ORGANIC more POPULAR!!!

[rawpriestess]

I never see the news, but I saw this on AOL news as I was signing in on another email address today

Amanda Donofrio stocks shelves in the organic produce section of a Whole Foods Market in Willowbrook, Illinois. Organic foods sales have grown at about a 20 percent annual rate since 1990, according to the Organic Trade Association.


A key sign that organic foods -- which are produced without using most pesticides and meet other government requirements -- are gaining mainstream acceptance is that more are about to show up at local Wal-Marts.

The world's largest retailer plans to double its offering of organic foods in the next couple of weeks, DeDe Priest, senior vice president of dry grocery for Wal-Mart Stores Inc., told the Reuters Food Summit this week.

With Wal-Mart setting the pace, manufacturers are stepping in line.

"Wal-Mart is a big customer, so if they want it, we'll have it," Brenda Barnes, chairman and chief executive of Sara Lee Corp., said at the summit, which took place in Chicago. She did not specify what plans the maker of Hillshire Farm deli meats and Sara Lee baked goods has for organic products.

In 2003, the most recent data available, organic food sales were $10.4 billion, or about 1.9 percent of U.S. grocery market, according to the Organic Trade Association. Organic foods sales have been growing at about a 20 percent annual rate since 1990, the association said.

The market is increasing as consumers seek out more foods that are healthier or perceived to have health benefits.

"People want to eat better and drink better every day," Michael Polk, U.S. chief for Anglo-Dutch food and consumer products company Unilever Group, said at the summit.

Unilever last year launched an organic version of its Ragu pasta sauce. The company is considering other organic products, Polk said, though he declined to name which ones.

At the same time, manufacturers need to come up with new food products to help drive growth, defend shelf space and increase margins in a sluggish U.S. food market that is dominated by large retailers.

"The only way you gain any amount of power is if you introduce new products you get a premium from," said Wesley Moultrie, senior director of credit rating agency Fitch Ratings' food, beverage and tobacco team.

Manufacturers were less clear about the best strategy for expanding their organic offerings. Some, like Kraft Foods Inc, have so far relied on a separate organic brand -- in Kraft's case, one called Back to Nature. Others, like Unilever with Ragu, have sold organic foods under their mainstream brands.

Some brands lend themselves more to promoting organics and other foods with health and wellness benefits than others, said Perry Odak, president and chief executive of Wild Oats Markets Inc., a natural food retailer.

For example, PepsiCo Inc.'s Frito-Lay unit came to Wild Oats with a line of organic snacks, which Wild Oats rejected after research showed that customers balked at the Frito-Lay name. A Frito-Lay spokesman could not be reached for comment.

An H.J. Heinz Co. organic product fit Wild Oats better, Odak said.

Manufacturers seem sure that organic foods are a trend with staying power, not a fad like the low-carb dieting craze.

"I do think it's a freight train that's going to pick up steam," David Johnson, president of Kraft's North American Commercial group, said at the summit. "I don't think it's a fad."

[juliebove]

I believe it! I moved from this area about 11 years ago. At that time, I remember one store in particular that boasted of organic produce. They didn't have a lot of it then. Only maybe a three foot section and they didn't always have it in stock.

I moved back to this area almost 2 years ago. That store has since been remodeled and now almost 1/2 of the produce section is organic. I just wish I could always find what I want and have it be fresh. I love sweet peppers. And I know they are one thing that really should be organic. Yet the ones at my grocery store are quite often wilted and past their prime. So I either do without or buy the "regular" ones. I do get weekly shipments of organic produce and it is almost always good. But I don't always get the stuff that I want.

I guess I really shouldn't complain though. Years ago, everything was seasonal and you could only get certain things at certain times. Fresh produce was something you couldn't get at all in the winter unless you lived in a climate that was warm year round or were wealthy enough to import it from somewhere. I guess what we have now is better than that!

