Over the last decade, since federal organic standards have come to the fore, giant agri-food corporations — Kellogg, Cargill, J.M. Smucker, General Mills, Kraft and M&M Mars among them — have gobbled up most of the nation’s organic food industry. Pure, locally produced ingredients from small family farms? Not so much anymore. Many consumers may not realize the extent to which giant corporations have come to dominate organic food. Then again, giant corporations don’t exactly trumpet their role in the industry. Their financial motivation, however, is obvious: Organic and natural products have generally posted faster and more consistent sales growth and higher profit margins than traditional products.
The corporate appetite for organic and natural brands in recent years has prompted some hard questions about what happens when a small eco-company sells to the likes of Coke, ConAgra or Clorox. Can the new corporate parent be trusted to continue the ethical and environmentally sustainable practices that earned its new subsidiary a loyal following in the first place? While corporations generally preserve brand names and folksy advertising styles, what’s to guarantee that the stuff inside the box, bag or carton hasn’t changed? Organic and natural products are particularly prone to declining quality as these once-independent brands are consumed by a handful of bottom line-driven corporations that dominate consumer goods industries.
Frequently, the acquisition of an organic brand by a large corporation often means the watering down of a company’s standards. Companies founded with the core values of social responsibility and sustainability — including concern for workers’ rights, environmental stewardship, and animal welfare — might find it hard to maintain their "good corporate citizen" principles as their control is diminished (or obliterated) after a corporate buyout. Additionally, profits made from organic food purchases may now be used in ways consumers would not support, such as efforts to squelch labeling of genetically modified foods and diluting the standards for organic certification.
Bottom line: Help remove the illusion of choice and learn more about these parent corporations. If you don't agree with their business practices, don't support them. By purchasing produce from local organic farms, supporting independent organic companies, and boycotting "Big Organic", we can make a difference by casting votes with our dollars and our forks.
The corporate appetite for organic and natural brands in recent years has prompted some hard questions about what happens when a small eco-company sells to the likes of Coke, ConAgra or Clorox. Can the new corporate parent be trusted to continue the ethical and environmentally sustainable practices that earned its new subsidiary a loyal following in the first place? While corporations generally preserve brand names and folksy advertising styles, what’s to guarantee that the stuff inside the box, bag or carton hasn’t changed? Organic and natural products are particularly prone to declining quality as these once-independent brands are consumed by a handful of bottom line-driven corporations that dominate consumer goods industries.
Frequently, the acquisition of an organic brand by a large corporation often means the watering down of a company’s standards. Companies founded with the core values of social responsibility and sustainability — including concern for workers’ rights, environmental stewardship, and animal welfare — might find it hard to maintain their "good corporate citizen" principles as their control is diminished (or obliterated) after a corporate buyout. Additionally, profits made from organic food purchases may now be used in ways consumers would not support, such as efforts to squelch labeling of genetically modified foods and diluting the standards for organic certification.
Bottom line: Help remove the illusion of choice and learn more about these parent corporations. If you don't agree with their business practices, don't support them. By purchasing produce from local organic farms, supporting independent organic companies, and boycotting "Big Organic", we can make a difference by casting votes with our dollars and our forks.
