This paper critically examines the discourse surrounding fair trade mainstreaming, and discusses the potential avenues for the future of the social movement. The authors have a unique insight into the fair trade market having a combined experience of over 30 years in practice and 15 as fair trade scholars. The paper highlights a number of benefits of mainstreaming, not least the continued growth of the global fair trade market (tipped to top $7bn in 2012). However, the paper also highlights the negative consequences of mainstreaming on the long-term viability of fair trade as a credible ethical standard.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to further develop the recent discourse surrounding the mainstreaming of fairtrade (FT) products, particularly the concepts of “radical mainstreaming”, “clean‐wash” and “the Alternative High Street”. The research investigates the pros and cons of mainstreaming FT in the concentrated UK retail sector via the exemplar of The Day Chocolate Company.Design/methodology/approachThe paper draws on a longitudinal case study of one of the original “trail blazers” for FT in the mainstream, the 100 per cent FT social enterprise, The Day Chocolate Company (Day). The authors possess special insight to this pioneering FT model due to their unique experience of working at Day and the lead author's research, which includes findings from a series of in depth semi‐structured interviews with key informants.FindingsWith particular reference to the concepts Clean‐wash/ “Fair Trade Lite” the paper critically analyses the advantages and disadvantages of mainstreaming FT. The paper demonstrates how radical mainstreaming by 100 per cent FT companies can actually strengthen the transformative message of FT and not undermine the original ethical interest. Their ability to communicate a more complex deep message to a wider audience via unique FT brands allows radical mainstreaming companies to raise the bar and avoid the dangers of Clean‐wash. Finally the paper illustrates the significance of the Alternative High Street for radical mainstreaming companies.Research limitations/implicationsThe radical mainstreaming innovation in the paper demonstrates the value of intangibles such as relationships and networks. This means companies such as Day, could be better positioned than their private sector rivals to take advantage of the new dominant logic of marketing as it uses more operant resources to co‐create value between producers, retailers and consumers. Further research will investigate in more depth the nature of those operant resources.Originality/valueThis paper will be of interest to all key stakeholders within the FT movement including marketing professionals and other “values‐driven organisations” such as social enterprises. This research shows that sales in the UK mainstream retail market are not enough in maintaining the original ethical interests of FT; you need business models such as Day, that share power and value added between Southern and Northern partners. Further development of such radical mainstreaming business models is key to strengthening both sales and the original transformative message of FT.

This paper explores the experience of The Day Chocolate Company (Day) in connecting small-scale cocoa farmers more directly into global markets by making the farmers significant shareholders, and therefore equity owners, within this fair trade company. It examines how Day combines both social and business goals, thus providing an alternative model to conventional international trade. The paper investigates the positive impacts that this unique fair trade model has achieved on Kuapa Kokoo (Kuapa) members in Ghana from the Fairtrade relationship coupled with the equity stake and explores how Day has achieved its business goals in what is a highly competitive UK chocolate market. Further, it explores the challenges the company has faced and the lessons learnt over the past six years. Overall, the paper concludes that Day could not have been successful in meeting its objectives without cocoa farmer ownership being at the centre of the brand. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment.