Grocers Are Lifting Mask Mandates after CDC Issues New Guidelines
This article originally appeared in Presence Marketing’s June 2021 Newsletter
As the nation loosens public safety restrictions to prevent the spread of COVID-19 infection, grocers are removing mask mandates for customers and in some cases employees who are fully vaccinated. Retailers including Wegmans, Kroger-owned stores, Trader Joe’s, Harris Teeter, Publix, Walmart, Sam’s Club, Walgreen’s, Target, Meijer, Aldi, Costco and others are removing face mask requirements based on new guidelines issued on May 13 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention which stated that fully vaccinated individuals no longer need to cover their faces indoors.
"Starting May 20, fully vaccinated customers and most fully vaccinated associates no longer need to wear a mask in our facilities, including stores, distribution centers, plants and offices, unless otherwise indicated by state or local jurisdiction," said the Kroger Co. in a statement on the company’s website. "If there is a state or local mandate, please follow that requirement and timing,” the company added. Kroger will continue to require that non-vaccinated employees wear a face mask, and the grocer requests that non-vaccinated customers continue to wear a face mask. Employees will need to provide proof of vaccination to work without masks, the grocer said. Associates in its pharmacy and clinic locations will be required to continue to wear a mask due to CDC’s guidance for healthcare settings. Kroger added, “We will continue to respect the choice of individuals who prefer to continue to wear a mask.” In addition, Kroger is offering a $100 one-time incentive payment to associates for receiving the COVID-19 vaccine.
Whole Foods Market announced in May that Whole Foods team members and Prime shoppers are required to wear face masks, reported WRAL in Raleigh, NC. However, customers who are fully vaccinated can now shop without a mask.
Trader Joe’s was the first major national retailer to announce a change in its mask-wearing policy in mi-May after the CDC issued new mask guidelines.oHoe
Natural Grocers on May 24 updated the natural retail chain’s mask guidelines, as follows: “We require customers who are not fully vaccinated to wear face coverings in our stores per the most recent CDC recommendations. We will not be asking customers to prove their vaccination status to shop in our stores, unless required to do so by government mandate; we will be relying on the honor system for compliance. We understand that certain of our customers subject to our policy may be unable to wear a face covering while shopping in our stores. Under these circumstances, we are pleased to provide curbside pickup and delivery through Instacart to allow continuing access to our goods and services,” Natural Grocers said. The company requires employees to wear face coverings at all times, and added that currently, the state of Oregon requires that customers provide proof of vaccination to go maskless indoors, the grocer said.
Sprouts Farmers Market also updated its face mask policy, stating on Instagram, “Vaccinated customers are now welcome to shop without a mask! We’ll continue to encourage non-vaccinated customers to wear face coverings while shopping and will continue to follow state and city mask ordinances where masks are required.”
Some grocery workers have expressed concern that CDC’s new guidelines put them back in the center of the face mask debate. Fox News reported that “now, some workers say the end of mask mandates has put them in a new position of having to explain their employers' mask policies, manage anxious shoppers and assess whether unmasked customers are indeed vaccinated, all while potentially risking their own health.”
U.S. Senators Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Legalize Sale of Hemp-derived CBD
This article originally appeared in the May 26, 2021 edition of the Let’s Talk Hemp Newsletter and Presence Marketing’s June 2021 Newsletter
By Steven Hoffman
In a bipartisan move, U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-OR), Rand Paul (R-KY) and Jeff Merkley (D-OR) on May 19 introduced S. 1698, the Hemp Access and Consumer Safety Act, in the U.S. Senate, a bill that would allow the sale of CBD and other hemp-derived ingredients in dietary supplements and in food and beverage products.
The Senate bill joins H.R. 841 a bill introduced in February 2021 in the U.S. House of Representatives to allow for the use of CBD in dietary supplements only. The Senate version also allows for hemp-derived CBD in food and beverage products.
According to a statement from Sen. Wyden’s office, currently, the Food, Drug, and Cosmetics Act prohibits any new dietary ingredient, food, or beverage from entering the market if it has been studied or approved as a drug. The FDA has the authority to exempt items from this prohibition, however, the agency has yet to exempt hemp-derived CBD, despite Congressional action to legalize its production and sale.
By exempting hemp-derived CBD from the prohibition, the FDA can regulate hemp-derived CBD like all other new dietary ingredients, foods, and beverages, Sen. Wyden’s office said.
However, FDA, has stated that hemp-based CBD – or cannabidiol – cannot be lawfully marketed in dietary supplements or added to food and beverages because the compound was first studied as a drug and is currently the active ingredient in the GW Pharmaceuticals’ Epidiolex, approved by the FDA to treat certain forms of epilepsy.
According to a summary of S. 1698, the Hemp Access and Consumer Safety Act:
Gives hemp-derived CBD products an opportunity to lawfully be used in dietary supplements, foods and beverages under the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act.
Prioritizes consumer safety, requiring manufacturers to comply with all existing federal regulations for the products that contain CBD.
Ensures that these products are properly labeled.
The Bill text can be found here.
The U.S. Hemp Roundtable encourages hemp industry members to urge their Senators to support S. 1698, the Hemp Access and Consumer Safety Act, and also to contact their Representatives to support H.R. 841, the Hemp and Hemp-Derived Consumer Protection and Market Stabilization Act. For your convenience, you can use a pre-written letter here.
The Hemp Access and Consumer Safety Acthas support from the Consumer Brands Association, the Wine and Spirits Wholesalers of America, Hemp Roundtable, American Herbal Products Association, Oregon Farm Bureau, Vote Hemp, and the National Industrial Hemp Council. The following industry leaders submitted comments via press release, Sen. Wyden’s press announcement and direct submission:
Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR): “CBD products are legally being used and produced across the nation. Yet because the FDA has failed to update its regulations, consumers and producers remain in a regulatory gray zone. It’s been more than two years since I worked with colleagues to have Congress legalize hemp and hemp-derived products. It’s long past time for the FDA to get with the program, for the sake of American consumers and farmers.”
Senator Rand Paul, (R-KY): “Hemp-derived CBD products and businesses have earned their recognition in the marketplace, but the FDA, unfortunately, hasn’t treated them like any other food additive or dietary supplement. The Hemp Access and Consumer Safety Act directs the FDA to regulate hemp products properly and provides a huge relief to hemp farmers, processors, and merchants.”
Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR): “Every day that the FDA drags its feet to update its CBD regulations, hemp farmers are left guessing about how their products will be regulated, and real economic gains for workers and business owners in Oregon and across the country are left on the table. Hemp-derived CBD products are already widely available, and we all need FDA to issue clear regulations for them just like they do for other foods, drinks, and dietary supplements.”
Jonathan Miller, General Counsel, U.S. Hemp Roundtable: “We could not be more excited about the successful, bipartisan rollout of S. 1698, which is simply critical for hemp farmers and businesses,” Miller told Let’s Talk Hemp. “The hemp and dietary supplement industries are united behind the bill and we’ve also secured the support of leading food and beverage companies and organizations. What we need now is the help of the grassroots to push this bill to final passage. We encourage all hemp supporters to go to www.hempsupporter.com to send emails to their Senators, urging them to co-sponsor this vital legislation.” In addition, Miller interviewed Sen. Wyden on May 24 on U.S. Hemp TV; you can watch the interview here.
Michael McGuffin, President, American Herbal Products Association: “The leadership of Senators Wyden, Paul, and Merkley in resolving this matter is greatly appreciated. Americans deserve to have assurances that the hemp and CBD products they include in their food and dietary supplement choices are properly regulated. AHPA supports this legislation since it would clarify the lawful pathways for bringing such products to market.”
Eric Steenstra, Executive Director, Vote Hemp: “It is critical that FDA begin regulating CBD products to ensure that consumers are protected and top quality compliant producers are the only ones on store shelves. Hemp derived CBD should be regulated the same as all other food and dietary supplements and we thank Senator Wyden, Senator Paul, and Senator Merkley for their leadership and support.”
Jason Miller, N.D., Cofounder and CEO, HempFusion, and Member of the Board of the U.S. Hemp Roundtable: “We proudly endorse and commend The Hemp Access and Consumer Safety Act and thank Senators Wyden, Paul and Merkley for their bipartisan support. A major component of our strategic business plan has been to prepare for this day and now we are finally at the door of what will open up the CBD industry for those brands that can properly adhere to FDA’s requirements.”
Ola Lessard, Chief Marketing Officer, HempFusion, and President of the U.S. Hemp Roundtable: “While the Senate bill is more comprehensive than the previously introduced House bill H.R. 841, passage of either will provide a vast and very important boost to the hemp industry, benefitting farmers, producers, manufacturers, small and large retailers and, most importantly, consumers. The lack of clear regulation for the past several years has had devastating economic impact across many sectors. It’s also allowed fly-by-night companies to thrive, selling products that don’t meet label claims, aren’t manufactured properly, and – in some cases – are actually dangerous to consumers.”
Patrick Atagi, Board Chair, National Industrial Hemp Council: “Last year, nearly $15 billion in economic benefits were left out of the economy because CBD wasn’t regulated appropriately. If the FDA can’t act, Congress should fulfill its oversight role and pass this legislation. NIHC supports Senators Wyden, Paul, and Merkley’s recognition of hemp and CBD as an ingredient in both food and supplements, and we applaud their legislative approach to ensure that it’s regulated accordingly. This bill will deliver safe products to the marketplace and create a hemp economy that works for everyone.”
Morris Beegle, Cofounder, We Are for Better Alternatives (WAFBA), Producer of NoCo Hemp Expo and Southern Hemp Expo, and Publisher of Let’s Talk Hemp: “As a producer of some of the largest industrial hemp trade shows in the world, we have to have a clear regulatory understanding of hemp-derived cannabinoids as ingredients for dietary supplements, foods and beverages. I have seen first hand over the last several years as this industry has started to take shape how the FDA’s lack of clarity and action has adversely affected the entire supply chain and created a vast amount of state-to-state patchwork regulations regarding CBD and hemp as a whole. The Hemp Access and Consumer Safety Act provides necessary relief to an industry that needs stability to mature. Here at WAFBA, we thank Senators Wyden, Paul and Merkley for championing the benefits of industrial hemp at the federal level, and we appreciate the broad industry support and collaboration around this proposed legislation. This cannot pass through congress and get signed by President Biden soon enough.”
Courtney N. Moran, LL.M., Oregon Industrial Hemp Farmers Association: “We are grateful for the continued leadership of Senators Ron Wyden (D-OR), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), and Rand Paul (R-KY) in advancing hemp policy, creating economic opportunities and broadening protections for our industry stakeholders. This bill is an important step forward not only for the cannabinoid sector, but for the grain and fiber sectors investing in infrastructure to open the food, animal feed, and supplements markets.”
Brian Furnish, Owner, Hempin’ Hill Farm: “I want to thank Senator Paul for being a co-sponsor of the Hemp Access and Consumer Safety Act. This is a much needed step in moving the hemp industry forward. This bill will clarify that hemp byproducts are treated as a food or dietary supplement. Senator Paul has been an advocate for hemp legalization since the very beginning.”
Katie Moyer, Owner, Kentucky Hemp Works: “I am so grateful for Senator Paul’s continued support of the U.S. hemp industry. This bill will take us one step further in ending the Drug War mentality and allow hemp farmers and processors to not only break even, but to flourish in their fields. Current regulations pit state and federal bureaucracies against our farmers, and I’ve never been prouder of my Senator for consistently looking for ways to get government off the farm.”
Derek Selznick, Executive Director, Kentucky Guild of Brewers: “The Kentucky Guild of Brewers would like to thank Senator Paul and all of the other sponsors of this bill. Allowing breweries to use safe products like CBD in beer allows us to continue to innovate and respond to consumer demand by offering new and unique beers. Innovation is at the core of our industry and this is one more way we can further diversify our product portfolio.”
Scott Melville, President & CEO, Consumer Healthcare Products Association: “We strongly commend Senators Wyden, Paul and Merkley for their bipartisan bill which will provide a pathway for CBD to be legally marketed as a dietary supplement. A lawful regulatory pathway will provide long-term certainty in the hemp-derived CBD market and protect consumers from potentially unsafe products.”
Angi Bailey, President, Oregon Farm Bureau: “We are so thankful to both Senator Merkley and Senator Wyden for their steadfast support for one of Oregon’s fastest growing agricultural crops. This important legislation will ensure consumers have access to non-intoxicating hemp and hemp derived ingredients in both food products and dietary supplements. Providing consumers with the assurance that the CBD products they are purchasing are safe and property labeled is of utmost importance to the industry.”
Dawson Hobbs, EVP, Wine and Spirits Wholesalers of America: “The lack of clarity on the legality of hemp-derived CBD products used in foods and beverages has been a significant source of confusion in the marketplace. America’s family-owned wholesalers are federally permitted and regulated businesses that need clarity from federal regulators regarding the legal status of CBD products. We applaud this action directing the Food and Drug Administration to affirm that CBD is legal in dietary supplements, including food and beverages. It will allow America’s wholesalers to continue providing U.S. consumers with the most diverse product selection in the world.”
Jen Daulby, SVP, Government Affairs, Consumer Brands Association: “The Consumer Brands Association commends Senators Wyden, Paul and Merkley for shining a spotlight on a product that has been a catalyst for a conflicting patchwork of state laws and regulations. Consumer Brands has long advocated for a national regulatory framework for CBD that empowers FDA to establish smart, consistent regulations and gives them the resources they need. Today’s action is a first step in delivering these much-needed regulations for American consumers.”
Photo courtesy of Let’s Talk Hemp
Join Robyn O'Brien and Pam Shepherd on Compass Coffee Talk, June 16, 2021, 11:30am EDT
Financing the Transition to Regenerative Agriculture
Food Industry Icon Robyn O’Brien and Finance Expert Pam Shepherd Discuss the Future of Organic and Regenerative Farming on the Next Compass Coffee Talk™, Wed., June 16, 2021
Wednesday, June 16, 11:30am - Noon EDT
Zoom, Admission is Free
Robyn O'Brien (Left) and Pam Shepherd (Right)
Get the latest dirt on why soil is the future and hear from rePlant Capital’s Co-founder and Managing Director Robyn O’Brien, alongside finance expert Pam Shepherd, Managing Director, Manna Tree Partners.
Robyn O’Brien has been called “food’s Erin Brockovich” by the media and is globally recognized for her voice in the industry. At rePlant Capital, O’Brien diligently works to reverse climate change through the deployment of a series of proprietary funds focused on U.S. farmers. On Compass Coffee Talk, she will share her perspective on the future of organic farming and how financing plays a part in transitioning American farmland to regenerative and organic agriculture.
Also joining Compass Coffee Talk is Pam Shepherd, who brings 18 years of financial, transactional, and operational expertise to Manna Tree Partners, an investment firm dedicated to improving human health through nutrition with forward-thinking strategies that make a global impact.
About Robyn O’Brien
Internationally acclaimed by the New York Times and Bloomberg, Robyn O’Brien was recently recognized by Forbes Magazine on its Impact 50 List for her work in food and agriculture. O’Brien’s TEDx talk (based on her book, The Unhealthy Truth, Random House) exposes the shortcomings in the food system. It has been watched by millions, translated into dozens of languages, and influenced policy, legislation, and product formulation in the food industry.
Prior to founding rePlant Capital, Robyn advised CEOs and executives at multinational CPG companies, startups, and farm organizations and worked on a team managing $20 billion in assets.
About Pam Shepherd
Pam Shepherd, Managing Director, Manna Tree Partners, spent eight years in investment finance, on the buy-side as a Vice President at Greenmont Capital Partners, working with healthy living companies like Eco-Products, Madhava, and EcoSmart. She also worked on the sell-side at St. Charles Capital, where she closed over $300 million in total transaction value. Most recently, Pam served as the COO and CFO of The Boppy Company for six years, a global consumer products company supporting mothers.
As a former operator, Pam has a deep understanding of the challenges faced by growth-stage companies. In addition, as a former investor, she understands how to best drive and support shareholder value creation for Manna Tree investors.
