Steve Hoffman 11/4/24 Steve Hoffman 11/4/24

State of Natural: Industry on Track to Reach $318.6B in Sales in 2024 and $386.4B by 2028

This article first appeared in the November 2024 issue of Presence Marketing’s newsletter.

By Steven Hoffman

The natural and organic products industry is on a solid growth curve, supported by rising consumer demand for better for you products, according to the editors of Nutrition Business Journal (NBJ).

Surpassing $300 billion in sales on 4.8% growth in 2023, NBJ projects sales of natural, organic, regenerative and sustainable products in the natural channel will continue to grow at about 5% per year to reach $318.6 billion in 2024, and $386.42 billion by 2028, with the market “showing no signs of slowing down.”

Dominated by the natural and organic food and beverage sector, which commands three times the market share of supplements and seven times that of the natural living category, “the natural products industry has infiltrated every part of brick-and-mortar and online retail and is outpacing conventional products’ growth. Slow and steady is winning this race,” reported the NBJ editorial team in its State of Natural Report: Four-Year Forecast, 2024 - 2028, published in September 2024.

Sales of natural, organic and functional food and beverages account for 69.3% of the overall natural products market. According to NBJ, this category will continue to dominate the market, predicting that sales will grow to $220.78 billion in 2024, and will reach $265.2 billion in sales in 2028. Strong growth in this sector is driven by improved product quality and taste, global flavors, and plant-based, paleo and carnivore diet trends, among others.

According to NBJ, the majority, or 63.7% of natural and organic food and beverage sales are occurring in mass market retail stores, a trend that will continue as natural products become more accessible across the country. Traditional natural food retail stores command 28% of the natural and organic food and beverage market.

Supplements: The Roller Coaster Ride Is Over

For the dietary supplements category, “the roller coaster ride is over,” NBJ reported. “After a sobering deflationary period following stratospheric growth during the Covid-19 pandemic, the supplements industry is settling into steady, stable growth in every category. With the combined Sports Nutrition and Meal Replacements category and Herbs and Botanicals leading the way, supplements are projected to grow at around 5% each year through 2028, from $67.43 billion in 2024 to $82.81 billion. Many consumers who discovered supplements in their panicked searches for immunity hacks during the pandemic appear to be sticking with the vitamins and herbs they started taking, and the industry is mainstreaming as a result,” said NBJ.

While sports nutrition and meal replacements are projected to grow between 5% and 7% over the next four years, sales of vitamins and minerals, which took a post-pandemic hit (NBJ predicts growth of only 2.1% in this category in 2024), are projected to grow 3.7% in 2028. However, vitamins and minerals control the largest market share (30%) among the dietary supplement categories.

Herbs and botanicals are projected to be the fastest growing supplement sector, and annual growth will reach 7% by 2028. Market share for sports nutrition and meal replacements is expected to remain steady over the next four years, ranging between 26% and 28%. Herbs and botanicals, too, are predicted to maintain a steady market share of about 20% over the next four years.

NBJ also noted that in the dietary supplements category, in particular, direct to consumer channels are driving significant growth. “With annual growth between 6% and 7% — nearly triple that of Natural and Specialty—the Direct-to- Consumer channel is driving growth during the forecast period, while Natural and Specialty continues to lose market share, falling from 26% in 2024 to 23.2% in 2028,” NBJ predicted.

Natural Living: Small but Growing Fast
As consumers learn more about the dangers of environmental toxins, microplastics and ingredients used in conventional beauty care products from mainstream media, social media influencers and others, they are becoming increasingly aware of the fact that it’s not just what you put in your body, but also what you put on your body. While the Natural Living sector takes up the smallest slice of the natural products industry pie at a 9.5% market share, it is expected outpace overall industry growth, growing at 6% per year from $30.38 billion to an estimated $38.41 billion in sales in 2028.

According to NBJ, the natural and specialty channel is projected to lose market share of natural living products between 2024 and 2028, but it will remain the second largest channel behind mass market. By 2028, sales of natural living products in mass market will be more than double those of natural and specialty. Also, while mass market and e-commerce are driving much of the natural living market, practitioners and multi-level/network marketing “are the only channels projected to see increased growth throughout the forecast period,” said NBJ.

The principal analysts, authors and editors of the Nutrition Business Journal State of Natural Report: Four-Year Forecast, 2024 – 2028 were market research analyst Erika Craft, industry analyst Christian Irwin, senior editor Robyn Lawrence, managing editor Hannah Esper and content & insights director Bill Giebler. Sources for the data include SPINS, IRI Group, Natural Foods Merchandiser Magazine, New Hope Network and others. The report is available for $125.

Learn More

Nutrition Business Journal State of Natural Report: Four-Year Forecast, 2024 - 2028

https://store.newhope.com/collections/state-of-natural/products/the-state-of-natural-report-four-year-forecast

Presence News: Natural Products Industry Reaches $303.3 Billion in Sales in 2023 on 4.8% Growth

https://www.pmidpi.com/blog/newsletter/natural-products-industry-reaches-303-3-billion-in-sales-in-2023-on-4-8-growth/

Steven Hoffman is Managing Director of Compass Natural, providing public relations, brand marketing, social media and strategic business development services to natural, organic, sustainable and hemp/CBD products businesses. Contact steve@compassnaturalmarketing.com.

Steve Hoffman 10/4/24 Steve Hoffman 10/4/24

Food Contact Chemicals Used in Production and Packaging Are Finding Their Way Into Humans

This article first appeared in the October 2024 issue of Presence Marketing’s newsletter.

By Steven Hoffman

Researchers working with the Food Packaging Forum discovered that of the roughly 14,000 known chemicals that are used in food manufacturing and packaging, approximately 25% or 3,601 of these food contact chemicals (FCCs) have been found in the human body. The chemicals include bisphenol, PFAS, phthalates, metals, volatile organic compounds, and many others that have been linked to endocrine system disruption, diabetes, obesity, neurodevelopment disorders, cancer and other diseases.

The study, Evidence for Widespread Human Exposure to Food Contact Chemicals, published in September 2024 in the Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology, comprehensively searched biological data collections for detections of FCCs in humans, such as from samples of blood, urine, skin, and breast milk. The data is now assembled and available in a public listing with an interactive search tool.

“Our research helps to establish the link between food contact chemicals and human exposure, highlights chemicals that are overlooked in biomonitoring studies and supports research into safer food contact materials,” lead author Birgit Geueke, Ph.D., and Senior Scientific Officer at the Food Packaging Forum, said in a news release.

When the research team reviewed scientific literature to learn what is known about FCCs detected in humans, they concluded there is a broad lack of knowledge of the effect of these chemicals on human health, and the potential hazards of many of these chemicals have not yet been sufficiently investigated. For other chemicals that migrate from packaging into the food, such as synthetic antioxidants and oligomers (a type of non-intentionally added substance that may be present in plastic food contact materials), the authors pointed out that little is known about their presence in and impact on humans.

“Many of these FCCs have hazard properties of concern, and still others have never been tested for toxicity,” the researchers wrote. “Humans are known to be exposed to FCCs via foods, but the full extent of human exposure to all FCCs is unknown.” It also is likely that the actual number of FCCs in humans is even higher because only a subset of FCCs was investigated in detail, noted the study’s authors.

Dr. Jane Muncke, co-author of the study, expressed concern over such widespread chemical exposure, stating, "This work highlights the fact that food contact materials are not fully safe, even though they may comply with regulations, because they transfer known hazardous chemicals into people. We would like this new evidence base to be used for improving the safety of food contact materials—both in terms of regulations but also in the development of safer alternatives."

The Great Chemical Migration
From shrink wrap and takeout containers to plastic bottles and coated paperboard packaging, scientists have known for years that chemicals can migrate out of food packaging into the food itself. We all know not to microwave food in plastic packaging, as high temperatures can cause the plastic to leach into the food. Foods high in fat or acidity also tend to absorb more chemicals from packaging, reported the Washington Post. Foods packed into smaller containers have increased risk of chemical crossover, too — Muncke shared with the Washington Post that on a recent flight she was given a tiny container of salad dressing. “They served the salad with a 15ml little plastic bottle with olive oil and vinegar that you could pour over. I thought, ‘Well, I’m not doing that,’” she said.

Muncke also shared with the Washington Post that while most of the chemicals leaching from food packaging come from plastics, “Probably the worst one is recycled paper and cardboard. And I know that’s a hard one to stomach.” Recycling paper, cardboard or plastic for food packaging leads to non-food grade inks mixed in next to food, she said, adding to the chemical exposure risks. However, in a positive regulatory move, FDA announced in February 2024 that paper and paperboard food packaging coated with grease-proofing PFAS chemicals would no longer be sold in the U.S.

In January 2024, Consumer Reports published an investigation into plasticizers used in food packaging to make plastic containers softer, more flexible and durable. Phthalate compounds — the ones most commonly used as a plasticizer — are so ubiquitous that it has been reported that 95% of all humans have detectable levels of phthalates in their urine. What Consumer Reports found in tests of nearly 100 foods was that bisphenol and phthalates are widespread in food products. “We found them in almost every food we tested, often at high levels. The levels did not depend on packaging type, and no one particular type of food — say, dairy products or prepared meals — was more likely than another to have them,” Consumer Reports said. From canned sliced fruit to pasta to yogurt containers, the investigation found high levels of phthalates in the packaging. Some organic products the consumer advocacy group tested also were not immune to high levels phthalates detected in product packaging.

In addition to packaging, foods are often subject to chemical exposure in the production, manufacturing and potentially in the transport process. According to Consumer Reports, while early efforts to limit food exposure to such chemicals focused on packaging, “…it’s now clear that phthalates in particular can also get in from the plastic in the tubing, conveyor belts and gloves used during food processing, and can even enter directly into meat and produce via contaminated water and soil.”

Leah Segedie, founder of consumer advocacy group Mamavation, has conducted PFAS investigations into a number of different consumer products, and also to provide consumers with guidance in searching for products free of such chemicals. In 2022, she released a report about PFAS contamination of pasta sauces, both organic and conventional. Out of the 55 different pasta sauces she tested in 2021, 17 were organic and four of those, or approximately 25%, had detectable levels of PFAS.

“I believe that PFAS contamination of organic products is also taking place during the manufacturing process and when products get transported,” Segedie told Max Goldberg, Editor of Organic Insider. “What is touching the food? Was a contaminated lubrication used on a machine? Was food stored in a vat that was fluorinated, as it was crossing the Pacific Ocean in an incredibly hot shipping container? Does the food contain contaminated spices? All of these and many other variables are the reason why the end-product should be tested, not just the ingredient,” she said.

Finding PFAS Free Alternatives
Responding to growing concern over “forever chemicals” in food and consumer packaged goods, a number of natural, organic and conscious CPG companies are offering alternatives for products that contain PFAS. The Environmental Working Group compiled a list, updated in January 2024, of companies that have declared their products have no added PFAS, in including food, fashion, beauty care and other consumer products categories. Online retailer Thrive Market this year announced in a blog on its website that, “Though more research is needed, PFAS are being studied as potential carcinogens. This month, Thrive Market added PFAS to its list of non-compliant chemicals and substances, meaning that you won’t find it in any products on our site.”

Businesses such as HeyBamboo, a toilet paper brand made from 100% bamboo, is committed to using absolutely no plastic in its packaging. “The wrap is made from bamboo, and so is the core of our toilet paper and paper towel products,” said company founder and CEO Joslyn Faust. “We like to say that we’re sustainable to the core,” she said. Another emerging brand, Generation for Change, is committed to making plastic-free health and personal care products, stating that it’s “a company made for the plastic-free generation.” In 2022, FoodTank reported on 19 food and beverage companies looking to move beyond plastic packaging

For natural and organic food brands, Charles Haverfield, CEO of U.S. Packaging and Wrapping, offered this counsel in 2023 in Sustainable Packaging News: “Selecting suitable materials for organic packaging demands a discerning approach. Choose options that minimize the presence of unwanted chemicals while upholding organic and sustainable principles. Materials like compostable plastics, plant-based fibers and paper offer a natural breakdown without leaving behind harmful residues. Glass and metal containers, which are highly recyclable and chemically inert, limit interactions with the packaged goods. Steer clear of some conventional plastics, as they can harbor hazardous additives like phthalates and bisphenol-A. Instead, explore alternatives like bio-based plastics or cellulose-based materials. It's important to note that while aluminum is recyclable, certain aluminum-coated packaging materials may contain additional coatings that clash with organic principles.”

A number of packaging suppliers are offering PFAS free options, such as Good Start Packaging, Delfort, CarePac and others, which offer compostable fiber and paper food packaging with no added PFAS. In January 2024, Organic Produce Network reported that a new third-party packaging standard, GreenScreen Certified — a collaboration between the Center for Environmental Health and Clean Production Action — will certify packaging products that are free from PFAS, as well as “thousands of other chemicals of high concern to human health and the environment.”

Learn More

Video Abstract: Evidence for Widespread Human Exposure to Food Contact Chemicals

Full Study: Evidence for Widespread Human Exposure to Food Contact Chemicals

Summary of Study: Evidence for Widespread Human Exposure to Food Contact Chemicals

Database on Food Contact Chemicals Monitored in Humans (FCChumon)

Food Engineering Magazine: Get the PFAS Out of Food Packaging Materials ASAP

Guide to PFAS Free Food Packaging

Mamavation Guide to Avoiding Products with Forever Chemicals

Environmental Working Group Guide to Companies Marketing Alternatives for Products that Contain PFAS

Steve Hoffman 9/6/24 Steve Hoffman 9/6/24

First-Ever Newtopia Now Reinvents the Natural Products Trade Show Experience Through Connection and Community

DENVER (Sept. 5, 2024) — Newtopia Now, the inaugural health and wellness event for the consumer-packaged goods (CPG) industry, organized by New Hope Network and held at the Colorado Convention Center, received over 7,000 registered attendees, 4,000 of whom were registered buyers, creating a vibrant environment where connection and community were at the heart of the experience. With 560 exhibiting companies, including 180 companies exhibiting at a trade show for the first time, Newtopia Now successfully reimagined the traditional trade show by focusing on authentic interactions and purposeful discovery.

Newtopia Now is the immersive experience designed to foster deep connections and provide a platform for emerging brands and product innovation within the conscious products industry through four intentionally curated neighborhoods: Thrive, exploring the future of human health; Represent, celebrating diverse founders and multicultural products; Regenerate, championing sustainability and environmental impact; and Glow, featuring conscious beauty and holistic wellness.

Attendees were introduced to a range of innovative activations, including the Thrive Café, Tasting Bar, Represent Kitchen and Glow Salon, all opportunities crafted to help buyers experience products in real-life applications and encourage engagement with sponsors and exhibitors. Beacon’s product discovery platform and the Newtopia Now show mobile app further informed connections before, during and after the show with product information and buyer criteria being incorporated throughout the event. A standout feature of the show format was also The Market, a unique experience where attendees could explore products through self-discovery in a natural, grocery store-like environment. Instead of traditional price tags, QR codes linked to Beacon Discovery profiles, enabling a seamless and educational experience.

Receptions throughout the Thrive and Regenerate neighborhoods offered attendees an occasion to mingle and sample functional beverages, zero-proof mocktails and tasty bites as consumer demand grows for mindful alternatives for snacks and refreshments.

