Ethical shopping: All Good Drinks (Karma Cola and Lemony Lemonade)

Buying cruelty free isn't the only way to shop conscientiously. You don't have to be perfect (I'm definitely not!) but there are lots of small, minimal effort decisions, that we can all make from time to time, and they can have big positive effects. Buying fairtrade and/or oraganic are examples, and perhaps some of the easiest ways to think about ethics when food shopping.

The Company
All Good Drinks are a fantastic fairtrade and organic fizzy drinks company. It was formed to 'connect drinkers with the people who grow the ingredients and benefit from the sale of each bottle' and it's gone on to win the international fairtrade award. Its doing some pretty damn good things.

Fairtrade gives workers security and the ability to invest in their communities. It also ensures that strong environmental standards have been met, and these are reinforced when the organic Soil Association standard is followed. With this company people and the environment are being looked after. They may still be fizzy drinks, but they're perhaps as good for you as fizzy drinks are going to get.

It's also vegetarian, vegan, and gluten free, and they have the best labels. Fact.

Karma Cola
This is your fairtrade Coke/Pepsi/ Dr Pepper etc etc. I'm not a fan of caffeinated drinks, but Rob is, so I brought him a bottle and got him to give the verdict. He likes it, describing it as being 'like the cola bottles'(sweets) and I've been assured that this is, most definitely, a good thing.

If you want a few bits of background info, it uses vanilla bean from Sri Lanka, cane sugar from Maharashtra in India, and cola nut from villages in Sierra Leone. The company are also working directly with the farmers in Sierra Leone to rebuild the crops and communities following war.

Lemony Lemonade
If I'm going to drink a fizzy drink, then its going to be lemonade. You get three kinds of lemonade. The meh lemonade that doesn't really taste of lemon, the really sour old school lemonade (which I love, but is a bit marmite), and the fancy lemonade. Fancy lemonade is the tasty stuff that you find in Pizza Express, and swanky cafes. Lemony Lemonade is a fancy lemonade.

The lemons are organic, and the sugar is grown in Maharashtra, India without pesticides and added chemicals. Organic cane sugar is still sugar, but it is pure evaporated sugar cane juice that hasn't been heavily refined. It keeps all of its natural vitamins, minerals, and nutrients. It's not a healthy superfood, but it is a healthier way to enjoy a sugary drink.

If ginger is your thing then you can also give Gingerella a try.

The Price
People often think that buying fairtrade or organic food/drink is really expensive. Sometimes it definitely can be, but in this case there isn't really too much difference. Yes you can buy mahoosive bottles of coke which make the price per litre cheaper, and you'll get more liquid for your money. But a 330ml bottle of Karma Cola, or Lemony Lemonade, will cost £1.59 (currently on sale at £1.19!), which is a pretty standard price to pay for a drink when you're out and about and I think it's very reasonable. You get a tasty treat, and the person that makes it gets a fair price - you can't quibble with that. :)

Where to buy
This section has the only negative point - All Good isn't exactly everywhere, but it can be found. You can use their website to search for stockists near your postcode, and this includes cafes and restaurants, but they're pretty sparse outside of London.If you want to buy it in person: Selfridges, Harvey Nichols, and are all options. If none of these are doable then the internet can be your friend. I brought mine through the Ethical Superstore, and you can also use Natural Collection. Both websites have lots of other great ethical shopping treats and are well worth a good explore. :)

More info
All Good have a website,, facebook,twitter, and Instagram.

Let me know if you've tried any of these or have any other recommendations for fairtrade treats. :)