Alter Eco, which was first incorporated in 1999, achieved total 2004 sales of ¤5.4 million. Portraying itself as the French leader in fair trade food products such as coffee, tea, chocolate, olive oil and fruit juice, the company markets all of its products through France's large retail chains, including Monoprix, Leclerc, ATAC and Système U. Fair trade is a form of international trade in which importers from developed countries work with groups of small disadvantaged growers from the Global South so as to build trade relations that are fair and solidaristic, thereby maximising potential outlets and revenues for such producers and helping them to develop in a sustainable manner. Alter Eco has significantly contributed to develop fair trade by making products available in large retail chains. To do so, they have always set low selling prices while paying high purchase premiums to Great South producers. In a context where retailers launch their own fair trade labels, will Alter Eco be able to sustain their business model, develop their presence in supermarkets and internationalise their activity ?