Under a programme backed by the United Nations, French retailer Carrefour is moving the production of some of its lingerie to rural workers in Colombia.

Discover B2B Marketing That Performs

Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.

Find out more


Colombia’s 11 Carrefour stores are already stocking the risqué underwear, which includes thongs, bras and lacy suspender belts. They will appear in overseas stores in the coming months.


“We are opening up a universe of new possibilities for Colombia’s rural communities,” said Gabriel Silva, head of the Colombian Federation of Coffee Growers, which, along with the French Embassy, the UN drug office and Carrefour, is promoting the alternative development project.


The project was conceived when farmers in the coffee-growing region began cultivating illicit drug crops, which swelled the ranks of Colombia’s leftist rebel and right-wing paramilitary groups that control the trade, reported Dow Jones. Colombia produces 70% of the world’s cocaine and most of the heroin sold in the US. 


Carrefour’s underwear label Symphony hooked up with the cooperative, which has 12 production centres across the province. 

GlobalData Strategic Intelligence

US Tariffs are shifting - will you react or anticipate?

Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard. Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis.

By GlobalData

Just Food Excellence Awards - Nominations Closed

Nominations are now closed for the Just Food Excellence Awards. A big thanks to all the organisations that entered – your response has been outstanding, showcasing exceptional innovation, leadership, and impact.

Excellence in Action
Winning five categories in the 2025 Just Food Excellence Awards, Centric Software is setting the pace for digital transformation in food and FMCG. Explore how its integrated PLM and PXM suite delivers faster launches, smarter compliance and data-driven growth for complex, multi-channel product portfolios.

Discover the Impact