Who really owns those "Natural Food" companies?

[robert]

http://alex_jamieson.blogs.com/healthchefalexblog/2006/11/who_really_owns.html

[Guest]

Very interesting list...its quite depressing.

[VeganEssentials]

There was a lot of buzz about this a while back.

 

It's a lot easier for a major company to take over a smaller natural foods business that has a good reputation than to try and get a share of the market by developing a new brand or putting it under their normal trade name. With the major growth of natural products over the past half decade, it's been a big issue with this happening more and more often. There's definitely plenty of "good" companies who you can trace back to being owned by the big corporations, no doubt about it.

[tofutod]

wow. that sucks. some i knew. most were news to me.

[DV]

That's why it's best to buy local whenever possible and to make as many of your goods as possible. We make out own soy milk, toothepaste, cleaning products, seitan, canned beans, canned veg broth, etc. Sure, you can't do that for every product you use but there are a lot of products you could do without if you spent a bit more time doing your own preparation. Just a thought.

[beforewisdom]

This isn't a popular opinion, but I care less who owns a company than I do about progressive products becoming more available as a result. Since the progressive products are...progressive, increased availability is a, well, progressive thing.

 

Who knows, if Phillip Morris can make money selling soy milk, maybe they will be more likely to sell less junk food and fewer cigarettes.

[xbillyx]

I agree with beforewisdom, although there are some companies I just cannot support (Coca-Cola and Philip Morris).

 

I'm all for people buying what they like and not buying what they don't like. That said, however, I don't think we should spend our time and resources on telling others (especially non-vegans) what vegan products NOT to buy. I think our efforts are better spent converting people to veganism.

 

I think veganism is the first step. After that, I think it's just a natural cycle that people progress on. For example, I didn't used to buy organic. I now buy 98-99% organic.

 

Those are my thoughts.

[VeganEssentials]

I think that the overall exposure can be good, but at the same time...

 

When smaller "natural" companies get bought out by the bigger ones, your money which continues to support these brands goes into the whole scheme of what the bigger companies do. Do they make cigarettes (like Philip Morris?) Well, consider a few pennies from every dollar is most likely going back to something connected to tobacco. Bought out by a different company whose parent company may test on animals? Every part of your purchase for the "old" brand they absorbed will contribute to the unfortunate works that these conglomerates may do under a different brand or under the name of the parent company instead of the brand you're used to supporting. On top of that, what also usually happens is that old owners are often soon gone (once a transition phase has been completed), companies are relocated (production put under the same roof as other facilities owned by the parent company), workers from the original companies are displaced by relocations, old standards are dismissed to make way for what the parent company's board thinks is best, and rarely are you continuing to support the same company that you once held in high regard. It could be different if things were kept the same after an acquisition, but aside from keeping the same logo and products on the market, most of what you don't get to see is the area that goes through the biggest change of all.

 

I'm not saying that there doesn't deserve to be support for things that do go mainstream, but always keep in mind that much like when you shop at somewhere like Whole Foods, for example, a bit of the money from your vegan products goes to purchasing chickens, eggs, dairy, meat, etc. If it's the least of the evils, so be it, but if there are better choices out there that you haven't tried but KNOW still maintain the integrity you've come to know and respect, perhaps it's time to switch brands Of course, unless a business is VERY small, you can usually go up the ladder far enough to find something objectionable, so it's all to the degree that you choose to pursue. I'd never discourage a new vegan from buying something that's vegan but owned by a mega-corporation, but once they were wanting to know more, I wouldn't hesitate to let them know just what really happens behind the scenes so that, if they don't want to indirectly support cruelty to as great a degree, they can make an informed choice

[xbillyx]

I agree. If you are aware of a better, smaller, local option go with that. If you're not, however, buy whichever product is vegan.

 

Living in Seattle gives me the opportunity to support some great local farms and companies.

[beforewisdom]

. Do they make cigarettes (like Philip Morris?) Well, consider a few pennies from every dollar is most likely going back to something connected to tobacco.

 

On the flip side in that situation, every time someone buys cigarettes it goes back to something progressive like soy milk.

[janthraxx]

Thanks much for posting that Rob.

 

I really disagree with the outlook that it's encouraging them to do something good. Then they'll just be evil companies who happen to sell vegan products. Better to just destroy the bastards!

 

I just can't stand the thought of my money potentially going to build Phillip Morris' new animal testing facility in New England (so no Boca for me), or to fund GM corn crops and death squads and people who cut open primate's faces (Coca-Cola by way of Odwalla)...

[janthraxx]

Thanks much for posting that Rob.

 

I really disagree with the outlook that it's encouraging them to do something good. Then they'll just be evil companies who happen to sell vegan products. Better to just destroy the bastards!

 

I just can't stand the thought of my money potentially going to build Phillip Morris' new animal testing facility in New England (so no Boca for me), or to fund GM corn crops and death squads and people who cut open primate's faces (Coca-Cola by way of Odwalla)...