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It's time for another round of DUPED or NOT!!!! (cue low, echoing voice)
Over the past month, I have spent a lot of time in my local health food store. The co-op doesn't begin until November, and I am buying almost 100% organic, free range, etc.etc. I have found some really great organic brands that I feel good about giving my dollar to. I am buying my dairy from Organic Valley. They have a nice variety of cheeses, sour cream, milk, cream, powdered milk, cottage cheese & a line of meats. They even have juice box sized milks that I can bring to work with me for breakfast. (added bonus is that they are from a cooperative of farms and have very strict guidelines for their farmers)
While in the store, I make sure to quickly walk past brands that are owned by giant agribusinesses. One reason for this is I don't want to support companies that blur the lines with their treatment of farmers, workers or animals (basically, I don't want to just give Monsanto my money without an educated fight).
At this point, I'm starting to learn which products are produced by small, organic labels and which ones are produced by General Mills, Pepsi, Heinz, Kelloggs & ConAgra, etc. The goal for me is to buy the majority of my food from reputable organic labels & local farms.
I still get duped. Let's try and figure out which products I bought and am now having buyers remorse for purchasing. One more hint: Many of the big companies don't want you to know who owns them, so they make it really difficult to tell.
2. Organic Creamy Butternut Squash Soup - Pacific Natural Foods
3. Organic Olive Spray Oil, Non-stick cooking - Spectrum Naturals
4. Bove's Marinara Pasta Sauce - Gluten Free - Bove's of Vermont
One of these companies is a source of buyers remorse for me, two of them are brands that I will purchase again and I am on the fence about one because of where it was processed.
Thoughts?
Luchadora_Felina
Comments
I love this game
Without following the links, my guess is you felt duped by either 2 or 3. Tree of Life is one of the few natural foods distributors that isn't behemoth UNFI, who shovels natural foods to big box natural food stores ("supernaturals" we call em) and co-ops alike. So despite the tuna head-fake, I'm thinking you're ok with that?
Bove's of Vermont sounds pretty dang local, but maybe I'm getting duped there.
I've always wondered about Pacific Natural Foods. It sounds big (the Pacific!), but my hunch is it might be groovy for a national brand.
I dunno. What do other people think?
More players, please.
I'll wait to see if there are any more responses before I reveal my answers.
Glad to hear you love this game. I am having so much fun doing my research.
Yer so poplr!
DUPED or NOT is actually becoming one of the most popular features on the site, Luchadora, so even if you aren't getting comments, you have LOTS of readers! Maybe the next time you post this game, we should offer a pound of one of Equal Exchange's new coffees as a prize...
Alright, I'll bite.
Would be a toss up here for me between Tree of Life, Spectrum Naturals, and Bove's of Vermont. As Tree of Life is actually owned by Royal Wessanen NV and Spectrum Naturals is owned by The Hain Celestial Group and Bove's of Vermont does not provide full transperacy and can not or do know what the origin of some of their ingredients in their products originate from. Bove's also settled w/the Attorney General of Vermont for consumer fraud in 2008.
That's just me. Don't really know. Am just guessing.
KyFarmersMatter
Holding out on us
Ooooo...a ringer in the crowd. Very nice, KY!
Ring around the Ringer
Living in Vermont, I've heard of Bove's, but it strikes me as one of those companies that used the Vermont brand cache to grow, before selling out to someone else or doing business in a non-Vermont-loving sort of way. No proof, but something smells funny, other than their pasta sauces which are quite good!
Like my pal KyFarmersMatter points out, Tree of Life is owned by a large corporate interest and has sales of $1.180 billion (basically 1/3 of UNFI, but still huge compared to regional distributors). And The Hain Celestial Group, while large standing on its own, also sports a "strategic alliance" with I'm sure one of your favorites - CARGILL!
So that leaves Pacific Natural Foods, which I've sadly never heard of, so I'm guessing their OK.
In the end I'd have to say Spectrum Naturals is the surprising bad guy!
Cheers,
Rob Smart (a.k.a., Jambutter)
Tree of Life
I'm not going to get all misty eyed defending Tree of Life, but I wouldn't put them in the goliath category. UNFI has a virtual monopoly on natural foods distribution -- ANY competition with them is much needed since they targeted and destroyed co-operative and other regional warehouses over the last decade. I've never heard of Tree of Life engaging in that kind of strong-arming.
I'm totally fine with people supporting Tree of Life and no one should feel "duped" for buying their brands.
WOW and more WOW!
You wanna know what I LOVE about fairfoodfight.com? You bloggers are smart people and I'm learning so much from your collective knowledge. I can't wait to check the site every day to read the new articles and general fair food bloggery.
I am spending approximately $100 a week on organic groceries. I used to spend the same amount or more eating dinner out almost every night of the week. I want to make sure my money is going to companies that I feel good about. Here are my thoughts:
1. Tree of Life Tongol Tuna - I was on the fence about this one, because the tuna is a product of Indonesia. Although Indonesia may be a great place, it is definitely not local. I don't know if there is local canned tuna. Tree of Life has lower prices than most organic brands. I understand why their prices are lower, because they are big enough to be able to handle it, since they have sales of $1.180 billion a year (thanks to Rob Smart for that info). I'm glad to hear that they aren't trying to destroy competition, El Dragon, but I still question them EVERY time I see their product. Is there anyone who could help investigate the transparency of this company? The low prices are awesome, but I want to feel good about my purchase. Still considering the level of dupidness that happened.
2. Pacific Natural Foods Organic Creamy Butternut Squash Soup - This is a small, organic label that I will continue to support. The soup was SO tasty and I feel even better knowing that I am not supporting the enemy. Not duped. Added bonus is that I brought the soup to work, added cheese on top and people were having some serious food envy.
3. Spectrum Naturals Organic Olive Oil Spray - Yes indeed, it is owned by The Hain Celestial Group (aka Heinz + CARGILL = lovers). The only problem is that I have been doing a TON of cooking recently (woot woot) and wanted an organic olive oil spray. Spectrum Naturals was the only brand available. Boo. I bought it. I'll keep searching for other brands that might carry a comparible product. You guessed it, I was duped, duped and more duped.
4. Bove's of Vermont - There are only so many organic tomato sauce options to choose from. Muir Glen (aka General Mills) has taken up MANY feet of shelf space for their tomato sauce products (and they duped me last time), so I took a risk and tried a brand that looked like it was from a smaller company. The Bove's site says they're a family company and I couldn't find any proof that they were owned by a giant agribusiness. Can you find the proof? Help a girl out.
Sincerely,
Luchadora_Felina
After a little research
I noticed that Tree of Life is considering putting itself up for sale and UNFI is a possible buyer. Also, something that bothered me is that Tree of Life distributes lines from Hain Celestial Group, Kraft & Dean Foods Horizon Milk. I knew something smelled fishy. Damnit.
Nice work
Thanks for the great information. I didn't know Tree of Life was on the selling block.
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