Food Processing - February 2008 - (Page 29)

organics “organic food is differentiated by sustainable farming practices, and this is one of the driving forces behind the increasing consumer demand,” says stephen mcdonnell, founder and ceo of applegate farms. can also be profitable.” Stonyfield (www.stonyfield.com), Londonderry, N.H., has accomplished both – and, in the process, had 85 percent of its stock purchased by France’s Groupe Danone. Still, Stonyfield Farm remains a leader in corporate and environmental responsibility. Stonyfield’s web site has as much about organics, wellness and the environment as it does about the company’s products. Its environmental mission is at the core of the company’s activities, and has been the catalyst for several high-profile projects, the latest being Climate Counts, a collaborative effort to bring consumers and companies together in the fight against global climate change. In 1997, the company became the first U.S. manufacturer to offset 100 percent of its facilities emissions. New Hampshire’s largest solar electric array sits atop the roof of its Yogurt Works. Stonyfield has invested in wind energy, reforestation, methane recovery, energy efficiency projects and solar energy and created the first “how-to guide” showing other companies how to offset their emissions. The company’s award-winning program to minimize solid waste has prevented over 16 million pounds of materials from going to landfills or incinerators (equivalent to taking more than 1,400 cars off the road for one year). At Barbara’s Bakery (www.barbarasbakery.com), San Francisco, giving back to the community and investing in the preservation of the environment are integral parts of the company. “It is our company philosophy to invest in ‘healthy’ actions across the board, from the wholesome products we create, to our commitment to environmental and sustainable programs,” says Spaulding. Over the years, Barbara’s has developed relationships with several ecological/environmental enterprises. The associations generally start with employees and their passion for a particular cause. “Our Puffins cereal brand and its affiliation with the National Audubon Society’s Project Puffin started with a trip to Alaska by one of our longtime employees and the instant love she had for the seagoing puffin,” Spalding explains. This passion led to the development and name of the Puffins cereal and a longtime affiliation with Project Puffin, which has successfully been restoring puffins to historic nesting islands in the Gulf of Maine since 1973. “We are thankful to be a supporter,” adds Spalding. Healthier for the land Another of Barbara’s employees had a passion for organic gardening and piloted a program with local schools to develop organic gardens as a learning tool for health and the environment. Barbara’s created a 10-year, $50,000 grant to fund organic school gardens in the Petaluma School District, home of Barbara’s headquarters. The grant has funded organic teaching gardens and curricula at 11 of the 17 Petaluma schools, The first grant went to Valley Vista School, a K-6 elementary school. With Barbara’s $5,000 grant as the cornerstone, the school was able to turn a dying patch of grass into a vibrant, www.foodprocessing.com child-centered garden. “The garden is completely organic and provides produce for the school’s organic salad bar. The garden now serves as a model organic teaching garden for schools nationwide,” says Spalding. “As consumers become educated about how food is produced, they understand how their food choices impact the environment,” says Stephen McDonnell, founder and CEO of Applegate Farms (www.applegatefarms.com), Bridgewater, N.J. While believing meat is essential to maintaining a healthy lifestyle, McDonnell and his company encourage people to eat less meat, balancing it with more fruits, vegetables and other foods. “Organic food is differentiated from conventional food by the sustainable farming practices employed when raising it, and this knowledge is one of the primary driving forces behind the increasing consumer demand for organic food,” adds McDonnell. If you’re not a believer in organics, the National Organic Program’s prohibitions against certain kinds of waste lagoons and the spraying of raw sewage on fields may leave you unaffected. Requirements that farmers dispose of waste in a manner that does not pollute groundwater may interest you a little. But an event in 1995 probably moved many North Carolinans a lot closer to the organic movement. In 1995, a dike surrounding an eight-acre hog-waste lagoon burst, releasing 25.8 million gallons of waste into the New River, killing much of its marine life. Suddenly, people took notice of organic vs. nonorganic farming practices. “It’s remarkable how today it’s very popular to be concerned about our environment, but mention that something must have gone wrong in order to create the problems, and you will be met with resistance,” says Dag many consumers interested in health foods also are interested in organics. barbara’s bakery treats the usda organic seal like another fortification call-out. note to marketing … & procurement there are plenty of image imperatives behind organic products. producing them requires less of an effort at reformulating than in simply finding sources of organic ingredients … and that’s becoming easier by the day. after last year’s food ingredient scares, more consumers trust organics as a source of wholesome ingredients. simultaneously, most companies are touting their environmental awareness. organic products have an implied status of environmental stewardship and less use of agricultural chemicals, which may be equated with less reliance on foreign oil and fewer greenhouse gas emissions. so make full use of those positive associations. february 2008 food processing • 29 http://www.applegatefarms.com http://www.stonyfield.com http://www.stonyfield.com http://www.barbarasbakery.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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