About Compass Coffee Talk™
Take a 30-minute virtual coffee break with Compass Coffee Talk™. Hosted by natural industry veterans Bill Capsalis and Steve Hoffman, Coffee Talk features lively interactive conversations with industry leaders and experts designed to help guide entrepreneurs and businesses of any size succeed in the market for natural, organic, regenerative, hemp-derived and other eco-friendly products.
Compass Coffee Talk™ is produced by Compass Natural Marketing, a leading PR, branding and business development agency serving the natural and organic products industry. Learn more.
VIEW OUR PAST COMPASS COFFEE TALK EPISODES ON YOUTUBE
North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper Lifts COVID Restrictions in Time for Southern Hemp Expo at Raleigh Convention Center, Sept. 2-4, 2021
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper Lifts COVID Restrictions in Time for Southern Hemp Expo at Raleigh Convention Center, Sept. 2-4, 2021
Governor’s executive order lifts COVID restrictions for masks and capacity limits at public gatherings
What: Southern Hemp Expo (SHE3) in Raleigh, NC, will return to “normalcy” after a new executive order by Gov. Roy Cooper who has lifted restrictions for COVID-19. (information listed below)
When: September 2-4, 2021
Where: Raleigh Convention Center, 500 S Salisbury St., Raleigh, NC 27601
More information: Click HERE
Denver, CO (May 20, 2021) -- Networking, supply chain expansions and new hemp business connections will return full-force at the Southern Hemp Expo in Raleigh, NC, after a new executive order from Gov. Roy Cooper lifted COVID restrictions throughout the state last week.
The governor’s Executive Order 215 significantly lessens restrictions going forward into North Carolina. Effective immediately, all requirements for mask-wearing, social distancing, and wellness screenings have been removed and are no longer mandatory for events at the Raleigh Convention Center (RCC), except when more than 5,000 people are gathered in one space, said Hayley Burkhardt, Events Manager for the RCC. Even that last restriction for 5,000 attendees in one space may soon be lifted well in time for the Southern Hemp Expo on Sept. 2-4, Burkhardt said.
Open for Business, with Cleanliness and Sanitation Assured
“Covid-19 took us on a wild ride,” Burkhardt said, but the convention center was looking forward to the return of face-to-face events. The RCC will still undergo thorough cleaning and sanitation procedures, Burkhardt emphasized.
Case counts in North Carolina have dropped, and 51% of the state's residents over the age of 18 have received at least one vaccination, the governor’s office said. “North Carolinians have made great progress in getting vaccinated, and every day, more North Carolinians are protected from this deadly disease,” Gov. Cooper said in a statement Friday.
The World of Hemp, in One Location
The Southern Hemp Expo 2021 will bring a robust trade show featuring 250 exhibitors, three full days of expo hall and education including the Let’s Talk Hemp Business Conference and Farm Symposium.
Southern Hemp Expo attendees will include farmers, genetics companies, soil amendment suppliers, equipment manufacturers, hemp foods producers, pet product formulators, extraction experts, processors, lab companies, industry organizations, brands, distributors, retail and wholesale buyers, marketers, ancillary service providers and more.
Raleigh offers a unique setting for networking, business meetings and an all-in-one location designed to meet with existing and new clients. SHE3 will feature a welcome reception, gala, concert, and multiple networking parties to celebrate the reuniting of the hemp world. Check out the many features of Raleigh, NC here: https://www.visitraleigh.com/
More than 100 speakers and special keynote guests will provide the latest in green technology initiatives, natural fiber textile developments, building & construction materials, bioplastics, superfoods, cannabinoid applications and educational tracks for general consumers.
In March, the Let’s Talk Hemp Conferences welcomed thousands of guests and hundreds of exhibitors in Denver, Colorado at the National Western Complex for the 7th annual NoCo Hemp Expo as the first in-person expo after several virtual conferences held in 2020-2021.
“It’s time to get the hemp industry back on track and focused on the future so we finish 2021 on a high note, and move into 2022 with a clear understanding of the obstacles and opportunities that lie ahead of us,” said Morris Beegle, president and co-founder of We Are for Better Alternatives (WAFBA).
Exhibit at SHE3 and Save with Early Bird Discounts
For businesses interested in exhibiting at the 3rd Annual Southern Hemp Expo, opportunities to reserve a booth and secure sponsorship are now available. Early bird discounts have been extended through May 31, 2021. Visit and apply today: https://www.southernhempexpo.com/exhibitor-info/
About WAFBA and Colorado Hemp Company
We Are For Better Alternatives (WAFBA) is committed to researching and developing better alternatives so that hemp can once again thrive, prosper, and help individuals and communities throughout America and around the globe. The Colorado Hemp Company, producer of Southern Hemp Expo and NoCo Hemp Expo, is a leading organization for the advancement and advocacy of hemp farming, processing, production, innovation, education, and legalization in the USA. The entire team is committed to researching and developing alternatives so that hemp can once again thrive and help individuals and communities throughout America and around the globe.
Contact
Steven Hoffman, Compass Natural, 303.807.1042, steve@compassnaturalmarketing.com
Morris Beegle, President of WAFBA, 970.541.0448, morris@morrisbeegle.com
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Cleaner, Greener Cannabis is Growing in New Zealand
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Cleaner, Greener Cannabis is Growing in New Zealand
Puro is on track to become one of the world’s first organically certified cannabis cultivators.
