Event Overview Pal System Yamanashi Nagano will hold a cooking event featuring fair trade 'Muscovado sugar' from 10:30 to 13:00 on May 27 (Wed) at its Kai Center in Kai City, Yamanashi Prefecture. In addition to recipes, the event will share the background of how former sugarcane plantation workers on Negros Island in the Philippines organize collectively for production.

Muscovado Sugar: Rich Depth The sugar used will be Muscovado sugar handled by Alter Trade Japan (ATJ). After harvest, the sugarcane is quickly pressed to maintain its sugar content and slowly boiled down, preserving its minerals and flavor. It offers a rich, deep, and clean sweetness, making it perfect for Japanese cuisine.

Cooking Event Participants will prepare four dishes: 'Miso-minced meat,' 'Green beans with sesame dressing,' 'Cherry tomato pickles,' and 'Homemade ginger ale.' Members of the 'Fair Trade Supporter' group will teach the recipes. An ATJ representative will explain the history of 'people-to-people trade' (minshu-koeki), where consumers and producers support each other.

Background: Collaboration on the 'Sugar Island' The trade of Muscovado sugar began following a famine among sugarcane plantation workers on Negros Island in the 1980s. When global sugar prices crashed, plantation owners stopped planting, leaving workers without income. To survive, producer associations were formed to establish self-sufficiency and independent distribution channels. Pal System Yamanashi Nagano remains committed to sharing the social issues behind its products to promote sustainable production and consumption.

FACT BOX

  • Source: PR TIMES
  • Category: Event