OLD - Our Partners

Our partners give our mission legs to stand, and their values are aligned with our own.  The entire concept of Fair Trade is to empower farmers to thrive in doing what they love, all while earning a living.  Similarly, we believe that our partners empower us to make an impact in the world through nutritional health.
Read on to see why we chose our partners, what they're doing for the world, and what purposes drive them forward.

Blue Sky Hemp Ventures

Our Canadian roots are proud to have a Canadian farmer-supplier represent the majority of the volume in our Organic Hemp Protein Powder.  Based in Saskatoon, Canada, Blue Sky Hemp Ventures (BSHV) is revolutionizing the way the hemp industry operates.  Through whole-plant utilization, a robust farmer-partner ownership model, and their advanced FieldAlytics software, BSHV represents the values we hold dear at 4VIDA.

Through partnership with them, we hope to achieve Goals X, Y, and Z, and we are looking at Possibilities A, B, and C.

Check out their story and initiatives here!

Cyanotech

A key ingredient in our Organic Hemp Protein Powder is spirulina, a dark green algae that provides a plethora of benefits, including eyes & brain health, cardiovascular health, overall cellular health, as well as immune system support. 

Cyanotech also provides our BioAstin Astaxanthin (pronounced "asta-zan-thin") - a carotenoid found in microalgae.  This powerful antioxidant improves joint & tendon health, skin health & skin support during sun exposure, and recovery from strenuous exercise.

Our Kailua-Kona, Hawaii based partner is the only (verify) company producing such high quality algae ingredients.  This is the result of Hawaii receiving more sunlight than any other coastal region in the United States, and access to pure, fresh water from Hawaiian aquifers and deep ocean water as their growth media.

Learn more about their promise of whole health here!

Camino (La Siembra)

Our natural cocoa powder comes from a company who fully represents what it means to be Fair Trade, and they are Camino, who operates through their worker-owned cooperative La Siembra.  Camino works with 25 producer cooperatives, which in turn supports more than 47,500 family farmers across 14 countries.

With over 20 years of international cooperation experience, we trust La Siembra to provide us with 100% organic, 100% Fair Trade cocoa that goes the mile, literally and figuratively - from 1999 to 2019, Camino has made enough chocolate bars to form a line connecting Ottawa to Winnipeg (2000km+)!

As the experts, let La Siembra tell you what it means to be Fair Trade here!

 

Native Vanilla

Perhaps one of our favourite stories is that of Dan, the founder of Native Vanilla. 

Having grown up in Papua New Guinea (PNG) after immigrating from the USA at a young age, Dan learned the language and the culture of the local people he now calls family.  He eventually moved back to the America, established himself as an entrepreneur, and had a comfortable lifestyle.

During a leisure trip back to PNG, Dan discovered that the state of affairs for the farmers in his former home was quite dire.  Subject to the whims and moods of the local buyers, his PNG family and hometown were struggling to make ends meet.  So, Dan took it upon himself to sell his successful fintech business in America to found Native Vanilla.

The company is committed to the Fair Trade practice; which includes sharing profits with farmers, providing mobile buying hubs, and training farmers; and produces organic vanilla products of the highest quality.

We are proud to have them on board as a key partner of 4VIDA.

Read more about Dan's story and the beginning of Native Vanilla here!

Sweetly Stevia

Grown in Peru and manufactured in Brazil, our natural sweeteners are supplied by Sweetly Stevia, who is committed to providing a natural alternative to the myriad of overly processed artificial sweeteners that dominate the market today.

Everything made by Sweetly Stevia is free of warning labels - 100% organic, non-GMO, alcohol-free, and chemical-free products.  Additionally, the climate of the Peruvian region of San Martin provides the ideal growth conditions for their stevia; so you know you are supporting local farmers who are working with familiar crops.

Sweetly Stevia believes that the sharing of information and profits, as well as the improvement of local communities, is vital to their mission and holds these ideas as key values.  This belief is held throughout their international branches and gives us confidence that they are a powerful force, and a great partner, capable of effective positive change.

See for yourself the passion and care for they have for their mission here!