Meet our fellow B Corp, Equifruit

At Agilité, one of our favourite things about being a B Corp is the community it connects us to – and that community is truly global. This month, we’re crossing the Atlantic to introduce Equifruit, North America’s leading Fairtrade banana importer and marketer.  

Women-owned, B Corp certified, and 20 years into a mission to make the banana trade fair for everyone – especially the farmers – Equifruit is bold, passionate, and proudly describes its team as ‘Banana Badasses’. We caught up with to Jennie Coleman, president and co-owner of Equifruit, to find out a little bit more…

For readers who might not know you yet, tell us – in a nutshell — who you are, what you do, and what makes your business unique? 

Equifruit is North America’s leading Fairtrade banana importer and marketer. We’re Banana Badasses, aka diehard believers in ethical fruit sourcing, especially when it comes to bananas. For the last 20 years we’ve been on a mission to right the wrongs of banana business history by making it fair from the start, especially for farmers. Equifruit is a triple threat: 100% Fairtrade, B Corp certified, and women-owned, and is fast becoming a produce aisle sweetheart.  

What inspired you to pursue B Corp certification, and what does being part of the community mean to your organisation? 

We had been thinking about B Corp certification for many years before we started the application process. We were interested in the certification because it offers a powerful way for us to express our values as a business, which transcend our product category or industry. The B Corp certification is widely recognised and respected, and it serves as a kind of shorthand for the commitments that we’ve made as a business. 

Strategically, B Corp certification helps us to further build trust, adding a layer of credibility when we’re building new relationships. Becoming a B Corp has enabled Equifruit to join a global community of businesses that share our values and are committed to using business as a force for good. 

Certification isn’t the end point – it’s the beginning of continuous improvement. How do you approach that in your business operations? 

Pursuing B Corp certification has helped us put systems in place to track and improve in areas like our climate footprint, employee experience, and governance. We see it as a tool for continuous improvement, and it has helped us identify areas where we can do better. It also adds legal accountability to our commitment to purpose beyond profit.  

What’s one initiative, project, or policy you’re especially proud of that’s helping to create a more sustainable or equitable business? 

The B Corp certification process really pushed us to evolve and strengthen several areas of our business. Thanks to the certification process, we developed a formal Mission Statement and Equifruit has legally embedded our values into the business structure through a mission lock. This means that whatever happens, Equifruit’s core commitments and values will remain at the heart of the business. The B Corp process has challenged us to put real structure, accountability and reporting behind everything we do.  

Have you faced any challenges on your sustainability journey, and how have you overcome them? 

One of our biggest takeaways has been the importance of formalising policies and processes as we grow. While we’ve always been transparent internally, the B Corp process helped us recognise the need for structure – from onboarding and governance to environmental practices – to scale sustainably. 

Looking ahead, what’s one area of focus or innovation you’re excited about for the future of your business? 

We’re currently exploring recyclable band options for our Fairtrade organic bananas, which we’re super excited about.  

Collaboration is key in driving change. Are there any partnerships, campaigns, or communities that have been particularly valuable for you? 

Being part of the B Corp community has been very positive for Equifruit. The sense of camaraderie amongst B Corps is strong. We’ve leaned on the community through the B Hive platform for recommendations, resources, and advice, and we’ve found other B Corps to be generous and responsive. There’s no sense of competition, just a genuine willingness to share knowledge and offer help. 

As a women-led brand, we value opportunities to collaborate with and build connections with other women-led brands. For International Women’s Day last year, we did a collab with another Quebec-based women-led brand, Les Filles Fattoush, who offer work opportunities to Syrian refugee women here in Quebec and produce delicious Syrian staples like pita chips and spices. 

What other organisations/B Corps do you admire, and why? 

We’re big fan girls of Tony’s Chocolonely. Delicious, ethically sourced chocolate? That’s Fairtrade AND B Corp certified? It’s a big yes from us!  

If another company is considering becoming a B Corp, what advice would you give them before starting the process? 

Ask yourself why you want to become a B Corp. If you’re looking for a quick fix to stick a sustainability logo on your products, then you’re not going to get very far with B Corp. It’s a rigorous, time-intensive application process, that requires you to think deeply about your business practices and examine all areas of your business. When considering becoming a B Corp, you should be fully committed to business as a force for good and ready to lock this into the fabric of your business. 

And finally, what does being a “better business” mean to you personally? 

At Equifruit, we often talk about purpose over profit. This means that everything we do is driven by the knowledge that selling more Fairtrade bananas ultimately creates more positive impact for our banana grower partners, through fair wages and the Fairtrade Standards. We’re showing the world how to do banana business the right way, with fairness and transparency right from the start.   

Thank you to the team at Equifruit for sharing their story with us. Twenty years of fighting for a fairer banana trade — we think that’s worth celebrating. To find out more, visit equifruit.com or connect with the team on LinkedIn.