The Cornucopia Institute has put together a poster that shows the full extent of the merger wave, at least for the organic industry. In the latest deal, announced a few weeks ago, Perdue Farms, a big poultry producer based in Maryland, bought Niman Ranch, which started as an idealistic group of farmers protesting against companies like Perdue.
For shoppers who like their food natural, local and organic, though, these deals can be unsettling. Will they still trust a food brand if someone else now owns it?
As it happens, some of the founders of those companies wonder the same thing.
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9 comments:
Ben & Jerry's sold fifteen years ago, but they had a contract that kept the quality, the employee wage and the company's reputation.
LOL-"they had a contract that kept the quality"-LOL. Yeah you believe that and you will believe anything.
The problem is when Big Food saw the niche market of "natural" "organic" "cage free" etc etc was cutting into their profits, they got together with the federal government and the bastardization party began. The government went about redefining the terms so they don't mean what everyone tends to think they do anymore. The best is Know Your Farmer Know Your Food and From Farm to Table.
I shop at Trader Joe's in Annapolis and whole foods when possible. Everything they sell is all natural and prices are very reasonable. I bring a couple of coolers for the meats and I am good to go. Bj's Wholesale also has a great selection of meat and produce that is gmo free. I also look to local farmers for my food.
Anything the Chinese buy I will not buy or eat it like Smithfield.
You might want to check the number of recalls on the USDA website for Whole Foods before you go spouting their praises.
Don't trust the USDA 5:37. They are in the pocket of Big Agri business like monsanto and Big Food like kraft and Big Retailers like Walmart all of whom would just love to see stores like Trader Joes and Whole Foods go away. I trust TJ's and WF's as they are part of "The Establishment."
5:29 I try and buy Kirby and Holloway hams, bacon, sausage whenever possible and Chesapeake Bay Farms sells pork. They run out quick so if they have it buy a few packs.
If anyone is in the market for a fresh turkey this year, TS Smith (the apple orchard up in Bridgeville) takes orders and you can pick them up there starting a few days before Thanksgiving. They are a bit pricey but the taste is priceless compared to those things they sell in the grocery stores.
Ben and Jerry are typical limousine liberals.
Hormel foods is nasty! Meat is processed to the point it tastes like dog food.
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