MARLBOROUGH, New Zealand (April 27, 2021) — Puro, New Zealand’s largest licensed medicinal cannabis cultivator, is setting new standards in organic outdoor cannabis farming.
The company has been growing medicinal cannabis under organic guidelines at its outdoor site, Kēkerengū, in Marlborough — a region celebrated for its world-class wine industry.
BioGro, the country’s largest organic certifier, has audited Puro’s medicinal cannabis cultivation and last week certified the company’s first commercial crop of high CBD and CBG plants as being ‘In Conversion’ to organic.
This important milestone keeps Puro on track to achieve full organic status from BioGro for its medicinal cannabis production at this site in the next 18 months.
Once full organic status is achieved, Puro will be one of the world’s first certified organic medicinal cannabis cultivators.
For managing director Tim Aldridge, the certificate recognizes and rewards two years of hard work and challenges exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic. It also reinforces the company’s overall mission of growing premium medical cannabis of the highest standard that is better for patients — and the planet.
“Worldwide we are already receiving interest in our product and stimulating discussion about the way in which we are establishing our farm,” says Aldridge.
Puro’s cultivation director Tom Forrest’s intimate knowledge and understanding of pharmaceutical growing operations have been instrumental in developing Puro’s organic and regenerative approach.
While it may have taken extra work to establish organic growing conditions, Forrest hopes that Puro’s achievements will encourage other cannabis growers to move their production practices away from a reliance on synthetic chemicals.
“Our focus and intention is to develop an ‘organic playbook’ for cannabis that other growers in New Zealand and globally can adopt and follow,” says Forrest. “Even if we can encourage one or two other commercial growers to move away from their reliance on synthetic chemicals and sprays, then this would be a wonderful achievement for our team.”
The first commercial crop is currently being harvested and over 25 tonnes of wet flower have so far been processed at the onsite purpose-built facility. Puro’s cultivation team believes the same terroir that produces the region’s world-class wine could also produce some novel terpene and cannabinoid profiles, and product testing is currently underway.
In another significant first, Puro is working with the New Zealand Government’s international business development agency, New Zealand Trade and Enterprise, to pave a pathway for exporting bulk medicinal cannabis from New Zealand. Puro is seeking international partnerships for its products.
Puro is now working to finance further developments. Last week, the company successfully closed a $2 million retail investment campaign. The funds will be used to complete development of Puro’s breeding facility in Waihopai, near Blenheim, which will sit beside its existing indoor research facility at the site and be used for seed production. It is seeking further wholesale investment of $6 million that will fund the development of Puro’s commercial glasshouses.
If you’re interested in learning how to purchase Puro’s unique cannabis product or to consider an investment into Puro, please contact Tim Aldridge - tim@puro.co.nz.
For more information on Puro, including future investment opportunities, visit puro.co.nz and follow @Puro on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn.
For further press information, please contact: Melissa Reid - melissa@hempire.co.nz
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Diversity, Inclusion and the Natural Products Industry
Photo: Pixabay
This article originally appeared in Presence Marketing’s May 2021 Industry Newsletter and New Hope Network’s IdeaXchange
By Steven Hoffman
This month’s news items focus on recent efforts in the natural and specialty foods industry to advance and integrate diversity and inclusion in America’s food system. You can learn more and explore how to get involved in these efforts by visiting the J.E.D.I. Collaborative, www.jedicollaborative.com.
J.E.D.I. Collaborative Seeks to Expand Diversity in the Natural Products Industry
In a Compass Coffee Talk conversation in April, Carlotta Mast, Co-founder of the J.E.D.I. Collaborative, announced that the organization – dedicated to expanding Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in the natural and organic products industry, will soon be appointing a new Executive Director. The organization recently engaged Ryan Pintado-Vertner, Founder of Smoketown, a Chicago-based agency dedicated to expanding diversity and social impact in the CPG industry, to help further J.E.D.I.’s reach, focus and influence in the natural products market. “We’re standing on the shoulders of a lot of effort and work, and with the Black Lives Matter movement, we’ve hit an inflection point. The 15% pledge is the reason companies like Target and Fresh Market have taken these initiatives,” said Pintado-Vertner, referring to an initiative launched in 2020 calling on major retailers to commit to a minimum of 15% of their shelf space to Black-owned businesses. The J.E.D.I. Collaborative was founded by One Step Closer (OSC), an industry organization dedicated to zero waste packaging, reversing climate change, conscious leadership and a just and regenerative society. Compass Coffee Talk is produced by Compass Natural Marketing and sponsored by Presence Marketing / Dynamic Presence.
How Natural Companies Can Turn Societal Upheaval Into Better Branding
In the recent issue of Nutrition Business Journal, featuring guest editor Emerald-Jane Hunter of the myWHY Agency, writer Rick Polito outlined lessons marketers and brand executives learned in the past year that they are taking into the future. One is to commit to Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (J.E.D.I.) (see above). “If you don’t have a diversity strategy, you don’t have a growth strategy,” one industry veteran said. For the natural products industry, that means “figuring out how to move beyond a primarily white and affluent audience, how to support Black-owned businesses and how to embrace diversity within its own corporate teams,” he wrote. According to a Natural and Organic Industry Benchmarking Survey, in the boardrooms of natural products brands, only 2% of leadership positions are occupied by Black professionals. Samantha Flynn, who works with the myWHY Agency, emphasized that authenticity means more than posting supportive messages, especially to Gen Z. “They believe in the power of their dollar and no purchase is too small for them to be examining what the company stands for,” she said.
