum.org.uk/Excess Baggage 2008-11-22 Raja Shehadeh - Palestinian Walks.mp3
Upcoming Events
Zaytoun is planning to have a presence at many events this December, including those listed below.
If you are planning a stall to sell Zaytoun produce at an upcoming event be sure to email us on contact@zaytoun.org so we can include the event in our newsletter.
Upcoming events are:
The 2008 Fair Trade Fair
Saturday & Sunday 13th & 14th December 2008
12 noon to 6pm
Central Hall Westminster, Parliament Square, London SW1
The Ethical Fayre at Canning House
Thursday 18th December 2008
4pm to 8:30pm
2 Belgrave Square, London SW1X 8PJ
Latest products and prices
For our latest products and prices see www.zaytoun.org/products
Thanks for your ongoing support,
ZAYTOUN CIC - fairly traded produce from Palestine
