Local organic food producer rails against corporate influence in the organic 'industry'
Michael Potter, owner of Eden Foods, was featured in a report on the organic food industry published in Sunday’s New York Times.
Michael Potter, 62, bought into the company that became Eden Foods more than 40 years ago.
The board has approved more than 250 non-organic substances that can now be included in certified organic products. Potter calls the certified-organic label a fraud and refuses to put it on his company’s products.
“The board is stacked,” Potter told the Times. “Either they don’t have a clue, or their interest in making money is more important than their interest in maintaining the integrity of organics.”
According to the Organic Trade Association, sales of organic products totaled $26.7 billion in 2010.
Potter said in the article that he gets at least one email a week from people or companies interested in buying Eden.
Click here to read the full story at NYTimes.com
Ben Freed covers business for AnnArbor.com. Reach him at 734-623-2528 or email him at benfreed@annarbor.com. Follow him on twitter @BFreedinA2
Comments
justcurious
Mon, Jul 9, 2012 : 8 p.m.
I'm curious where Eden Soy gets their organic soybeans from. And I wonder if the producers of those soybeans have ever been threatened by Monsanto.
DBH
Tue, Jul 10, 2012 : 2:22 a.m.
@justcurious, the link should work (I just tried it to verify). It is a PDF file. Copy and paste into the URL box, and then hit the Enter button to activate. No, I know about Monsanto and their threats, I just don't know of any against Eden Foods or their soybean suppliers. Not that I would, mind you, even if there were any made.
justcurious
Tue, Jul 10, 2012 : 2:07 a.m.
DBH, I couldn't figure out your link but I did go to their site. See Food Inc. if you wondered about my Monsanto comment.
Ben Freed
Mon, Jul 9, 2012 : 9:07 p.m.
@DBH, excellent use of sagacious. I should try to get that word into an article in the near future...
DBH
Mon, Jul 9, 2012 : 8:28 p.m.
I don't know about any threat from Monsanto, but it appears they get their soybeans from western Michigan. See http://www.edenfoods.com/about/assets/eden_network.pdf for an interesting graphic display of the sources of their foods. I also find it laudable that they have been using BPA-free cans since 1999. That is what I would call sagacious.
leaguebus
Mon, Jul 9, 2012 : 7:37 p.m.
Its amazing how big money can circumvent just about anything these days. Eden has a facility in Clinton.
fjord
Mon, Jul 9, 2012 : 8:12 p.m.
That's not just "a facility," that's where they're based. They started in Ann Arbor decades ago.
Billy
Mon, Jul 9, 2012 : 6:47 p.m.
Also......if Mr. Potter is 62 in that picture......THAT ALONE IS MARKETING FOR THEIR PRODUCTS!!!!!!
DBH
Mon, Jul 9, 2012 : 8:29 p.m.
It looks very similar to the photograph in the NY Times article.
a2citizen
Mon, Jul 9, 2012 : 7:03 p.m.
Unless of course the photo is of him when he was 4.
Billy
Mon, Jul 9, 2012 : 6:46 p.m.
WHOA!!?! I didn't know Eden was local. I remember going to Arbor Farms when it was in it's original location on Stadium with my mother 20+ years ago, and we'd always get a bag of Eden Soy crackers to snack on there. I've long been a fan of their products and I NEVER realized they were local.
tdw
Mon, Jul 9, 2012 : 7:58 p.m.
Billy.....Soy crackers ? that sounds gross.Now tell me REALLY what do the taste like ? I envision them tasting like sand ( I'm not taking a shot at you )
Dog Guy
Mon, Jul 9, 2012 : 6:26 p.m.
"Certified Organic" joins "All Natural," "Smart," "Care," and a hundred other meaningless words in the pitchmen's hall of fame.
Will Warner
Tue, Jul 10, 2012 : 8:59 a.m.
How true. I've also noticed that vending machines are full of snacks from a company calling itself "Nature Valley." With a name like that, their food-product must be good for you.