Natural Products Industry Fund to Provide Scholarships, Networking for HBCU Students
The Organic & Natural Health Association (ONHA) recently announced a partnership with the Williams-Franklin Foundation to raise a minimum of $50,000 over the next five years to provide scholarship funds for students attending historically black colleges or universities (HBCU). The Organic & Natural Health Scholarship Fund will support students in financial need, and ONHA also committed to support networking opportunities for HBCU students, graduates and natural health executives with the purposes of creating internships and career opportunities, while helping to create a more diverse and inclusive industry. “This is an Organic & Natural Health initiative, but it’s not ours to own,” said Karen Howard, executive director of ONHA. “We want to make this an industry-wide initiative for diversity and inclusion, and we want it to be as big and as noteworthy as what Vitamin Angels has achieved for dietary supplement distribution to countries in need. Exposure to our industry is the biggest barrier to lack of diversification in our organizations. Together, as an industry, we can proactively work to change this dynamic.” The Williams-Franklin Foundation is a 501(c) 3 incorporated nonprofit that provides academic scholarships, business/career networking, and mentoring opportunities to HBCU students with extreme financial need. Led by husband and wife team, Dwight and LaShelle (Williams) Franklin, both HBCU graduates used their own seed money to launch the foundation in 2014. Leaders and companies within the natural products industry who want to donate a tax-deductible gift directly to the Williams-Franklin Foundation’s Organic & Natural Health Scholarship Fund select “Organic & Natural Health Fund” in the dropbox when donating at: https://www.wmsfranklinfoundation.org/donate/.
The Fresh Market Appoints New Head of Diversity
Specialty grocer The Fresh Market has named one of its senior leaders, Gerald Walden, to a newly created position within the retail chain as Vice President, Deputy General Counsel and Head of Diversity. As Head of Diversity, Walden will oversee The Fresh Market’s efforts to advance and integrate diversity, equity and inclusion values and practices across the company and with business partners and customers, the company said in a statement. Walden previously served as VP, Head of Legal for The Fresh Market, which operates 159 stores in 22 states. Walden currently serves on The Fresh Market’s Diversity Action Board and, for a decade has overseen the retailer’s legal internship program, which provides exclusive opportunities to minority law students. Walden also has an extensive background in inclusive leadership, having served as the Chair of the North Carolina Bar Association’s Minorities in the Profession Committee, the President of the Guilford County Association of Black Lawyers, and currently Walden serves as a Board Member of the National Employment Law Council and two historically Black universities, the company said.
Dr. Bronner’s Issues Statement Against Hate Crimes Toward Asian Americans
Asian-American and Pacific Islander employees at Dr. Bronner’s, together with the company’s BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and People of Color) taskforce, have issued a statement against hate toward Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders amid reports that anti-Asian hate crimes rose nearly 150% in America’s largest cities last year. “We have unfortunately seen this over and over again in human history: when a nation struggles with problems, its citizens look for a group to blame, a group they can scapegoat or attack—and often that group is one that is already considered to be outsiders, illegitimate, or somehow less deserving. We recognize that many in the U.S. are truly hurting—devastated by the multiple health and economic crises brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic. But the healing of this pain will never be found in the oppression of other people. It is incumbent on all of us to speak up and intervene if we witness this kind of harassment or racism. It is also imperative that we speak up against the use of phrases like ‘China virus’ or ‘Wuhan virus’ to describe the Covid-19 pandemic, as that sort of language unfairly casts Asians as responsible for the pandemic and creates the conditions for the kind of racist abuse that has been on the rise. This kind of scapegoating of a particular racial group runs directly counter to our grandfather’s All-One vision and is against everything we practice and promote as a company. Dr. Bronner’s speaks out categorically against all harassment or victimization of members of our Asian-American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community,” the statement said. Dr. Bronner’s customers can opt in to donate 10% of sales proceeds – at no additional cost – to Asian Americans Advancing Justice through June 30.
Natural Industry Survey: Smaller Companies Are More Diverse than Larger Ones
Leadership teams and boards of directors in the natural products industry lack diversity and are predominately comprised of white men, according to a survey of 220 industry leaders conducted by the J.E.D.I. Collaborative and New Hope Network. According to the benchmark survey, Black and Latinx membership on natural products industry boards is only 2%, while Black and Latinx representation on leadership teams is 2% and 6%, respectively, according to New Hope Network. Smaller companies are more diverse than larger ones: companies with fewer than 10 employees have more women and people of color in management positions, the survey found. According to New Hope Network, today’s natural and organic consumer is primarily white (73%), yet the U.S. population is headed toward a white minority population by 2043. “The U.S. is becoming increasingly diverse and it is imperative that manufacturers and retailers serve the changing population,” the editors of New Hope said. “Becoming a more diverse community will allow us to be able to serve the people who could benefit most from health-promoting food and products and contributes to the long-term costs that all of society pays when we support an unjust food and agricultural system.” Companies can make the J.E.D.I. commitment toward inclusion and diversity here.
Target to Spend More than $2 Billion with Black-owned Businesses by 2025
Target Corporation in April announced it has committed to spending more than $2 billion with Black-owned businesses by the end of 2025. In a statement, Target said it is pledging to add products across multiple categories from more than 500 Black-owned companies, and is introducing resources to help its Black-owned vendors grow and successfully scale their businesses in mass retail. Building off of the retailer’s Target Accelerators, a program that supports entrepreneurs to drive innovation, the company is introducing a new program called Forward Founders. This program will engage Black entrepreneurs earlier in their startup journey to help them navigate the critical stages of ideation, product development and scaling for mass retail, Target said. With increased access to subject matter experts and educational workshops earlier in the startup process, Forward Founders is designed to help Black-owned businesses increase their potential for long-term success in retail, said the company. For more information, visit Target’s Supplier Diversity page.
