Fair Trade in Action: Fishers' Wives Launch Their Own Business

5 min

May 1

Four women in matching uniforms and hairnets pose proudly in front of a 'Katsuo Marendeing' food stall.

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At Fish Tales, we have been consciously choosing Fair Trade skipjack tuna for years. This not only ensures a fair price for the fishers, but also provides them with a premium that goes directly back to the community. This is also the case in Bitung, Indonesia, where the wives of the fishers are now running their own food stall.

And that's special. In most fishing families, it's normal for men to go out to sea and for women to run the household. This year, Reni, Laura, Novi & Seli changed that. They rolled up their sleeves and started the Mama Mama group. A business run by fisherwomen. A way for these women to earn extra income, support their families, and build something of their own. And that's partly thanks to our cans of Fair Trade skipjack tuna.

Let's take a step back, what exactly does that mean?

You've probably spotted the Fair Trade logo on our tuna cans. But what does this logo actually mean in practice? Fair Trade goes much further than just a label. It ensures that all fishers in Bitung who catch tuna for us receive a fair price for their catch. But on top of this price, every can of Fair Trade generates a premium – a fixed amount that goes directly back to the community, who themselves decide where the money is most needed. Previously, this premium has been used for basic necessities such as bags of rice, school books for children, or public waste bins. This time, it went a step further.

Five smiling women holding plates of freshly prepared food in front of a house.

Women of the Mama Mama group at work

From Premium to Practice

With the Fair Trade premium as start-up capital, Reni, Laura, Novi, and Seli got to work. For months, the women were in the kitchen testing and perfecting recipes for their food stall. And what better to use than the skipjack tuna their husbands catch themselves?

Mama Laura laughs when she remembers:

“Sometimes it was quite difficult, because some recipes completely failed. They were so hard you’d need to go straight to the dentist afterwards!”

But giving up? That was certainly not an option. After much trying, tasting, and adjusting, they finally had a menu they were proud of.

Golden fried dumplings, one cut open revealing a savory, reddish-orange filling.

Woman cooking dumplings in a pan with tongs, plate of raw dumplings nearby.

Tuna snack 'Katsuo Marendeng'

In Bitung, where our tuna is caught, the women of the Mama Mama Group prepare this dish: katsuo marendeng. Fresh skipjack tuna that slowly cooks in a spicy mix of chili, onion, and spices. Spicy, full of flavour, and enveloped in a crispy layer of tapioca flour.

And of course, we had to try this ourselves. Our impact manager Irene dove into the kitchen and put her own version on the table. Set everything aside and just taste. And WOW. Whether it's just as delicious as the original from the Mama Mamas? We'll leave that open. But we were certainly impressed. One bite and you immediately understand why this dish is such a hit in North Sulawesi.

Since January 31, the Mama Mama Group has opened its own food stall: Katsuo Marendeng. Here, the fisherwomen are building their own income and future every day.

Illuminated round sign for "KATSUO MARENDENG" with a person carrying a large tuna.

That's exactly why we choose Fair Trade. Because it goes beyond just fish. It ensures that entire communities can build their own future – from fisher to entrepreneur. Watch the full documentary now on YouTube!