Food Processing - February 2008 - (Page 28)

Another reason to reformulate for organics: environmental responsibility. By Mark Anthony, Ph.D., Technical Editor LYNN GORDON, FOUNDER AND CEO OF FRENCH Meadow Bakery, has a passion for organic baking that began before organic was popular, back when you were considered a “nut” or a “kook,” she says, for seeking out organic ingredients at small farms and tiny health food stores. It was a time when gas was cheap and environmentalists were called “tree huggers.” French Meadow Bakery (www.frenchmeadow.com), Minneapolis, still backs several environmental causes (including the Sierra Club and Heifer Intl.) and sells Healthy Hemp and other innovative breads. But now those products are going nationwide to mainstream supermarkets, co-ops and health food stores. One early client, Whole Foods, is no longer a small, niche chain. French Meadow Bakery has grown up, in a manner of speaking, and so has the organic movement. While it’s long been associated with social causes, the organic movement’s evolution now is linking it to environmental concerns. Therein lies another foundation for its continuing growth – and a signiﬁcant marketing opportunity for those processors willing to reformulate a little to capitalize on this association. “Consumers purchase organic foods for different reasons, and health is certainly on the top of the list since organic foods do not have many of the additives conventional foods contain,” says Kent Spalding, vice president of marketing at Weetabix/Barbara’s Bakery. “There is also a commitment by most makers of organic foods to support sustainability, fair trade and the environment.” USDA allows three labeling categories for organic products: 1. 100% Organic – made with 100 percent organic ingredients 2. Organic – made with at least 95 percent organic ingredients with strict restrictions on the remaining 5 percent (no genetically modiﬁed organisms, or GMOs) 3. Made with Organic Ingredients – made with a minimum of 70 percent organic ingredients with strict restrictions on the remaining 30 percent (including no GMOs). 28 • FOOD PROCESSING FEBRUARY 2008 The Organic Foods Production Act of 1990 and the National Organic Program outline organic production and handling standards. Any product that bears the USDA Organic seal must be veriﬁed, inspected and certiﬁed by independent state or private organizations accredited by USDA. Certiﬁcation includes inspections of farms and processing facilities, detailed record keeping and periodic testing of soil and water to ensure growers and handlers are meeting standards. Certiﬁers inspect and verify an audit trail tracing all organic ingredients back to the organic ﬁelds from which they were grown. The regulations on organics are stringent, but more than the rules regarding organic claims are at issue. Organic foods have integrated into the greening of America, and those who showcase their organic products are often equally passionate about promoting sustainability. “Organic food represents a thorough process that considers every aspect of production from soil to ﬁ nished product in the light of the organic principles,” says George Siemon, CEO of Organic Valley (www.organicvalley.coop), a farming cooperative based in LaFarge, Wis. Many organic marketers have implemented environmentally friendly practices such as green buildings, alternative energy, local production and sustainable investments in manufacturing efﬁciencies. “Organic brands like Organic Valley broaden the process to include other criteria not covered by the USDA organic [rules] such as environmental footprint, minimal processing and animal husbandry,” adds Siemon. Proﬁtably socially conscious In 1983, Stonyﬁeld Farm co-founders Samuel Kaymen and current president/CEO Gary Hirshberg wrote the company’s enduring mission statements, among which was, “to serve as a model that environmentally and socially responsible businesses WWW.FOODPROCESSING.COM http://www.frenchmeadow.com http://www.foodprocessing.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Food Processing - February 2008

Food Processing - February 2008 Contents Editor’s Plate NewsBites Regulatory Issues The Trends Rollout Food Biz Kids Product Spotlight Ingredients From Where? Product Development RCA Show Review Plant Operations Packaging New Supplier Products Toops Scoops

Food Processing - February 2008

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