Molson Coors Invests in TRU Colors, Founded by Rival Gang Members
Molson Coors, which has been expanding its portfolio beyond beer to include hard seltzer, spirits, energy drinks and non-alcoholic functional beverages, in April announced it has made an equity investment in TRU Colors Brewery, a Wilmington, NC-based company founded by a tech entrepreneur and rival gang leaders from the Bloods, Crips and GD. TRU stands for Truth, Responsibility and Unity, according to company founders, and the brand has a mission to provide employment and to unify rival gangs, Molson Coors said in a statement. In addition to an equity investment, Molson Coors will serve as a strategic partner to assist the company with distribution strategy, brand positioning, supplier relationships, marketing and advertising consultation, and product formulation. Molson Coors said the move is not only a strategic investment, but also marks the latest in a series of actions designed to foster a more inclusive and diverse culture. The company announced a goal of increasing representation of people of color in its U.S. operations by 25% by the end of 2023 and committed to donating a cumulative $3 million to 26 local and national organizations dedicated to equality, empowerment, justice and community building from 2020-2021.
Campbell Soup Company Flipping the Script on Diversity and Inclusion
By taking a stand on social issues and social justice, companies can attract and maintain talent and investors, said Campbell Soup Company CEO Mark Clouse in a recent webinar. “Our employees want to know where we stand on these things, and it’s also great to see investors starting to ask me those questions,” Clouse said, according to Food Navigator. “The idea of inclusion coming first is really about wiring comprehensively a broad scope plan and strategy that will change culture that make it conducive to attracting and retaining diversity,” he said. According to Clouse, Campbell in October 2020 appointed Camille Pierce as Senior VP and Chief Culture Officer to help ensure its diversity and inclusion efforts become embedded in the company’s leadership and culture. Campbell has developed strategies around three pillars, said Clouse: capabilities & education, advocacy, and accountability. These pillars serve as a framework for metrics – not quotas – he said, and outcomes that “are placed on a time continuum.“ Then Campbell “measures the heck out of them. We may not get it right every time, but we try to be thoughtful” and learn from experiences to create a more inclusive and diverse workplace, he said. For more information, visit here.
Organic & Regenerative Agriculture Has Roots in Black, Native American Farming
Dr. George Washington Carver was one of the founders of the organic and regenerative agriculture movements. A researcher, inventor, scientist and professor at Tuskegee University, Carver was among the first to spread the word about caring for soil and community, inspiring a generation of organic farmers in the late 1800s and early 1900s, writes Leah Penniman in Civil Eats. Penniman is Co-director and Program Manager at Soul Fire Farm in Petersburg, NY, a community organization that serves more than 10,000 people each year with food justice initiatives, farm training for BIPOC growers and more. Through “Afro-Indigenous” farming and forestry practices, Soul Fire has been regenerating 80 acres of land, while providing training, workshops and mentorship to underserved communities. “My ancestral grandmothers in West Africa braided seeds of okra, molokhia, and levant cotton into their hair before being forced to board Transatlantic slave ships. They hid sesame, black-eyed peas, rice, and melon seeds in their locks,” writes Penniman. “With the seed, our grandmothers also braided their eco-systemic and cultural knowledge. They braided the wisdom of sharing land, labor, and wealth.” However, Penniman notes, Black farmers once owned 16 million acres of land in the U.S. after emancipation, yet “almost all of that land is now gone,” she said. “In 2010, Soul Fire Farm was born with a mission to reclaim our ancestral belonging to land and to end racism and exploitation in the food system. What began as a small family farm is now a community organization committed to this systemic and ancestral change. And we pray that the words from our mouths, the meditations in our hearts, and the work of our hands are all acceptable to our grandmothers who passed us these seeds.”
USDA Secretary: Creating Equitable Opportunities for Black Farmers Lifts All Boats
Provisions of the recently enacted American Rescue Plan that seek to acknowledge and address systemic racism perpetuated against generations of Black farmers will benefit the entire agriculture sector, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack told stakeholders at a House Agriculture Committee hearing held in late March. President Biden’s $1.9 trillion Covid-19 relief plan earmarked nearly $5 billion for black farmers impacted by decades of discrimination made worse by the pandemic, NBC Washington reported. “Creating more equitable opportunities for Black farmers is a rising tide that can lift all boats,” Vilsack said at the hearing, Food Navigator-USA reported. “As one study found closing racial gaps in wages, housing credit, lending opportunities, and access to higher education would amount to an additional $5 trillion in gross domestic product and six million jobs to the American economy over the next five years,” Vilsack said in defense of “socially disadvantaged farmer provisions in the American Rescue Plan,” that have come under fire by some legislators and critics of the plan. “While Black farmers receive about $60 million in annual commodity subsidies, white farmers annually receive about $10 billion in commodity subsidies,” Vilsack said. He also noted that 97% of coronavirus food assistance payments went to white farmers, Food Navigator-USA reported. “More need to be done to drive our efforts deeper,” Vilsack told the House Agriculture Committee. He emphasized the necessity to “make clear that prosperous farmers of color means a prosperous agriculture sector and a prosperous America.”