[karenisraw]

juliebove,

Where do you get your organic produce shipped from?

k
:) :)

[MangoMommy]

Everytime I step into my local Walmart (once every week or two) I find more and more organic products stocked and the prices can't be beat. I certainly hope its not just a "fad" or "trend" but a permanant addition.

[jennifuh]

I asked the produce guy @ walmart if they had organic bananas...he points me over to the regular bananas..then reaches under the display, into CLOSED BOXES and pulls out the organic ones. Why did they have them in the closed, upsidedown boxes where no one would see or buy them? Don't they want them to sell? In my opinion, it is probably due to yet another produce manager who thinks organic is all hype. buh. I still hate walmart!

[Shivananda]

Jennifuh, I am no big fan of Wal-Mart myself, but you have to admit that them carrying organic food is giving a much wider exposure of organics to the general public, which can only help the overall cause of organic farming by building the overall demand for it.

As to why those particular boxes of bananas weren't out yet, I'd say it is less likely that this was due to stupidity and more likely that they had just received a shipment, or the bananas were still very green when they got them and needed to be ripened up a bit before being put out, or the ones already out on display were getting overly ripe and needed to be moved first, or there was just not sufficient display space, or perhaps they just hadn't gotten to them yet. Displaying produce is very labor intensive and very time consuming.

Produce managers don't want food they receive to go bad, they want to sell it. They get bonuses based on their department's overall gross margin, and unsaleable food cuts that margin. Plus they know organic sells at higher price points, so they actually like selling it, when it does sell. But it also goes bad more quickly, so they have to be more conservative about ordering it.

But not selling it once they have it??? No, nobody would do that deliberately.

[ArcticMist]

While WalMart has organic. Their produce is still substandard. Most of it is not fresh. However I will not complain for those people who have to buy walmart produce atleast they can have the option of organic now. I just try to go to somewhere who has fresher produce and not wrinkly apples or organic spinach leaves that are already going bad.

[Raw Faith]

I LOVE walmart. When people have a limited budget walmart can stretch out your money. Our store says they are getting more organic every week; they now have to build a bigger display for them.
I am so glad they now have it; being that it is sold at walmart now it will keep the prices down due the the large quantity then tend to buy.

Happy, Happy.

[THX-1138]

Its surprising to alot of people that Wal-Mart sells more organic produce than any other retailer in the US, even larger than all Co-ops in the National Cooperative Grocers Association (which is most of them) combined. More than Whole Foods as well. I guess that can be a good thing for the organic movement. When Whole Foods Market opened a store in Minneapolis, both the Wedge and Linden Hills Coop's benefited greatly from it when people became exposed to organic consumerism and then they also became exposed to cooperative economics.

[Raw Faith]

IMO when people taste the difference they come back; and some start to think about there health a little more. And thus "the seed is planted"

[Drawn]

I am a very rabid anti-walmart warrior. However, I am happy to hear that they are helping the organic movement; unintentially, I'm sure, as a means to capitalize on the market. I suppose it goes to show that even a little good can be found in evil. I only worry that they will start using some of their high pressure tactics on organic farmers. I can hope that some of the goodness in organic living can seep into their souls. Hope is good.

[rawpriestess]

this thread is about Organic produce being more accessable,

If it turns into a bashing Wallmart thread, then I will be forced to delete it, so Please, let's keep to the topic at hand.

If you would like to start a Wallmart thread you can do that in off topic, and that would be okay.

[JMD]

I agree....Organic is more mainstream BUT I hope they keep the high standards it takes to make something organic and the first place.

I bet by the time I have kids.....organic will be the only choice:) OK maybe not but a girl can have high hopes.....

[rawpriestess]

JMD, wouldn't that be great?

Just like a hundred years ago, organic being the ONLY choice.

[fiddler]

RP (and all),

I've heard from a couple different sources that we started using pesticides and other chemicals just after WWII. So, everything was organic up until then. Is this accurate?

I've always thought how great it would be to just go pick out some food without having to look for the 9xxxx stickers on the food. :)
Like my grandparents used to do...

