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Thursday, November 19, 2009

Who’s Behind Your Favorite Organic Foods?

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When most of us see an organic brand on the shelf at our local grocery store we assume that not only is the product inside superior to a conventional alternative (thanks to less pesticides and funky chemicals), but we also conjure up visions of it being crafted by small, environmentally-geared companies with just as much concern for the earth as for our taste buds. Unfortunately, underneath many of the most popular organic food brands being bought up in supermarkets are major corporations that you might be trying to avoid in the first place.

The GOOD Blog recently released a diagram showing the ownership of many of the main organic foods brands and it features almost all the major conventional brands that have been linked to GMO food issues, poor manufacturing practices, and human labor concerns. The Boca Burgers that are staples for many vegetarians are owned by Kraft, the largest food processor in the United States and a company that is itself owned by Philip Morris. Heinz owns a broad spectrum of organic brands from Spectrum Organics to Rice Dream and Garden of Eatin’. Even ConAgra, a company spotlighted for environment, health, labor and ethical issues—as well as a heavy use of GMO foods—owns a few well-known organic brands (Lightlife and Alexia Foods).

If you’ve been opting for organic brands because you’re trying to get away from the food giants like Kraft, General Mills and Kellog, the list may have you reconsidering your purchases, but you definitely shouldn’t give up on organic altogether. Although you may have issue with the ultimate owners of these smaller brands, the positive elements of organic (less chemicals and better production practices for the planet) remain and the trend does show that even mainstream companies are starting to realize that Americans are interested in healthy, eco-friendly fare.

The list should be a reminder, however, that one of the best ways to get greener with your eating is to support local farmers and local companies who offer organic products—which you can check up on yourself. To find out more about just which organic brands are owned by major companies, check out the GOOD list here or take the Planet Green “Who Owns Your Food?” quiz, and pick up an un-biased resource like the Better World Shopping Guide that you can take with you to the grocery store for quick brand assessments.

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