Co-Co Nuts!

Coconut water has come quite a long way in the five years since New York based One World Enterprises L.L.C. introduced their respective natural coconut water products. In fact, from 2008 to 2009, sales are projected to grow by $15 million.
Even Coca-Cola and PepsiCo have invested in coconut water companies, probably with hopes to revitalize their Gatorade and Powerade products.

Companies like McCormick & Company are putting coconut recipes on their website, using it in soups, sorbets, and as an addition to fish. And Sabinsa Corp recently got the a-ok on using coconut water solids as a nutrient in alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, frozen dairy, snack foods, gum, teas, coffees, and more.

With natural sweeteners, light flavor, natural electrolytes such as potassium magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, and sodium, and low in calories…I wouldn’t think it would be long before we’re seeing coconut water as a major beverage on health store and convenience store shelves alike.

Building a Brand

As for Alfred Lin's (COO & CFO of Zappos) Seven Ways to Build a Brand, he’s made some really good points. One that resonates with me, and I think with most citizens, even aside from being consumers, is the “commitment to transparency”. I’ve often heard our President say something similar in his regards to his relationship with the public, in essence, promising to give us the real deal. As for Zappos, I appreciate and respect (especially after seeing the gap between their revenue and net profit) Lin’s transparency - the consumer gets exactly what is advertised to them. There are no underlying commitments, no fine print, just a price that you see, and then pay, and then you get your product. And if you don’t like it, hey, no problem, you can return it for free. No hidden costs. During the recession, we’ve all become way more aware of our financial standing and where/how we choose to spend our hard earned disposable dollars. It’s nice to know exactly what kind of commitment you’re making without someone trying to take you, even when it just comes down to a pair of shoes.

Leadership would also have to be a key point on my list. While building a team is essential, the best way to do so is to have a Star at the helm who can lead you through the good and bad times while maintaining the values and culture that defined your company initially. So many companies haven’t been able to survive, in part to the fact that they give up the commitments they’ve made to their team and consumers and thus, their culture falls apart.

And of course, we can’t leave out Social Networking. This may be transient, but at this point, that remains to be seen. Sites like Facebook and Twitter have had a very positive impact on companies’ visibility and profitability, and for a pretty small fee, no less. It will be interesting to see what other innovative solutions present themselves in the years to come.

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USDA Defines What "Natural" Really Means

After decades of controversy, the USDA has finally made the commitment to take a stand on defining the word “natural” when it comes to meat and poultry products. This is partially in response to the overwhelming amount of inquiries from confused and frustrated consumers and manufacturers since the controversy began back in 2006. The confusion (and resulting controversy) stems from the fact that the USDA currently adheres to two definitions of “Natural”¬one from its FSIS (Food Safety Inspection Service) division; and the other from its AMS (Agricultural Marketing Service) division.

So what’s the difference? Currently, the FSIS states that meat and poultry can be labeled "natural" only if the product is minimally processed and doesn't have any artificial flavorings, colorings, preservatives, or other additives. AMS’s version of "natural" means meat must come from animals raised with no hormone growth promoters, no antibiotics, and no animal by-products.

In all honesty, I have to say I am a little taken back that the USDA has not yet been able to “clear the air” on this matter. Since their inceptions, these variations have been creating loopholes for manufacturers and mass confusion for consumers. Wouldn’t it be great if everyone had a clear understanding (right there on the label) of what natural means. The answer seems glaringly obvious to me. Would it be too easy if they just combined both of these definitions into one and called it a day?
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Human Capital

Reading the blog posts from this week brings back a conversation I once had with a former employee of In-N-Out. The concept is well-known and loved in California, and for that matter fairly well-known and loved across the rest of the country as well. I mean, have you ever seen any other fast food restaurant chain T-shirts being sported around town? Taco Bell? McDonald’s? I didn’t think so.

I was not at all surprised to learn from this person that she loved working at In-N-Out. After all, anytime I’ve been there, there always seems to be a slew of happy, young, vibrant, boisterous people behind the counter wearing aprons and these ridiculous looking deli hats running around and they’re smiling ear to ear. It actually looks like fun. What I was surprised to learn was that she was paid $10/hr (and keep in mind this was at least a few years ago) and even had the option of buying health insurance through the company after a short waiting period.

There are companies out there doing the right thing. In-N-Out is just another case in point. Planet Smoothie is another. Chick-Fil-A is yet another. Sure, these companies are cool and unique in their products and images, which is very important, but they also share at least one common corporate value. They see their employees as Human Capital, their greatest asset and their greatest investment not just a means to an end. And although employees may not know this term specifically, they feel its effect everyday they show up on the job.
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Marin Organic

In Marin County, local organic farmers are as revered as doctors. And why shouldn’t they be? The food that they grow sustains us. And when it is grown naturally, it has the power to keep as healthy in the nutrition panel as we can be. With so much focus on the health crisis in our country, I was pleased to read an article about a county who is starting with the “roots” and working their way up. From the community to the kids and their schools to the economic & environmental sustainability of the county and its inhabitants, Marin County is getting it right. Marin Organic, who is at the helm of the community’s commitment to sustainable living, is an association of organic producers in Marin County whose livelihood is based on a respect for nature and a sense of place. As the primary link between farmers and eaters, Marin Organic is committed to promoting and supporting a sustainable, organic county.

One of their programs is the Marin Organic School Lunch and Gleaning Program, a program that provides schools with organic produce and also addresses underserved communities in Marin. 20% of all grown foods don't meet strict market requirements because they are too big in size or are discolored, so they can't be brought to market. Marin Organic started three years ago to collect the 20% that is left in the field. The leftover food that has been “gleaned” from the field is perfectly fine organic food that is picked up by the school children as part of an educational program and added to the mix of weekly school orders, which allows the schools to stay within the budget & allows farmers to sell organic food to schools at a regular price. Beyond that, it not only teaches kids where healthy food comes from, it gives them experience and ownership in making their community a healthier place to live.

While there are several other communities beginning to embrace the idea of natural, organic foods, I’m not sure if other cities in the nation are taking advantage of gleaned foods in the same way that Marin County is. I’m curious to see if programs like this start to pop up in other parts of the country, especially in communities that don’t have easy access to locally farmed foods and lack the school budgets that allow for these items to be shipped in. It would be great if all of our kids had the opportunity to be reeducated and had better access and knowledge of whole foods.
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