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Several years ago, I was introduced to Erewhon, and my life has not been the same since.

Not only is it my first stop whenever I go to Los Angeles, but anytime I meet someone who is from there, I always ask “So, do you go to Erewhon?” It is that impressive of a supermarket and is a place I think about often, even from 3,000 miles away in New York City.

What many people may not realize is that Erewhon has been a pioneer in the health food world since the 1960s and was profiled in Joe Dobrow’s fascinating book Natural Prophets: From Health Foods to Whole Foods — How the Pioneers of the Industry Changed the Way We Eat and Reshaped American Business.

Living Maxwell

Company Stories

Natural Products Expo West, the largest organic trade show in the U.S. was back for the first time since 2019, as the last two years were canceled because of COVID.

Prior to this year’s show, I had one CEO tell me that he thought this would be the best year for innovation anytime in the past decade, given that brands had such pent-up demand over the last 24 months and would be particularly eager to show buyers their most forward-thinking products. Based on what I saw at last week’s Expo West, I believe he was correct. The innovation that I saw was outstanding.

Living Maxwell

Company Stories

If you’re like me, you think of Hawaii as this pristine and gorgeous state where you’d love to own a retirement home.

After seeing the YouTube documentary called “Stop Monsanto From Poisoning Hawaii: Genetic Engineering Chemical Warfare”, I think you’ll change your mind pretty quickly.

As it turns out, Hawaii has been the global center for open-field testing for genetically-modified organisms (GMOs). Over 5,000 tests have been conducted by companies such as Monsanto, Dow, Dupont, Syngenta and BASF, and toxic chemicals get sprayed on an almost daily basis.

Living Maxwell

Company Stories

At the recent 2011 Expo West trade show, I got a chance to speak with Minh Tsai, the founder of Hodo Soy Beanery. Hodo Soy Beanery is based in Oakland, CA and makes artisinal organic tofu.

Organic Insider

Company Stories

Based on what we have seen from the current administration’s USDA — the scrapping of the organic animal welfare rules, allowing hydroponics in organic even though it is a complete violation of the Organic Foods Production Act of 1990, and turning a blind eye to ‘organic factory farms’ – should anyone be the least bit surprised that the recently released GMO-labeling rules completely fail the American consumer?

Living Maxwell

Company Stories

Within the last 12 months, organic baking start-up Foodstirs has quickly and firmly established itself as one of the hottest brands in the industry today.

While it is undeniable that having a Hollywood celebrity as a co-founder has helped attract tremendous media attention and opened many doors, Foodstirs is leading the marketplace because it has delivered a top-notch product line to a category that was ripe for innovation. With proven entrepreneur Galit Laibow as CEO, long-time industry veteran and brand-building guru Greg Fleishman as COO, and marketing standout Sarah Michelle Gellar as Chief Creative Officer, the company’s intentions were clear from the very beginning.

“Foodstirs is about the power of baking, and we wanted to help create an experience that allows families to connect with each other in an easy and convenient way. Our product is empowering them to do this,” said Greg Fleishman.

Living Maxwell

Company Stories

With celebrities rushing to invest in organic food companies these days, Sarah Michelle Gellar truly stands alone.

This long-time Hollywood actress isn’t writing a check, fading into the background and hoping for a payout several years down the line. She is doing the exact opposite.

Sarah Michelle Gellar is helping to run and is playing an active role in building one of the hottest organic food brands in the industry. Along with her two other co-founders, CEO Galit Laibow and COO Greg Fleishman, Foodstirs is redefining the healthy baking category by using the best organic and Biodynamic ingredients available.

In addition to her acting career and responsibilities at Foodstirs, this Emmy Award-winning actress and mother of two recently released Stirring up Fun with Food: Over 115 Simple, Delicious Ways to be Creative in the Kitchen, her #1 best-selling book. Organized by the month, Stirring up Fun with Food succeeds because of its approach — providing engaging “food-crafting” ideas that help kids develop self-confidence, creative thinking, and even math skills in the kitchen.