The event also hosted speed networking sessions and curated one-on-one meetings through the event’s matchmaking program, Conscious Connections, designed to pair investors and retailers with emerging brands and products, offering a rapid and effective way to build valuable relationships. Additionally, to cultivate organic connections and further deepen the sense of community, attendees participated in offsite experiences such as yoga at Red Rocks Amphitheater, neighborhood-themed dine-arounds throughout Denver and a brunch for women in CPG at Ophelia’s.

“Conscious Connections made it easier to meet with the buyers that wanted to meet with us, which made our meetings that much more intentional,” noted Jessica Harvey, sales operations manager, Dr. Bronner's.

“Newtopia Now was everything we hoped for and more. The opportunity to sample our pizza with this audience and the connections we made were invaluable. The show was a game changer for our brand,” remarked Kristin Caman, founder and chief executive officer, Etalia.

Newtopia Now’s four stages, found throughout each of the neighborhoods, hosted an impressive lineup of content focused on inspiring and educating buyers, brands and other members of the CPG ecosystem looking to differentiate their businesses. Keynote speakers included culinary icon Carla Hall, Blue Zones founder Dan Buettner and Vitamin Shoppe Chief Executive Officer Lee Wright. Additionally, the content lineup brought to the stage leaders from top retailers including Whole Foods Market, Target, Bristol Farms, Ulta Beauty, PCC and Thrive Market, sharing insights that would help brands not only get into those retail stores but also more effectively move their products off shelves.

“It has been an eye-opening experience to meet so many diverse and innovative brands that I had never seen before here at Newtopia Now. Although this is still a large conference, it felt more intimate, and I have been able to connect deeper with brands as a result,” shared Rick Burian, senior manager of supplier diversity, Ulta Beauty.

“Newtopia Now feels different, this feels like the conscious connections we are looking for with brands,” added Le’Spencer Walker, director of merchandising vendor development, Target. Casey Gaston, executive leader of local and emerging brands for Whole Foods Market, noted on LinkedIn, “The energy at the show was incredible and I hope to see this kind of format, focused on new and emerging conscious brands and trends, continue. It was approachable, with excellent programming, and offered a lot of quality time and conversations for me and my team.”

Broadcast celebrity chef and entrepreneur Carla Hall expressed, “I am looking for products to move forward in the well-being space and this is a very captive audience to come and check out some of these things as I am looking for future partners.” Veena Krishnan, co-founder and chief operating officer of Daybird, winner of the first-ever Conscious Beauty Pitch Event Presented by Giannuzzi Lewendon, exclaimed, “Newtopia Now is electric and interactive. A lot of the people who are passing through the neighborhood are going through with intention; they are the buyers we want to talk to, and they are looking for brands like us.”

“Newtopia Now has proven the demand for authenticity and purpose in the natural products industry. From curating the space so likeminded brands and attendees would organically encounter each other, to the on- and off-site mindful moments that brought us closer together, our community needs these intimate and intentional touchpoints. We are more than a place to do business, we are a platform for learning, growing, expanding and uniting, as we strive to create a positive market that supports more health for our environment and our people,” explains Danica Cullins, Executive Vice President of Health and Nutrition, Informa Markets North America.

True to New Hope Network’s ethos, Newtopia Now demonstrated its commitment to sustainability throughout the event, from replanting all trees featured on the show floor across the Denver area in partnership with The Park People Association, to donating unused samples and merchandise featured at the show via the program We Don’t Waste, allowing brands to give back to the local communities. The implementation of reusable serve ware system r.Cup provided reusable plastic cups for large networking sessions, reducing trash and single-use plastic waste.

Newtopia Now is setting a new standard for industry events by blending innovation with intention. The event underscored the importance of creating conscious connections and building an experience that left a lasting impact on attendees. Buyers, retailers, brands and attendees can look forward to an even more impactful experience with all new community experiences packed into one day. As Newtopia Now continues to evolve, the event returns to Denver next year, Aug. 20-22, 2025.

Stay informed for the chance to be part of the health and nutrition industry’s most purposeful gathering. For more information, visit newtopianow.com.

About New Hope Network
New Hope Network is a leading authority in the healthy lifestyle products industry, offering solutions for the complete supply chain from manufacturers, retailers/distributors, service providers and ingredient suppliers. Through its comprehensive portfolio of content, events, data, research and consultative services, New Hope Network is dedicated to fostering a prosperous, high-integrity CPG and retail ecosystem that promotes health, joy and justice for all people while regenerating the planet. For more information, visit newhope.com.

About Informa Markets
Informa Markets, a subsidiary of Informa plc (LON:INF), creates platforms for industries and specialist markets to trade, innovate and grow. With a global reach and diverse portfolio of verticals, including Pharmaceuticals, Food, Medical Technology and Infrastructure, Informa Markets connects buyers and sellers worldwide through face-to-face exhibitions, targeted digital services and actionable data solutions. For more information, visit informamarkets.com.

Media Contact
New Hope Network Public Relations pr@newhope.com

Steve Hoffman 8/29/24 Steve Hoffman 8/29/24

JAMBAR Featured on CBS by Top Nutritionist as ‘Best Healthy Back to School Snack’

Renowned nutrition expert Mia Syn, M.S., R.D.N., highlights the balanced, organic whole food attributes of JAMBARs on CBS San Diego

SAN RAFAEL, Calif. (Sept 29, 2024) – Mia Syn, a national on-air nutrition expert and one of the most recognized and trusted young dietitians in the country, featured JAMBAR as a “Healthy Back to School Snack” in the Aug. 23 airing on CBS San Diego. Syn has more TV appearances than any other young nutritionist in the country and has helped millions of viewers, readers and clients learn and implement healthier, sustainable eating habits.

"As a registered dietitian, I look for organic snacks like JAMBAR that are made with real food ingredients and offer a balance of protein and fiber to help keep kids from preschool through college satisfied and fueled between meals,” says Syn, M.S., R.D.N. “JAMBARs are delicious and don’t crumble or melt so they are perfect to toss in backpacks for lunch and snacks before or after sports. The Chocolate Cha Cha flavor is especially great for nut-free schools.”

*Registered dietitian nutritionist Mia Syn*

JAMBAR founder, food scientist and mother of six Jenny Maxwell estimates she’s made about 28,000 school lunches over the last two decades. So when parents tuck her JAMBAR energy bars into their kids’ backpacks, she knows they’ll fuel the school day in the most delicious and nutritious way possible.

"Having a nutrition expert like Mia recognize JAMBARs as some of the healthiest and most delicious snacks out there for kids is quite an accolade," says Maxwell. "Her advocacy for evidence-based nutrition is impressive. As a food scientist myself, I truly appreciate Mia's stamp of approval."

JAMBAR stands out with a unique blend of real-food organic ingredients that provide a nutritious option without compromising on the taste buds. Each JAMBAR provides 10g of protein and 4g of fiber, with no added oils or processed sugars. Every JAMBAR contains plant-based sunflower and/or milk protein, along with real maple syrup, honey and/or juices as sweeteners. All of JAMBAR’s five flavors are certified organic, gluten-free and non-GMO. Unlike other energy bars that crumble or melt, JAMBAR is made to endure, ensuring that they remain intact and tasty whether tucked into a bento box, lunchbox or backpack pocket.

*JAMBAR founder and CEO Jennifer Maxwell is at center.*

About JAMBAR
In 2021, Jennifer Maxwell founded JAMBAR with the goal of helping people feel good not only about the ingredients they put in their bodies, but also about the positive impact they can have on their local communities. JAMBARs are made in the U.S. and crafted in small batches in the company’s own state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Northern California. A woman-owned business and a mission-based “conscious CPG brand,” JAMBAR donates 50% of after-tax profits to organizations that support music and active living. JAMBAR is available in leading grocers and specialty and athletic stores including Whole Foods, Safeway (NorCal Division), Raley’s Supermarkets, Erewhon, Mother’s Market & Kitchen, Lazy Acres, Gelson’s Markets, Earth Fare, The Fresh Market, Good Earth Natural Foods, Mollie Stone’s Markets, Nugget Market, Cambridge Naturals, United Market, Scotty’s Market, Lucky’s Market, Bon Appetit, Fleet Feet, and more.

