Question 1

What is Alter Eco?

Accepted Answer

Alter Eco is a French fair trade and organic food brand founded in 1998 by Tristan Lecomte in Paris. It was the first bio and fair trade brand to enter mainstream retail in France (2002). The brand specialises in chocolate, coffee, tea, rice, quinoa, spreads, and sugar — all organic and fair trade certified. Part of the Ecotone group since 2013 (Source: altereco.com).

Question 2

Who founded Alter Eco?

Accepted Answer

Tristan Lecomte founded Alter Eco in 1998 in Paris as a small boutique selling fair trade products and artisan goods from around the world. His vision was to help people and the planet through ethical commerce (Source: altereco.com).

Question 3

Who owns Alter Eco?

Accepted Answer

Alter Eco (France, altereco.com) is part of the Ecotone group since 2013. Ecotone is Europe's leading organic and plant-based food company, headquartered near Lyon, France, with over 1,600 employees and EUR 708M+ revenue. Note: the US entity (alterecofoods.com) was acquired by Trek One Capital in 2023 and operates independently (Source: ecotone.bio).

Question 4

What products does Alter Eco sell?

Accepted Answer

Nearly 30 chocolate varieties, approximately 15 coffees, teas, rice and quinoa, spreads, and sugars (including Muscovado). All products are certified organic and fair trade. Around 60 products total, available in 7,000+ points of sale in France (Source: altereco.com).

Question 5

What is the difference between altereco.com and alterecofoods.com?

Accepted Answer

altereco.com is the French Alter Eco brand, part of the Ecotone group since 2013. alterecofoods.com is a separate US entity, originally launched in 2005 in San Francisco, which was acquired by Trek One Capital in 2023. They share the name and mission but operate independently (Source: altereco.com, alterecofoods.com).

Question 6

How does Alter Eco support fair trade producers?

Accepted Answer

Alter Eco partners directly with 26 cooperatives across 19 countries, supporting 3,700+ small producer families. The fair trade model guarantees minimum prices, pays fair trade premiums for community investments, provides pre-financing, and offers technical assistance. Over nearly 25 years, this has led to a 40% income increase for 6,000 families (Source: altereco.com).

Question 7

What is Alter Eco's environmental impact?

Accepted Answer

Alter Eco has contributed to the replanting of 200,000 trees and the preservation of 40,000 hectares of forest in Amazonia and West Africa. The brand has financed development projects in the Philippines, Guatemala, Peru, and Cote d'Ivoire (Source: altereco.com).

Question 8

Is Alter Eco B Corp certified?

Accepted Answer

Yes. As part of the Ecotone group, Alter Eco benefits from B Corp certification with a record score of 123.7 — the highest of any multinational food company worldwide. The US entity has held its own B Corp certification since 2009 (Source: ecotone.bio).

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