[rawpriestess]

I'm unfortunately not knowlegeable in this area of organics

I do know that we started doing alot of chemical experimenting after WWII which was also after Roswell

I know that alot of pesticides originated after that time, but I don't know how much was being done before.

Now, Dragggon says the barnstormers from the big one - WWI were the crop dusters from that era, that was around 1917 I believe (my history is not that great) so there was some kind of pesticides back them for them to dust the crops with.

[fiddler]

Okay, I got curiouser(gg) 'bout this so I went here -->
http://www.organicecology.com/us/Resources/FAQ.html

How did organic farming start?
Organic farming has always been around! 'Conventional' has only been in its current state for fifty or so years, when intensive techniques were introduced to feed the wartime population. Some farmers rejected the reasoning behind artificial chemicals, and continued with the old method, which is now called 'organic'.

Apparently, crop dusting started in 1921, read more here -->
http://www.agaviation.org/history.htm

Sometimes, I shouldn't be so lazy and google before posting :) Anyway, hope you all find the above interesting, I did.

[Cinnamon]

I am so glad to hear this... making organic produce more widely available and more affordable is great news. I've noticed our new Wal-Mart (which just opened in Poulsbo) is getting more and more organic produce. And our Central Market has tons of organic produce so I feel very lucky to now have two stores to shop at! Costco on occasion has some organic produce too, but it seems to be hit and miss so when I find anything there I buy it too. Oh thank you for more shopping choices especially in winter before our gardens provide for us and the Farmer's Markets begin again this spring.

[fiddler]

Yes, I must add that I'm thrilled with the idea that Wal-mart is going to start peddling more organic. The Wal-marts closest to me (Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky) have NOT provided enough organic produce for me to even shop there. The organic they did have was not fresh and very limited. So, I took my business to krogers and biggs. Biggs in Hyde Park has the best Organic section for the price around. Wild Oats is good too but they're a bit pricey...

I'm lucky though, I'm close to a wholesaler where I can get produce by the case a day or two sooner than at the retailers. [ Much cheaper this way too.]

Thank's for the notice regarding Walmart; I may stop by there soon to see if their new business plan is hitting us here in Northern Kentucky.

[misslinda]

AMAZING........rumor has it that a Wal Mart is being constructed about less than a mile from where I live :) It will be interesting to see what they furnish!

[Lynnz]

Now if only organics didn't carry such a premium$$$.

My fear with Wal-Mart carrying organics is that people will be tempted to cheat with organic labeling. Wal-Mart has an unchecked influence on producers these days.

[Raw Faith]

Now if only organics didn't carry such a premium$$$.

My fear with Wal-Mart carrying organics is that people will be tempted to cheat with organic labeling. Wal-Mart has an unchecked influence on producers these days.
I doubt it; farmer reputations are at steak. And I am sure you can find out exactly where the fruit from your store comes from. I have a good relationship with our walmart produce manager. And he tells me where and when they come from. And I have saw the paper work myself because sometimes he has to bring it out and look it up. As long as you keep a mind to know where things come from you will be fine.

[Lynnz]

I doubt it; farmer reputations are at steak.

Reputations are at stake only if it's caught. Cheating is not uncommon whenever there's a dollar to be made.

But your point about checking sources is well-taken.

[rawpriestess]

Not EVERYONE is out to make a buck, MOST people actually care about their products that they sell.

I prefer to have trust UNTIL it is dashed, and then I live a much more peace filled and loving life in general.

[Cinnamon]

The organic produce at our new Wal-Mart are packaged and labeled from such companies as Paul Newman and other well known names, I have no doubt they are what they say they are. Such as bags of oranges and grapefruit, even lemons from Paul Newman and bags of organic romaine and celery hearts from Earthbound Farms. Very fresh and good prices too. In fact the bag of celery hearts I bought the other day I compared with the same size bag of regular celery hearts and the price was the same! I was pleasantly surprised.