Learn more at www.jambar.com and follow JAMBAR on Facebook and Instagram.

About Mia Syn, M.S., R.D.N.
Mia Syn is a nationally recognized nutrition expert and author. She has been featured by dozens of major media outlets including Cosmopolitan and SHAPE and was named one of the top registered dietitians to follow on Instagram by Women’s Health magazine. You can follow her @nutritionbymia for daily nutrition tips and easy healthy recipes.

Media Contact
Steven Hoffman, Compass Natural, steve@compassnatural.com, tel: 303.807.1042

Steve Hoffman 8/24/24 Steve Hoffman 8/24/24

HeyBamboo® Expands Into Brick and Mortar With 'Eco-Luxe' Toilet Paper and Paper Towels

‘Sustainable to the Core,’ the bleach-free, compostable, recyclable, zero-waste and plastic-free products are now available to retailers that prioritize sustainability and premium quality.

SAN FRANCISCO (Aug. 23, 2024) — HeyBamboo® founder and CEO Joslyn Faust is leading a sustainable paper revolution. HeyBamboo has been selling its “eco-luxe” premium quality toilet paper products successfully online to conscious consumers for the past year and the company is now poised to expand into select brick and mortar retail locations with the debut of retail packs of its bleach-free toilet paper and a new line of paper towels made from 100% bamboo.

HeyBamboo will debut the new retail line to natural channel and healthy lifestyle retail buyers at the upcoming Newtopia Now trade show, Aug. 25-28, 2024, in Denver. The company will exhibit in the Represent Neighborhood.

“Newtopia Now is the ideal place to launch the our new retail line since the focus is on having meaningful conversations with key buyers who are looking for conscious CPG brands on the cusp of industry trends,” notes Joslyn. “The show, with its focus on sustainability, wellness and diversity, is welcoming to me as an emerging, mission-based brand. As a female minority founder, that is important.”

Why Bamboo Is Best
Bamboo, a fast-growing, renewable resource, has incredibly powerful regenerative capabilities. Bamboo sequesters 2.03 metric tons of carbon per hectare per year and requires 30% less water than its traditional rivals during the manufacturing process.

HeyBamboo products are made from soft, strong and FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certified 100% bamboo. The toilet paper comes in a 3-ply, 360-sheet roll, with nine rolls to a retail box. The new retail paper towels are available in 3-roll packs with 150 2-ply half-sheets per roll. The packaging and core are also made from 100% recyclable and compostable bamboo, making the products septic safe, zero-waste and completely plastic free.

“We consider HeyBamboo to be the luxurious alternative to alternative toilet paper. Our products are sustainably sourced, offer superior performance, and are great for the planet and better for you and your family. Not to mention, HeyBamboo toilet paper and paper towels help keep trees in the ground, where they belong,” Joslyn says.

Answering Nature’s Call
When the toilet paper shortage hit during the Covid pandemic, Joslyn became curious and began looking into the impact of toilet paper manufacturing.

Each year the logging industry cuts down more than a million acres of virgin North American boreal forest, in large part to meet consumer demand for toilet paper. These forests are critical in sequestering carbon, and their destruction can lead to long-term environmental damage and climate change, according to the Natural Resources Defense Council. In addition, Joslyn discovered that toxic chemicals including bleach and “forever chemicals” (PFAS) are used in the vast majority of toilet paper manufacturing.

Seeing an opportunity to change the paper products paradigm, Joslyn launched HeyBamboo to provide sustainable, bleach-free toilet paper.

“As a consumer, I was merely looking for something better for my family and realized there aren’t a lot of sustainable toilet paper brands on the market. They tend to be bleached, wrapped in plastic or expensive. So I decided to create an option made from bamboo that is soft, feels great, is a good value and has all the qualities conscious consumers care about,” she says.

About HeyBamboo
Established in 2023, HeyBamboo is a minority, woman-owned, conscious CPG brand dedicated to providing consumers with premium-quality “eco-luxe” sustainable paper products. HeyBamboo is a member of 1% for the Planet, One Tree Planted and the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). For information, visit www.HeyBamboo.com and follow on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and LinkedIn.

For wholesale inquiries, contact hello@heybamboo.com.

Visit HeyBamboo at Newtopia Now in Booth 646 in the Represent Neighborhood featuring mission-based, Conscious CPG brands from traditionally underrepresented communities.

Learn More

Media Contact
Steven Hoffman, Compass Natural, steve@compassnatural.com, tel 303.807.1042

Steve Hoffman 8/23/24 Steve Hoffman 8/23/24

Conscious CPG Voices, Part II

These articles were originally published on the New Hope Network website

All articles by Steven Hoffman

How are “Conscious CPG” companies positioning themselves in today’s fast-changing consumer market—and how are they turning to the Newtopia Now as a vital new resource to advance their brand among key buyers and decision makers?

We asked the founders and leaders of 10 emerging brands who are exhibiting their innovations—many of them for the very first time at Newtopia Now—what factors drive their decisions today. Coming from diverse backgrounds, these entrepreneurs share at least one thing in common: The belief that gathering with peers, contemporaries, buyers, influencers, mentors, business leaders and others in an intimate setting is critical to learning about the marketplace, building relationships and growing your business and brand.

Better Sour brings global flavors to the candy aisle

Iranian Americans Bella Hughes and Semira Nikou grew up in Hawaii and have been best friends for 37 years. They met at a Nowruz party, celebrating the Iranian New Year in their hometown of Honolulu, Hawaii. Now, they are business partners, having launched Better Sour in 2023. Since then, the Austin, Texas-based, women-owned gummy candy brand featuring globally inspired sour flavors from the Middle East to the Asia-Pacific has been a darling of the natural and specialty foods industry and media, growing from 100 doors to over 1,500 retail accounts within 12 months of launching. The products are 100% plant based, with 3g of sugar per bag. Better Sour was a 2024 Natural Products Expo West NEXTY Award finalist for Best Sweet Snack or Dessert. Read the brand’s story in Bella Hughes’ own words here.

Nopalera reimagines clean beauty from the ground up

After 14 years in music—her Mexican folk music band, Pistolera, was once featured on NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert—and working in sales for several years with CPG brands, Sandra Lilia Velasquez saw an opportunity to create a modern Mexican beauty brand. Inspired by her heritage and the desire to activate a new generation to explore beauty through a different lens, she set out to create a brand “that embodies boldness, scent transportation, and fresh takes on common beauty rituals,” she says. In 2019, she founded Nopalera. Today, the luxury skincare brand is sold in department stores including Nordstrom, Credo Beauty, Free People and elsewhere. Read the brand’s story in Sandra Lilia Velasquez’s own words here.

Mesa de Vida gets saucy with nutrition, quality and global flavors

A former performance and recovery chef to professional athletes, Chef Kirsten Sandoval turned her health around when, as a young mother, she set out to end the cycle of heart disease in her family. Sandoval is also a living kidney donor and mom to two kids with a rare genetic condition. To help care for her family, she originally developed the idea for Mesa de Vida cooking sauces by focusing on nutrition, quality ingredients, convenience and globally inspired flavors. The company, launched in late 2019, will exhibit for the first time at Newtopia Now. Read the brand’s story in Kirsten Sandoval’s own words here.

