Give Back Market

The world has changed. Now more than at any time in living memory we need to pull together to get through this crisis. As my dear grandmother used to say about difficult times: “This too shall pass…”

To do our part during this crisis we are going to increase the charity contribution from 35% to 50%. If one percent of Canadians chose Kampot Pepper that would contribute $7,500,000 to charities and non-profits who desperately need all the help they can get.

Here’s our press announcement:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Social Purchasing Portal helps raise funds for charities and non-profits.

Vancouver, BC – April 6, 2020

A local Social Purpose brand, ‘Best Pepper Ever’ offers charities and non-profits a simple and safe way to raise funds during the COVID-19 crisis. Groups sign up for free and they receive 50% of all sales.

Joseph MacLean, creator of the KampotPepper.Gives portal explained how charities and non-profits can use an online social purchasing portal to generate revenue during the pandemic. Kampot Pepper, long considered the best pepper in the world, holds the prestigious PGI certification (Protected Geographical Indication) putting it on the same footing as other appellations of origin like Champagne, Cognac and Darjeeling Tea.

Joseph continued, “Social purpose distribution of Fair Trade Kampot Pepper not only helps charities and non-profits but is also helping small pepper farmers rebuild after the devastation of the Cambodian Genocide.”

In 1960 the Kampot region produced 3000 tons of pepper but their ancient farming system was all but destroyed when Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge made it punishable by death to grow pepper. Although Pol Pot was removed from power in 1979 the rebels were only finally ousted in 1999. In 2000 two tons of pepper was produced, last year 75 tons. They are rebuilding but need Fair Trade access to Western markets.

“Another issue that Fair Trade social purchasing addresses…’ he shared, “…is that the small growers are losing ground to the large, mostly foreign owned growers that are no longer buying the pepper but buying the farms. Last year almost one quarter of the smallest growers lost or sold their farms or abandoned the business because they cannot sell their pepper.” 

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I just got back from my latest trip to Cambodia on February 4th. We have launched a US site for our community-based, Fair Trade distribution of Kampot Pepper – the Best Pepper in the World. It has been somewhat of a long and winding road to get to this point.

Just figuring out the logistics, legal and regulatory requirements to get Kampot Pepper into North America has been a long and sometimes frustrating process. However, we did it – even though it took about 18 month from initial research to landing the inventory in North America it was worth the effort as we now have almost a ton of the ‘Best Pepper Ever’ in our warehouse.

We are working with a social enterprise packager, Starworks, that employs disabled people to package and handle our product. Our mandate is to embed social purpose into every aspect of this enterprise and so our customers will know that when they choose Kampot Pepper and Kampot hand-crafted Sea Salt they are not only helping small farmers but are contributing significantly to help alleviate food insecurity in North America , promote sustainable agriculture abroad and create good jobs that pay a living wage with the smallest eco-footprint possible.

We invite you to join us on this journey of making Best Pepper Ever and Kampot Sea Salt the tabletop choice for all socially minded folks in North America. Thank you for your support. BTW. Once you try Kampot Pepper – no other pepper will do it is the Champagne of peppercorns. AKUN CHIRAN!

I have been back in Phnom Voar, the heart of the Kampot Pepper region, for about a month and have been visiting small farmers as well as the Kampot Pepper Promotion Association (KPPA) that represents hundreds of small pepper farmers in Kampot and Kep provinces – the only areas that are allowed to use the GI (geographical indication) mark.

From the KPPA website:

Ancestral know-how

These pepper lovers, smitten with their product, proud of their traditional values and definitely looking into the future, are the keepers of an ancestral know-how, of a way of production where the man and his land make one with a unique goal: producing the highest quality pepper.

It is truly wonderful to witness the re-birth and expansion of such an ancient farming system that will help ensure the community and economic development of an area so devastated by civil war.

We are now working directly with KPPA to help build a Fair Trade distribution system for the Kampot Pepper Farmers. Here’s a short video I took at a local farm:

 

Welcome to KampotPepper.Gives bringing the best pepper in the world in a way that not only helps the small rural pepper farmers but helps charities, non-profits, schools and other groups to fund their work.

Cambodia is a remarkable country with a rich, and in modern times, tragic history. Angkor Wat is certainly the most well known living monument in Southeast Asia, if not the world. Many consider Angkor the eight wonder of the world. Of the seven classical wonders of the world only the Great Pyramid of Giza exists to this day. Angkor Wat is an active temple, not just an archeological monument.

There is another wonder of the world from Cambodia, at least from a culinary perspective, and that is Kampot pepper. If you have never tasted the exquisite yet subtle flavour of this ‘king of kings’ then you have something to look forward to.

I have always loved pepper, freshly ground pepper is my favourite spice. Pepper has been called the ‘King of Spice’ and centuries ago when introduced to Europe from Asia it was referred to as ‘Black Gold’. My first experience of the delight of Kampot pepper was when I went to Kep, a small seaside community on the Gulf of Thailand, famous for its crab market. I had been told about Kimly Restaurant and that it served some of the best seafood in Southeast Asia. I was not disappointed. This began my journey into the world of Kampot pepper.

 

In 2012 I brought back a half a kilo of Kampot pepper and began to use it in my cooking as well as freshly ground on the dinner table. Over the next few years I continued to bring back black, then the red and white peppercorns. I gifted most of the pepper to friends and family Last year I decided to try and experiment and brought back six kilos and held a fundraiser for a local foundation of which I am a member and it was so successful that…. well, the light went on. People love Kampot pepper, the small pepper farmers definitely need a Fair Trade distribution solution and so I decided to make it available on the net. Now when you buy Kampot Pepper, the best pepper in the world, you are not only helping the small pepper farmers in Southern Cambodia but you can choose a local cause to support as they get the retail portion of the sale.

A culinary note: The chef at Kimly told me of a little trick he uses and that is prior to preparing his food for the day he takes a number of peppercorns and pours hot water over them and let’s them sit. He then uses the liquid and the softened peppercorns in his sauces and his pepper dishes. I tried it with sauteed vegetables, a beef stew and my favourite chicken soup recipe. WOW! What flavour!