Organic Insider Newsletter Archive

Activist Investor Take 9% Stake in the Company, Initial Moves Do Not Impress

Apr 11, 2017

Yesterday, it was disclosed that activist hedge fund Jana Partners and several allies have taken a 9% stake in Whole Foods Market, and The Wall Street Journal reported that Jana “wants the chain to improve its technology and operations to better compete with larger rivals, shake up its board and find out how much a potential bidder might be...

Quick Hits: 4 items

Linked Articles: 9 items

Activist Hedge Fund Takes 9% Stake in the Company, May Consider Sale

Apr 10, 2017

In breaking news, CNBC and other outlets are reporting that activist hedge fund Jana Partners has taken a 9% stake in Whole Foods Market. The question now is: will the company be put on the auction block?

What the Future Holds for Stonyfield

Apr 04, 2017

This past week, French-based Danone announced it has reached an agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to sell its entire stake in Stonyfield, a requisite to get approval for its $12.5 billion acquisition of WhiteWave Foods. We take a look at potential suitors and how Stonyfield could expand its product line.

Quick Hits: 2 items

Linked Articles: 7 items

March 2017

Hydroponics and Organic: Where Are We and Where Do We Go From Here?

Mar 28, 2017

With next month’s National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) meeting in Denver just a few weeks away, the issue of hydroponics in organic is at the forefront of many people’s minds. And with some recent events, a question many people are asking is whether the tide is turning on this issue.

Quick Hits: 4 items

Linked Articles: 9 items

The New Certification Program That Everyone in Organic Needs to Know About

Mar 21, 2017

Add-On Certifications

A brand new Glyphosate Residue Free certification has been launched by The Detox Project, one of the most respected organizations in the space. Here is a discussion about what this program is trying to achieve, how it works, and how it could impact the industry. My best advice is for organic food companies be fully prepared for consumers to...

Quick Hits: 2 items

Linked Articles: 8 items

Key Takeaways from Natural Products Expo West 2017

Mar 14, 2017

Trade Shows

With a group of Republican representatives lobbying President Trump to eliminate the entire National Organic Program, I have been quite concerned about the future of organic. However, after witnessing everything that went on at last week's Natural Products Expo West in Anaheim and spending time with many of our industry’s leaders, I am more...

Quick Hits: 4 items

Linked Articles: 6 items

Will The Freedom Caucus Sway President Trump to Eliminate the National Organic Program?

Mar 07, 2017

With rumors circulating that The Freedom Caucus, a congressional caucus consisting of conservative Republican members of the U.S. House of Representatives, wanting to kill the National Organic Program, we received more clarity into exactly what is going on.

Linked Articles: 11 items

February 2017

Expect to See More of Glyphosate-Free Certification

Feb 28, 2017

Add-On Certifications

A trend that I have been thinking about for several years is now finally starting to gain some traction: glyphosate-free certification. In today's Organic Insider, I discuss what it is and what it means for the industry.

Quick Hits: 2 items

Linked Articles: 9 items

Organic Farmland Conversion Must Become a Major Policy Priority

Feb 21, 2017

If we reflect back over the last few years, the organic industry has spent an incredible amount of time and tens of millions of dollars fighting for GMO-labeling. And what did we get from it? A horrible GMO-labeling bill that allows for the use of QR codes instead of on-packaging labeling. In hindsight, the industry might have been better served...

Linked Articles: 7 items

E-Commerce is Too Important to Ignore

Feb 14, 2017

For my commentary this week, I talk about the number one mistake that I see many organic food companies making and bring in one of the sharpest and most innovative minds that I know -- Zak Normandin, former founder of Little Duck Organics and is now the founder of Dirty Lemon (not organic). His beverage company does 100% of its sales online and...

Quick Hits: 3 items

Linked Articles: 10 items

Will the National Organic Standards Board be Targeted?

Feb 07, 2017

Kathleen Merrigan, former Deputy Secretary of the USDA and a champion of organic, said at the Food Tank conference that “There are some forces of darkness … coming together, thinking, ‘let’s sharpen the knives on organic.’” I discuss what this all means and how recent developments could give us an indication of how challenging the...

Linked Articles: 9 items

January 2017

What's Really at Stake with These New GMO-Apples

Jan 31, 2017

As many of you may know, the long-awaited, genetically-modified Arctic Apple that doesn’t turn brown hits the shelves in select supermarkets in the Midwest today. Even though no long-term safety studies have ever been done on GMOs, this new apple poses a different and potentially bigger risk than a health one. I discuss this risk in today's...

Quick Hits: 2 items

Linked Articles: 9 items

Trump Names Sonny Perdue, a Biotech Favorite, as Head of the USDA

Jan 24, 2017

President Trump has just named Sonny Perdue as the new USDA Secretary of Agriculture. We take a look at what we know about him and whether there is reason to be optimistic or incredibly concerned, as it pertains to how organic will be treated under this new administration.

Linked Articles: 10 items

Obama Administration Approves Key Organic Regulations Days Before Departure

Jan 17, 2017

As President Obama is set to leave office, there is a flurry of last minute news that has impact organic tremendously. In today's Organic Insider, I cover it all and analyze what it means.

Linked Articles: 5 items

Organic Food and Pressed Juice in 2017 - What We'll Be Seeing

Jan 10, 2017

Trends

When I analyze two sets of predictions for what we'll be seeing in 2017, two particular words come to mind. I discuss what these words are and how they will impact organic food products and companies in the year ahead.

Linked Articles: 7 items

Are We Finally Starting to Win the Fight Against GMOs and Pesticides?

Jan 03, 2017

Several powerful pieces of research and news articles have appeared in the past few weeks that have made me believe that we may be getting close to a tipping point, where we are starting to win the fight against GMOs and pesticides. Here is what came out and why they are so powerful.

Linked Articles: 6 items

December 2016

What Will Become of Organic?

Dec 27, 2016

Trends

As we are about to enter a new year and with a new president, I take a look at the five key issues facing the organic industry in 2017.

Linked Articles: 5 items

How Americans View Organic Food And GMOs

Dec 21, 2016

In today's Organic Insider -- the very first one -- I discuss findings from the Pew Research Center and a study out of Europe, both of which give us fascinating insight as to how we view organic food and GMOs. The results were both encouraging and alarming. Second, brand new findings out of Europe completely dispel the notion that GMOs are...

Linked Articles: 11 items