Levelle Nutrition 'fuels women to run the world'

Sports nutrition isn’t one-size-fits-all, according to Levelle Nutrition co-founder and CEO Linda Alvarez, M.D. There are also sex-specific considerations to take into account, she asserts. A physician, Linda learned that almost half of U.S. marathoners are women, but only 30% of sports nutrition and sports medicine study participants are women, and less than 3% of all sports nutrition products are made for women. Seeing an opportunity, in 2021 Linda and her business partner, Stephanie Schrauth, launched Levelle Nutrition to provide female athletes with products formulated specifically with their physiology in mind. “We fuel women to run the world,” they say. Read the brand’s story in Linda Alvarez’s own words here.

Function, mission and design meet in MUD/WTR

MUD/WTR founder Shane Heath, an artist and entrepreneur, was working in the tech industry and finding that to cope with the “startup hustle culture,” he was developing a dependency on coffee and caffeine that he felt was contributing to burnout and affecting his physical and mental health. He started mixing organic cacao, masala chai, adaptogenic mushrooms and spices and found it gave him the energy he needed without the downsides of coffee. When colleagues asked what he was drinking, he told them “mud.” Realizing he could help support the creation of healthier habits for others, Heath launched MUD/WTR in 2018. COO Emma Nelson joined the Santa Monica, California-based business in 2019. Read the brand’s story in Emma Nelson’s own words here.

Steve Hoffman 8/22/24 Steve Hoffman 8/22/24

Conscious CPG Voices, Part I

These articles were originally published on the New Hope Network website

All articles by Steven Hoffman

Funky Mello turns aquafaba into plant-based indulgence

Delisa Harper and her husband, Zach, are co-founders of Funky Mello. The Austin, Texas-based company is seeking to carve out a niche in the refrigerated desserts category with its line of plant-based marshmallow cremes formulated from aquafaba, the starchy brine derived from cooked chickpeas. Funky Mello’s product offerings are vegan, gluten free, soy free and free of eight top food allergens. Mission-based, the company also supports organizations tackling youth food insecurity. Here is the brand's story in Delisa Harper's own words.

Rasa showcases high-performance adaptogen brews at Newtopia Now

Boulder, Colorado-based Rasa was founded in 2018 by Lopa van de Mersch and Ben Levine Nahar. Combining an interest in Ayurveda with herbs, adaptogens, mushrooms and other functional ingredients, Rasa and Ben created a “dark, rich, roasty” coffee alternative. In 2021, Rasa announced it had become a Public Benefit Corporation, and in 2022, the company raised $4.1 million in a crowdfunding campaign. Today, led by CEO Lenny Chase—who as a marketing executive helped build Halo Top into a national brand—Rasa is expanding to offer a full line of high-performance daily brews designed to provide energy from adaptogenic ingredients, plus functional coffee, cacao, matcha and other beverage products. Here is the brand's story in Lenny Chase's own words.

HeyBamboo brings sustainability and inspiration to Newtopia Now

Based in the San Francisco Bay Area, Joslyn Faust worked in tech marketing for 20 years, yet she always harbored the entrepreneurial spirit to launch a company. When the toilet paper shortage hit during the Covid pandemic, Faust began looking into the impact of toilet paper manufacturing, along with the bleach and chemicals often used in the process. Seeing an opportunity from what she found out, in 2023, Joslyn launched HeyBamboo to provide sustainable, unbleached toilet paper made from 100% bamboo. With the motto, “Sustainable to the Core,” no plastic is ever used in the packaging. Here is the brand’s story in Joslyn Faust’s own words.

Oodaalolly’s chocolate fills store aisles—and Newtopia Now—with 'unfiltered joy'

Oodaalolly founder Hernan Lauber grew up in the Philippines, Switzerland and the U.S. When Hernan’s Swiss father opened a chocolate company in rural Pennsylvania in the early 1980s, Hernan spent his formative years working in his dad’s chocolate factory, “doing every horrible job no one wanted to do.” After studying engineering, working in manufacturing and life sciences, and living overseas for 10 years, Hernan and his family settled in the San Francisco Bay Area, where, inspired by his father’s business and his Filipino roots, Hernan founded Oodaalolly. From the packaging to the product, Oodaalolly chocolate reflects deep cultural roots and traditional Swiss chocolate making techniques, all made in the U.S. Read the brand’s story in Hernan Lauber’s own words.

Innovation, experience help Nature's Sunshine understand consumers’ health needs

Established in 1972, Nature’s Sunshine takes pride in its claim as the first company ever to encapsulate herbs. Today, the dietary supplements leader offers more than 500 products and employs a global direct sales force of over 670,000 independent managers, distributors and customers in at least 40 countries. The company operates its own R&D and quality control group and manufactures its products in a 200,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art, 100% solar-powered facility in Spanish Fork, Utah. The company also supports health and wellness for children around the world through its partnership with the Sunshine Heroes Foundation. Learn more from Nature’s Sunshine President Kevin Herbert.

Steve Hoffman 8/22/24 Steve Hoffman 8/22/24

What Natural and Organic Buyers Want at Newtopia Now

Retailers look to New Hope Network's new natural products program and trade show to guide conscious CPG innovation and growth. Find out more.

This article originally appeared on the New Hope Network website on June 26, 2024

By Steven Hoffman

As the natural, organic, regenerative and “conscious CPG” industry prepares to gather in Denver, Colorado, on August 25-28 for the inaugural Newtopia Now, a number of retailers attending and participating in the event shared their thoughts on what drives their purchasing and foraging decisions today.

They also shared perspectives on how they best like to work with partner brands to achieve their goals and serve their customers—and how Newtopia Now can provide value in helping match them with companies and brands in a more intimate, innovative and curated trade show and conference setting.

Numerous retail buyers, foragers and business owners across the country participated in this story, ranging from large chains such as Whole Foods Market and Sprouts Farmers Market; smaller chains such as Earth Fare and Bristol Farms; online retailer Thrive Market; and independent grocers St. Vrain Market and Mustard Seed Market & Café.

Here’s what these retailers shared about today’s marketplace, what drives their purchasing decisions and how they are turning to the upcoming Newtopia Now as a key new resource to help them in their work.

Casey Gaston, Executive Leader, Local and Emerging Brands, Center Store, Whole Foods Market

Founded in 1980 and based in Austin, Texas, Whole Foods Market operates more than 530 stores in the U.S., Canada and the U.K. Casey Gaston is a featured presenter at Newtopia Now as part of a panel discussion, How to Get Your Product into Whole Foods Market, at 10:15 a.m. Tuesday, August 27.

Things are always changing in business and we have to remain nimble. Today, Whole Foods Market is connecting with suppliers in a lot more ways than ever before. Getting the attention of our merchants and foragers hasn’t changed as much, however. Start by doing your homework: utilize the Whole Foods Market Supplier Portal and review our quality and product standards. New and emerging brands can connect through our keystone incubation program, LEAP (Local and Emerging Accelerator Program). The LEAP Early Growth cohort, which works with early growth brands, is now in its third year and applications have tripled. While a limited number of brands are selected for a given cohort, others still get on to our radar as a result of the application process. Our Local Producer Loan Program also remains a strong pillar for Whole Foods Market.

As a forager team, we’re excited that the format of Newtopia Now is different. While large brands can get much of the visibility at a show like Expo West, Newtopia Now allows emerging brands to be the stars. We can’t wait to experience a show dedicated to new and emerging brands. We are looking for innovation and trends, and are excited to see brands that have something to show us. We like the concept of matchmaking, and we’ll be hosting some of our own meetings at the event. We’re going to lean in on all the tools and programs New Hope is providing at Newtopia Now.

Darren Viscount, Senior Natural Living Category Manager, Bristol Farms

Founded in 1982, Bristol Farms operates 13 stores in Southern California. With 27 years’ experience in retail, Darren Viscount is a featured presenter as part of a panel discussion, Leading Natural Living Buyers Tell All: Thrive, PCC and Bristol Farms, at 1:30 p.m. Monday, August 26.

