When you mention the name REBBL to most people, the first thing that usually pops up is their favorite flavor of the company’s adaptogenic coconut elixirs.
After all, these drinks are incredibly delicious and nutritious. And addictive.
Yet, when you dig deeper and peel back the layers of this brand, a very inspirational story emerges.
One of the myths that GMO apologists constantly promote is that genetically-modified food produced in the U.S. is required to “feed the world” and anyone who fights against GMOs, according to Purdue University president Mitch Daniels, is “callous, heartless and cruel”.
With the United Nations estimating that the global population will reach 9 billion by 2050, Monsanto et al has positioned GMOs as a “moral imperative” to stave off global hunger. After all, people in developing countries can in no way feed themselves, they would like us to believe. American agriculture is the only solution.
While there are many reasons why we should support organic food, we now have yet another one: organic boosts local economies.
In a new study by the Organic Trade Association called U.S Organic Hotspots and their Benefit to Local Economies, it has been found that organic food and crop production – and the business activities accompanying organic agriculture – creates real and long-lasting regional economic opportunities.
Yet several days after returning back to NYC and just as I was about to write a post about this organic milk, I received an email from The Cornucopia Institute, a watchdog for the organic industry.
The Cornucopia Institute has condemned the USDA for allowing products containing unapproved synthetic additives (DHA Omega-3, as one of them) to be labeled “organic” for an indefinite grace period.
Furthermore, The Cornucopia Institute has filed legal complaints against infant formula manufacturers and Dean Foods, manufacturer of Horizon dairy products, for adding unapproved additives: Martek Biosciences Corporation’s omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids (DHA/ARA), derived chemically from fermented algae and fungus, to foods with the organic label.
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.
Last Friday, a California court ruled that Monsanto’s Roundup chemical caused groundskeeper Dewayne Johnson to get cancer (non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma) and ordered the company to pay $289M in damages.
This was a watershed moment for the industry, as organic advocates had been sounding the alarm for years about the toxic effects of this herbicide, whose main ingredient in glyphosate.
The Summer Fancy Food Show, put on by the Specialty Food Association, is always one of my favorite food shows of the year.
Aside from the fact that it attracts vendors from all over the world, it also features an Incubation Village, where food incubators from around the country showcase some of their most interesting brands. This gives invaluable exposure to young brands, many of whom would be unable to afford a booth on their own.
