The International Trappist Association Is Founded

In 1997, eight Trappist abbeys founded the International Trappist Association to protect the Trappist name from commercial misuse. The founding abbeys included six Belgian abbeys, one Dutch abbey, and the German abbey of Mariawald, which no longer brewed beer but remained part of the wider Trappist product tradition. The association created a clearer modern framework for Trappist products, including the Authentic Trappist Product label. The label is used for products made within the immediate surroundings of a Trappist abbey, under monastic supervision, with profits directed toward the monastic community, solidarity within the Trappist Order, or charitable and development work.