Shopping for natural foods is less of a destination now than when I first started in the industry. Today, natural products can also be found online, in mass market, in conventional— there is a lot more opportunity for people to purchase these products. In addition, when there is disruption in the economy like we’ve seen over the past few years, people want value.

That said, while ingredients and quality are certainly a factor, our customers are looking for value. So, when I work with brands, I make sure we have promotions, including long-term promotional agreements and/or quarterly promotions. We also put an emphasis on staff training, whether it’s in-store, online or team training sessions. We want to help our customers so that when they get home, they know they’ve made the right decision on product selection.

Today, social media drives a lot of our purchasing decisions. We monitor TikTok and Instagram to see what’s trending. Right now, for example, trends in supplements include magnesium, creatine, high protein products, electrolytes, gut biome and health, probiotics and more. There are a lot of influencers on social media that drive people to our stores, too.

Our goal at Newtopia Now is to foster closer relationships with brands we meet at the event. I like to attend events such as Newtopia Now because I get to talk directly with founders, CEOs, product developers and other brand leaders and speak with them about how they will support our stores, our teams and our customers. It is valuable to me in building community on a business and personal level. With Newtopia Now structured as a more intimate event, we hope to get more one-on-one time with the vendors and find brands to cultivate and nourish from the ground up.

Phillip Nabors, Co-Founder, Mustard Seed Market & Café

With two full service stores and a restaurant serving the Akron, Ohio, market, Mustard Seed Market & Café, established in 1981, is one of Ohio’s largest independently owned retailers of natural and organic products. Cofounded by Margaret and Phillip Nabors, their sons Gabe and Abraham now lead operations for the stores. Phillip served as president of the Retailer Division of the NPA (formerly NNFA) in 1993 and served for 10 years on the Natural Foods Committee of FMI—the Food Marketing Institute.

From the early days, we were unique from the more “pill-driven” health food stores of the time. We made a conscious effort to bring in locally sourced food, whatever we could get from producers and distributors. By having as much food as possible, we enjoyed a large trade area—a 50-mile-plus radius.

Now, the trade area is much smaller and we have to compete with everyone. We have to really sharpen our pencil on price to be competitive. The early days were about education; the customers went on a learning journey with us. Now that you can find natural foods just about everywhere, it’s “What’s the price?”

However, there remains the mission, along with the opportunity to educate, and we’ve always been the trustworthy source of information. We’re actually sincere about the mission of propagating wellness. Some people get that and are willing to drive or pay a bit more to support us. For Newtopia Now, I’m the test pilot for our company. I’m intrigued about the Matchmaking program and have signed up for it.

If I look back at all the best times I’ve had at shows, it’s the deeper conversations. Not just about the attributes of the product, but also alignment on values. I’ve always learned a lot from interacting with suppliers and brands, and I enjoy meeting new people and running into peers and colleagues I’ve known for decades. Plus, I learn a lot from other retailers. I’m looking forward to interacting with all these constituents on a deeper level at Newtopia Now.

I’d like to add that I appreciate all that New Hope Network has done over the decades and what a critical role it has played in growing the natural products industry. Their trade shows in large part enabled the industry’s growth. They have delivered an amazing product over the years. The fact that the company is trying something new makes me want to support them all the more.

Scott Romano, Vice President, Forager, Sprouts Farmers Market

Based in Phoenix, Arizona, Sprouts Farmers Market operates more than 400 stores in 23 states. Scott Romano is a featured presenter as part of the panel discussion, How to Get Noticed by the Sprouts Forager Team, at 12:30 p.m. Monday, August 26.

Sprouts Farmers Market operates more than 400 stores in 23 states, and is looking to grow the store base at 10% per year going forward. Innovation is our key, and differentiation is what Sprouts is seeking.

When you think of today’s retail landscape, anyone can carry these products. So, for us in making buying decisions, differentiation and innovation lead the first round, and then we look for taste, number one. We scorecard every brand we bring in—we look at attributes such as diversity/minority owned, sustainability, is the product on trend, for example, regenerative agriculture, mushroom adaptogens, probiotics, etc. Then, based on a point system, we will place products in one of three buckets: yes, we want to pursue further; hold and let’s keep it in the pipeline; or decline and thank you, we’ll pass.

While we are being a little more selective, we do have a foraging program for new brands that can help take some of the costs out of the system. The foraging program is a 90-day test period where select brands can receive sales data and general engagement insight. We’re also able to learn from that to prepare the brand for next steps, be it regional or national, and also continue to evolve the program to have a higher success rate with brands we launch. Currently, we are finding success with brands that have built some kind of online B2C presence before expanding into brick and mortar.

Sprouts is looking forward to going to Newtopia Now. There will be a team of folks foraging on the floor, and I will be participating in a Buyer Side Chat to help vendors learn how to get in front of the buyers at Sprouts. The first year is more exploratory for us, however, we’re excited to see the different neighborhoods Newtopia Now has planned, and experience a show in a different way. As a more intimate and focused event, it is a welcome bookend to Natural Products Expo West.

Mitch Orland, Senior Vice President of Merchandising and Marketing, Earth Fare

Earth Fare, founded in 1975 and based in Asheville, North Carolina, is a leading chain of natural and organic food supermarkets with 18 locations in seven states throughout the southeastern U.S. A new ownership group, comprising some of Earth Fare’s original founders, purchased Earth Fare out of bankruptcy in 2020 and has been re-establishing the company as a natural foods retail leader across the Southeast.

We opened four years ago during the COVID pandemic when new owners bought Earth Fare out bankruptcy. The group comprises some of the original founders. Since then, we learned we have to reinvent ourselves. We have to be first to market, customer service is key, our people are important, and value perception is super important. Our industry is known for prices higher than conventional, but Earth Fare has combatted this price perception by offering discounts, promotions, every day deals and a Healthy Rewards in-store loyalty program.

Also, we like to stay on top of the trends and are getting out in front on regenerative food and farming. We are closely aligned with the Plant Based Foods Association, the regenerative Land to Market program, Regenified and others. We continue to cultivate these relationships and often they’ll tell us about brands that we can explore.

In addition, one of the top trends we’re working on is ‘craft vegan.’ It’s a trend that was reported on in 2023 by New Hope Network, and in fact, I coined the term to describe the next generation of artisan-made vegan foods, including plant-based aged cheeses, dairy-free butters, deli meats made from mycelium-based Koji, and more. We are getting a handle on food waste, and our program Save & Stop Waste has diverted over half a million pounds of food from landfills over four years.

Personally, I like to forage at local farmers markets within driving distance of our stores. It’s a great way to find local producers and supports the communities. We can bring product to market faster than anyone else—from farmers market to shelf in as little as three weeks. I’m also a chef, so what lights me up about my job is supporting small emerging brands and see what they’re going to do next.

Earth Fare is bringing a full team to Newtopia Now, and we are planning to do something fun—however, it’s a secret for now! For us, it’s about connection, learning, team building and what’s on the horizon. I’m glad New Hope is doing more to directly link the buyers and brands with this first-time event.

Neil Sullivan, Co-Owner, St. Vrain Market

Located in Lyons, Colorado, the gateway to Rocky Mountain National Park, in a historic building that once served as a creamery in the 1800s, family owned and operated St. Vrain Market is well known in the area for its selection of natural, organic and specialty products, premium meats and fresh baked goods. Co-owner Neil Sullivan’s experience includes working at the former upscale Sutton Place Gourmet in Washington, DC.

My wife and I have owned St. Vrain Market for 16 years. It had been a grocery store for many years and has a 100-plus year history. The store was run down when we bought it, so we traveled around to visit independently owned, single-store retailers in northern California. We modeled a lot of what we do today on some of the things we saw coming out of these stores, including local sourcing. We also modeled the store as a European style market—you can shop here for the day’s or a few days’ needs.