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Join Ronnie Cummins on Compass Coffee Talk, May 19, 11:30am EDT
The Power of the Organic Consumer
Join Ronnie Cummins, Co-Founder and International Director of the Organic Consumers Association, as He Shares Perspectives on Advocating for a Healthful Food System and the Power of the Organic Consumer
Wednesday, May 19, 11:30 am – Noon EDT
Zoom, Admission is Free
Ronnie Cummins, Co-Founder and International Director, Organic Consumers Association
Policy reform, organic integrity, climate change, and grassroots campaigns are a sample of topics that Ronnie Cummins, the Co-Founder and International Director of the Organic Consumers Association (OCA), will cover. Additionally, Cummins will discuss his latest book, Grassroots Rising: A Call to Action on Climate, Farming, Food, and a Green New Deal, published by Chelsea Green in Feb. 2020, at the start of the pandemic. Cummins will share the power of the organic consumer and what implications may be felt throughout the natural products industry as the country re-opens after the pandemic.
About Ronnie Cummins
Ronnie Cummins has been active as a writer and activist since the 1960’s, with extensive experience in public education, grassroots mobilization, and marketplace pressure campaigns. Over the past three decades, he has served as the director of domestic and international campaigns focused on agriculture issues. Cummins is a frequent lecturer, both in the U.S. and abroad, and is a regular contributor to online publications such as Organic Bytes, Common Dreams, Mercola.com, Truthout, Alternet, Counterpunch, and Eco-Watch. He lives with his wife and 22-year-old son in Finland, Minnesota, and San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.
About Compass Coffee Talk™
Take a 30-minute virtual coffee break with Compass Coffee Talk™. Hosted by natural industry veterans Bill Capsalis and Steve Hoffman, Coffee Talk features lively interactive conversations with industry leaders and experts designed to help guide entrepreneurs and businesses of any size succeed in the market for natural, organic, regenerative, hemp-derived and other eco-friendly products.
Compass Coffee Talk™ is produced by Compass Natural Marketing, a leading PR, branding and business development agency serving the natural and organic products industry. Learn more.
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Black-owned Vegan Meat Brand Cuts Investment Deal with Shark Tank’s Mark Cuban
Photo: Gage Skidmore
This article originally appeared in Presence Marketing’s April 2021 Industry Newsletter
By Steven Hoffman
Everything Legendary has a new partner – Shark Tank’s own Mark Cuban. After a recent appearance on the show, the Black-owned vegan meat alternative brand received a $300,000 investment from Cuban in exchange for 22% of the company, VegNews reported. Company founders Duane “Myko” Cheers, Danita Claytor and Jumoke Jackson appeared on Shark Tank to pitch their Washington, D.C.-based business, which makes vegan burgers based on a recipe inspired by their mothers using a blend of hemp protein, coconut oil, potato starch and beet extract. “It began with a search for something healthy and good-tasting that our mothers would want to eat. Once we had that, we took it to the streets with pop-up stores and street festival sampling, and let the community taste it for themselves. We all know that today’s consumers are demanding that their food be nutritious and supercharged with flavor. Our brand delivers. It’s Mom-Approved. And now, it’s also Shark-Sanctioned,” Cheers told VegNews. Mark Cuban has been vegetarian for more than a year. In addition to Everything Legendary, he has invested in a number of vegan companies including Delighted by Hummus, Snacklins, Wanna Date? and Pan’s Mushroom Jerky, VegNews reported.
Amy’s Kitchen: Becoming a B Corp. During Wildfires, a Pandemic, and Unprecedented Demand
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
This article originally appeared in Presence Marketing’s April 2021 Industry Newsletter
By Steven Hoffman
Amy’s Kitchen’s President and CEO Xavier Unkovic was recently featured among other Northern California food business leaders in the North Bay Business Journal. Last fall, the company became a certified B Corp. as if faced the challenges of keeping workers safe and securing its supply chain during the pandemic; wildfires in two of the three regions in which the company operates; and unprecedented demand for its products, as plant-based and frozen foods both have experienced a surge in sales. “Over the course of the past year, we faced some of the greatest challenges in the company’s history,” Unkovic told the Journal. “Since our start, our founders have strived to do the right thing, even when it wasn’t the easiest, and this certification validates those efforts and provides us with a benchmark from which to measure our continued progress.” The company had sales approaching $600 million in 2020, a double-digit increase over 2019, reported Food Navigator-USA.
Large-scale Study Finds No Evidence of Liver Toxicity from Oral CBD Products
Photo: Pexels
This article originally appeared in Presence Marketing’s April 2021 Industry Newsletter
By Steven Hoffman
CBD products do not cause liver damage when taken orally, according to preliminary results of a seven-month clinical investigation conducted by Validcare in response to the FDA’s request to help inform the agency’s regulatory approach regarding products containing hemp-derived CBD. Twelve companies, including CBD market leader Charlotte’s Web, helped support the study. Preliminary findings showed no evidence of liver disease in the 839 participants in the study, and no increase in the prevalence of elevated liver function tests when compared to a population with a similar incidence of medical conditions. The Validcare study’s findings were shared with the FDA when researchers met with the agency on March 15 to review preliminary liver safety results in the form of an abstract, reported Nutra Ingredients-USA. “We are encouraged by these findings and hopeful this study provides FDA with sufficient science-based data to determine and take action on a safe regulatory path forward,” said Keith Aqua, M.D., co-principal investigator of the study.