We created a tagline when we launched St. Vrain Market: ‘Local and Fresh.’ We asked ourselves, how do you meet the needs of a local community by also supporting that local community? We source many products from fresh and local producers. We give the town something they can be proud of and the community has responded.

People know us best for our bakery—it comprises 20% of our revenue and we employ five full-time bakers—plus an all-natural deli and a very nice meat case. The produce we offer is almost all organic; we have a great dairy selection and we feature local and national brands.

We are far from a commodity player. When we look for supplier partners, we have a specific set of criteria. We’re looking for brands that share both beliefs and practices and can be a great partner for us. Clean ingredients, sustainable-focused packaging, conscious, mission-based businesses—we and other independent retailers are prioritizing these attributes over commodity pricing.

But, we also need entities such as New Hope Network to help us find those partners and sift through all that is out there in the broader industry. For us, Newtopia Now is helping to find the best ways to bring meaningful partnerships together and identify the brands that best align with our criteria. It will help cut through a lot of time and noise and not spin our wheels.

One of the trends we’re moving with is sustainable packaging in our foodservice and food preparation. We use compostable supplies almost exclusively. That’s the criteria I’m including in my Newtopia Now ‘dating profile.’ With Newtopia Now in the matchmaking business, it’s going to help me find suppliers that meet my dating profile.

Also, the event offers me an opportunity to get away from my business long enough as an owner-operator to get information outside of my store walls that I may not get otherwise. I’m also excited to engage at Newtopia Now with suppliers and partners that support minority owned businesses. Our mission statement at St. Vrain Market has nothing about food in it—it’s simply to build community. Our mission is to do well by doing good.

Kirstin Ratcliffe, Senior Category Manager, Beauty and Personal Care, Thrive Market

Thrive Market, based in Los Angeles, California, and founded in 2014, is the leading member-based online retailer offering natural, organic and regenerative products to healthy lifestyle consumers. Kirstin Ratcliffe is a featured presenter at Newtopia Now as part of a panel discussion, Leading Natural Living Buyers Tell All: Thrive, PCC and Bristol Farms, at 1:30 p.m. Monday, August 26.

Our mission at Thrive Market is to make healthy and sustainable living easy and affordable and for everyone. We work with the biggest companies in the natural space to up and coming independent brands. Providing our members value is true to the core of our mission—we want to give people access everywhere. So, when we are looking for brand partners, value and price are a part of it; it’s one of the first conversations we have.

Being a fully online business, a huge focus for us is to meet our members where they are and to provide convenience. Convenience is a big factor, and we keep that in mind when we are curating. We have a tight pulse on what our members are looking for, and always strive to bring the products they know and love directly to them via Thrive Market. We take the guesswork out of finding healthy products for their entire home, and aim to be that healthy and sustainable destination where they can buy their groceries, as well as their shampoo, body wash, vitamins, toothpaste, cleaning products, etc.

Another key area we hone in on is our standards. We restrict 1,000+ ingredients, including phthalates, parabens, petroleum-derived ingredients and others, which you can learn more about on our website. Certified organic is a first choice when we can; non-GMO is nonnegotiable. We are always seeking more sustainable alternatives, including packaging. With beauty and personal care products, we closely follow standards put forward by the Environmental Working Group (EWG), and we require testing (i.e. for heavy metals) for certain ingredients of concern. We will require certain testing, if needed. We also carry cruelty free brands and prioritize Fair Trade Certified, as well as those brands that support regenerative sourcing and farming.

We’ve always had a strong relationship with New Hope Network. We view its shows as a great way to connect with existing partners, discover new brands, create relationships with private label and third-party partners, and learn about what’s new and trending. We’re excited about the new experience that Newtopia Now offers, coming on the back of participant surveys to understand what they wanted from a show. The marketplaces, or neighborhoods, they’ve teased out is interesting and will provide an opportunity to see how products stand out against each other on the shelf. It’s also particularly important for us that a brand can stand out in an online environment. That’s what we’ll be looking for, as well as partners whose mission(s) aligns with our own.

Newtopia Now, New Hope Network's new trade show, is set for Aug. 25-28 at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver, Colorado. For more information and to register, click here.

Steve Hoffman 8/12/24 Steve Hoffman 8/12/24

A Toxic Combination: Forever Chemicals Are Adding to the Health Risks of Pesticides

This article first appeared in the August 2024 issue of Presence Marketing’s newsletter.

By Steven Hoffman

Two recent studies, one conducted by Consumer Reports and published in May 2024, and another published in Environmental Health Perspectives in July 2024, suggest that exposure to toxic synthetic pesticides continues to be a serious issue and a growing threat to human, animal and environmental health.

Now, add forever chemicals into the mix, as environmental advocacy groups found that 66 active ingredients currently approved for use in pesticides qualify as PFAS, also known as “forever chemicals.”

In addition, according to the study, “Forever Pesticides: A Growing Source of PFAS Contamination in the Environment,” eight approved “inert” ingredients – added to pesticides to help chemicals disperse and stick to the plants, for example – also qualify as PFAS. The research was conducted by the Center for Biological Diversity, Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility and the Environmental Working Group, and was published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives.

Most Comprehensive Pesticide Review Ever
According to the Consumer Reports study published in May, the advocacy group conducted “our most comprehensive review ever of pesticides in food,” looking at 59 common fruits and vegetables (fresh versions, and in some cases, also canned, dried and frozen fruits and vegetables) and analyzing seven years of data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. USDA annually tests a selection of conventional and organic produce grown in or imported to the U.S. for pesticide residues.

“Our new results continue to raise red flags,” said Catherine Roberts on behalf of Consumer Reports. “Pesticides posed significant risks in 20% of the foods we examined, including popular choices such as bell peppers, blueberries, green beans, potatoes, and strawberries. One food, green beans, had residues of a pesticide that hasn’t been allowed to be used on the vegetable in the U.S. for over a decade. And imported produce, especially some from Mexico, was particularly likely to carry risky levels of pesticide residues.”

Added Roberts, “When it comes to healthy eating, fruits and vegetables reign supreme. But along with all their vitamins, minerals and other nutrients can come something else: an unhealthy dose of dangerous pesticides.” Science has strongly linked pesticide exposure to increased risks of cancer, diabetes, neurological and childhood development issues, and many other health problems.

PFAS: Compounding the Concern
Compounding the concern of pesticide pollution is the discovery that PFAS chemicals are being used in many of the toxic, synthetic pesticide formulations approved for use on farms across the U.S., raising questions about the long-term consequences of such pernicious substances enduring for decades in our soil and water. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, these chemicals “break down very slowly and can build up in people, animals, and the environment over time.”

PFAS have been linked to cancer, reproductive issues and developmental delays in children, among other adverse health effects. To make matters worse, the researchers who published the Environmental Health Perspectives report found that a process called fluorination, which can create PFAS chemicals, is being used increasingly in the manufacture of pesticides to make them stick around for longer, Civil Eats reported.

“This is truly frightening news, because pesticides are some of the most widely dispersed pollutants in the world,” said Nathan Donley, Environmental Health Science Director for the Center for Biological Diversity and one of the study’s authors. “Lacing pesticides with forever chemicals is likely burdening the next generation with more chronic diseases and impossible cleanup responsibilities. The Environmental Protection Agency needs to get a grasp on this fast-emerging threat right away.”

“Toxic PFAS have no place in our food, water or homes, posing a serious threat to our health and environment,” said David Andrews, Ph.D., Deputy Director of Investigations and a Senior Scientist with the Environmental Working Group, a co-author of the study. “The increasing use of PFAS pesticides will lead to increasing levels of PFAS in the environment. PFAS not only endanger agricultural workers and communities but also jeopardize downstream water sources, where pesticide runoff can contaminate drinking supplies. From home gardens to pet care, the use of these pesticide products further illustrates why we must end all non-essential uses of these persistent forever chemicals,” Andrews added.

Choose Organic
Based on Consumer Reports’ research, the largest risks of dietary exposure to pesticide residues are caused by just a few pesticides concentrated in a handful of fruits and vegetables. Their findings also indicated that nearly all of the organically produced fruits and vegetables tested presented little to no risk.

To help educate consumers, Consumer Reports produced a printable guide showing the risk in produce from pesticides in both their conventional and organically produced counterparts, as well as whether they are grown domestically or imported.

Consumer Reports advised, “A proven way to reduce pesticide exposure is to eat organic fruits and vegetables, especially for the highest-risk foods. We had information about organically grown versions for 45 of the 59 foods in our analysis. Nearly all had low or very low pesticide risk, and only two domestically grown varieties—fresh spinach and potatoes—posed even a moderate risk. Organic foods’ low-risk ratings indicate that the USDA’s organic certification program, for the most part, is working,” Consumer Reports said.

“Less pesticide on food means less in our bodies: Multiple studies have shown that switching to an organic diet quickly reduces dietary exposure. Organic farming protects health in other ways, too, especially for farmworkers and rural residents, because pesticides are less likely to drift into the areas where they live or to contaminate drinking water,” Consumer Reports added.

However, of concern to advocates of organic agriculture, the report also showed that imported organic green beans had a very high pesticide risk – “the exact same rating as imported conventional green beans,” said Max Goldberg, Publisher of Organic Insider, in commenting on the study. Additionally, Consumer Reports findings indicated that U.S. grown organic spinach presented a “moderate” pesticide risk – “the exact same rating as both U.S.-grown and imported conventional Spinach,” Goldberg noted. U.S.-grown organic potatoes also presented a moderate risk, as did imported organic kale, according to USDA data analyzed by Consumer Reports.

While organic agriculture does allow for certain pesticides to be used, they are low-risk and derived from natural mineral or biological sources that have been approved by the USDA’s National Organic Program, said Goldberg, a renowned advocate for organic food and agriculture. Additionally, he noted, chemicals linked to human health and environmental issues, such as glyphosate or neonicotinoids, are prohibited in organic.

“The organic system is not fool-proof, and organic farmers may have persistent pesticides in their soil that have not degraded after the three-year transition period. Or, they may be the victim of pesticide drift from neighboring conventional farms. That being said, any fruit or vegetable that has a moderate, high or very high pesticide risk is a very serious red flag and should call for an immediate investigation. The fact that Consumer Reports looked at nearly 30,000 fruit and vegetable samples would invalidate an ‘isolated incident’ excuse,” Goldberg asserted.

“One of the primary reasons that we are paying extra to buy organic is specifically to avoid these chemicals. And yet, not only do imported organic green beans pose a very high pesticide risk, but they, along with U.S.-grown organic spinach, pose the exact same pesticide risk as their conventional counterparts,” he said.

“In the interim, retailers and brands must demand that their suppliers conduct third-party pesticide testing for all organic fruits and vegetables, or at a bare minimum, for all imported organic green beans and organic kale, and U.S.-grown organic spinach and organic potatoes. This will help identify who the bad actors are, so they can be removed from the system. We have no choice but to be unrelenting when it comes to pesticide contamination of organic fruits and vegetables,” said Goldberg.

Learn More
Download a printable version of Consumer Reports’ guide to pesticides in produce here.

Learn more about “Forever Pesticides: A Growing Source of PFAS Contamination in the Environment” here.

Follow and subscribe to Organic Insider here.

Steve Hoffman 7/9/24 Steve Hoffman 7/9/24

Edward & Sons® Organic Rice Crackers Leads List of Gluten Free Products with Zero Detectable Levels of Glyphosate

Consumer advocacy group Moms Across America had 46 gluten free food products tested for glyphosate residues; Edward & Sons® Organic Brown Rice Snaps® was one of only two products that had zero detectable levels of the toxic, synthetic herbicide.

CARPINTERIA, Calif. (July 9, 2024) – According to a new report by Moms Across America, a nonprofit consumer advocacy group, 46 samples of organic and non-organic gluten free foods were tested for glyphosate – the most widely used herbicide in the world and one linked to a variety of health issues. The results showed that 44 out of 46 samples contained glyphosate residues. Moreover, the tests revealed that not all organic, gluten free products were free of glyphosate.

However, one organic product line, Edward & Sons Organic Brown Rice Snaps®, had no detectable levels of glyphosate, according to Moms Across America’s test results.

For a summary of the results, visit here.

In the U.S., 12% of men and 9% of women report eating gluten free diets. Globally, approximately 660 million people avoid gluten. It also is estimated that 1 in 100 people worldwide are affected by celiac disease.

"Moms Across America was thrilled to find that Edward & Sons' rice crackers, a staple in many of our homes, had no detectable level of glyphosate. Only two gluten free products out of the 46 samples tested achieved this status,” said Zen Honeycutt, Founder and Executive Director of Moms Across America.

“In an increasingly toxic environment, for a product not to be contaminated with glyphosate is no small feat. It takes integrity and commitment to source clean ingredients, and we are thrilled to celebrate companies that are producing safe, nontoxic, quality foods. We hope many brands are inspired by the results and urge their suppliers to discontinue glyphosate and all toxic agrochemical use and transition to regenerative and organic farming for a thriving future. Thank you, Edward & Sons!" Honeycutt added.

“It has become increasingly challenging for all of us to avoid contaminants in our food, water and air,” explained Joel Dee, Founder and Director of leading organic and plant-based foods pioneer Edward & Sons Trading Company, Inc. “At Edward & Sons, we take the challenge seriously. We are proud of the recognition received by our organic baked Brown Rice Snaps. It validates the selection and practices of our farmer-partners. Their commitment to organic agriculture nurtures their local ecology, protects farmers and consumers, and makes possible the most delicious and nutritious foods we can offer.”

Glyphosate, a synthetic herbicide originally patented in 1974 by the Monsanto Company, is known as the active ingredient in Roundup®-branded herbicides. According to watchdog group U.S. Right to Know, Monsanto reportedly removed glyphosate-based herbicides from the U.S. consumer market in 2023, but it is still widely used in commercial agriculture. In 2022, researchers at the National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention detected glyphosate in the urine of 81% of Americans over six years of age.

“We believe that gluten-free manufacturers are challenged to find clean ingredients for their products because the U.S. government allows so many harmful agrochemicals to be used,” Honeycutt said in the report. Testing for the Moms Across America investigation was conducted by an accredited laboratory, Health Research Institute Laboratories. For the full glyphosate laboratory test results visit here.

About Edward & Sons
Offering a unique portfolio of plant-based, natural, sustainable and organic grocery brands since 1978, including Native Forest®, Edward & Sons, Let’s Do Organic® and more, Edward & Sons Trading Company, Inc. is known for its convenient and nourishing foods that support local economies and the environment. An independently owned business based in Carpinteria, California, Edward & Sons is committed to providing health-conscious consumers “Convenience Without Compromise®.” For more information,visit www.EdwardandSons.com and follow us on Facebook, TikTok and Instagram.

Media Contact
Steven Hoffman, Compass Natural, steve@compassnatural.com, tel 303.807.1042

Casey Gaston, Executive Leader, Local and Emerging Brands, Center Store, Whole Foods Market

Darren Viscount, Senior Natural Living Category Manager, Bristol Farms

Phillip Nabors, Co-Founder, Mustard Seed Market & Café

Scott Romano, Vice President, Forager, Sprouts Farmers Market

Mitch Orland, Senior Vice President of Merchandising and Marketing, Earth Fare

Neil Sullivan, Co-Owner, St. Vrain Market

Kirstin Ratcliffe, Senior Category Manager, Beauty and Personal Care, Thrive Market

Stay In The Loop!