June 2, 2016

Spotlight on Vermont Creamery

With National Dairy Month in mind, we’re casting our Co-op Spotlight on Vermont Creamery and reminding member-owners that they can enjoy 20% off their decadent dairy products this week. We’re incredibly lucky to live in a state with the highest number of artisanal cheese makers per capita, and Vermont Creamery ranks high among them. Their cheeses, creme fraiche, mascarpone, and cultured butter have garnered awards locally, nationally, and globally, creating quite a reputation for this incredible creamery with such humble roots. Read on to learn more about how the creamery began, their model for for being a sustainable mission-driven business, and what keeps them inspired to produce their world-renowned products:

Our Story:

Vermont Creamery was started by two young visionaries devoted to new and non-traditional agriculture, Allison Hooper and Bob Reese. As a college student, Allison spent a summer traveling in France. She worked on a small family farm in Brittany, earning room and board while learning how to make all of the essentials of what was to become her life passion: cheesemaking. Bob always thought he would one day take over his grandparents’ dairy farm. Unfortunately by the time he finished his degree in Agriculture, they’d sold the farm. Appropriately enough, the improbable run as long term business partners began in 1984 during a dinner celebrating Vermont agricultural products. Bob was in charge of the dinner and desperately needed a locally made goat cheese for the French chef’s signature lamb dish. He reached out to Allison, who was then working at a dairy lab and milking goats in Brookfield. Allison made the chèvre on the farm, Bob delivered it to the chef– the dinner was a success and Vermont Creamery was born.
As they say, “time flies when you’re having fun”. And what a fun wild ride we’ve had. A quarter century ago, $2,000 of savings, and a $4,000 loan from an ag-minded Vermont church made possible our first nervous debut of fresh chèvre in the milk house on the farm in Brookfield. We sold first at farmers’ markets, then to food co-ops and French chefs. Back then, fresh chèvre, so popular today, was a dazzling exotic foreign delicacy for American palates. Today, almost 30 years later, 20 Vermont goat farms ship their milk to Vermont Creamery. We are humbled and proud to have won more than 100 national and international awards. Our butters and cheeses populate some of the most prestigious cheese boards in America. But what makes us proudest perhaps is that we have sustained a team of family farms and creamery artisans. Together we thrive making simply great cheese for discerning, appreciative eaters, home cooks and discriminating chefs alike.

Our Mission:

At Vermont Creamery, we strive to produce the highest quality cheeses and dairy products using local ingredients while supporting and developing family farms. We aim to exemplify sustainability by being profitable, engaging our staff in the business, and living our mission every day in the creamery.

Our mission is founded on five principles:

The farms: Improve our rural communities by supporting family farms which have best management practices that are sustainable and environmentally sound.
A culture of continuous improvement: Invigorate and challenge our creamery community to maintain the highest product quality, excel at customer service and care for our consumers by inviting them to be part of our family.
The value of cheese: Promotes a life of good health and meaningful connection through the preparation and sharing of good food with others.
A responsible manufacturer: Add value to milk while minimizing our impact on clean and plentiful water, clean air, and land.
The Team: Accountability and responsibility allows every team member to create a profitable, meaningful and fun workplace where he/she is challenged empowered and motivated by his/her contribution.
A workplace that thinks globally and acts locally: Fostering mutual respect and tolerance in pursuit of a better life for everyone resonates within the creamery, into the community, and beyond

Our Culture:

In 2014, Vermont Creamery became B Corp certified. B Corps are a new type of company that use the power of business to solve social and environmental problems. B Corp certification is to sustainable business what Fair Trade certification is to coffee or USDA Organic certification is to milk. This designation reflects the values upon which our company was founded and our operating philosophies today. We became B Corp because capitalism affects change when it is mindful of doing what is right at the expense of profits. The B Corp Impact Assessment reflects not only what we currently do, but applies rigor to and accountability for our mission.

Our Recipe for Making a Difference-

100% of our company utilizes open book management
100% of Creamery employees participate in profit sharing
100% of our milk comes from small-scale suppliers/farms
Our conservation partnership with the Ayers Brook Goat Dairy trains future Vermont farmers
1% of profits are given to support non-profit and community work
Cut water consumption by 1/3 even as our business grew
50% of the management team are women
5 days paid maternity and paternity leave per year
Carpooling and bike-to-work incentive programs
More than 70% of heath insurance premium cost covered by the company

Meet the Goats:

May 19, 2016

Spotlight on Newman’s Own

This week, we’re casting our Co-op Spotlight on Newman’s Own to tip our hat to the man who decided to launch a food business that gives away 100% of its profits to charity. Read on to learn more about how Paul Newman accidentally found himself at the center of a successful food business and the impact of his incredible philanthropy:

Paul Newman’s craft was acting, his passion was auto racing, his love was his family and friends. But his heart and soul were dedicated to helping make the world a better place. His commitment to philanthropy was clear — he used his influence, gave of his financial resources, and personally volunteered to advance humanitarian and social causes around the world. While Paul Newman was a Hollywood star of extraordinary celebrity and a person recognized for exceptional commitment and leadership for philanthropy, he lived his life as an ordinary person, which he always considered himself. He was a man of abundant good humor, generosity, and humility.

Newman’s Own began as a bit of a lark. In 1980, Paul Newman and his pal A.E. Hotchner filled empty wine bottles with his homemade salad dressing to give as gifts for the holidays. After friends and neighbors came clamoring for refills, Paul and “Hotch” were convinced that the special recipe was good enough to be bottled and sold.

Newman’s Own Salad Dressing was officially launched in 1982 and, surprisingly, became an instant success. The first year of profits exceeded $300,000 and Paul declared, “Let’s give it all away to those who need it.” Without ever taking personal compensation, Paul shared his good fortune. It was a unique concept at the time – giving away all after-tax profits, but he believed that helping others was just the right thing to do.

In these thirty years, Paul Newman and the Newman’s Own Foundation have given over $460 million to thousands of charities. Newman’s Own Foundation is an independent, private foundation formed in 2005 by Paul Newman to sustain the legacy of his philanthropic work. Funded entirely through the profits and royalties of Newman’s Own products, the Foundation does not maintain an endowment, raise funds, or accept donations. The Foundation believes that each of us, through the power of philanthropy, has the potential to make a difference. Since 1982, when Paul Newman first declared, “Let’s give it all away,” more than $460 million has been donated to thousands of nonprofit organizations helping people in need around the world.

Today, Newman’s Own produces over 200 individual products across 20 categories. Always great tasting, always top quality, just the way our founder, Paul Newman, insisted. We’ll always follow his vision for putting quality first. The Newman’s Own business model has remained the same over the years. The enterprise remains true to Paul’s original mission and values, using only all-natural, high-quality foods and donating 100% of profits and royalties to charity. Who would’ve thought that so much good could come from a simple idea? As Paul said, it has been “a heck of a ride.”

May 12, 2016

Spotlight on Niman Ranch

We’re casting our Co-op Spotlight on Niman Ranch this week to highlight their commitment to offering all-natural meats raised by small family farmers committed to sustainable and humane practices. We all know that words like “natural” and “sustainable” can be applied to foods without any real, tangible, meaningful standards to back them up. In fact, the USDA legally allows the use of the word “natural” on meat and poultry despite the fact that the term isn’t currently well-defined or meaningful, rendering it a deceptive marketing ploy rather than a clear indication of how a meat or poultry product was raised or processed. That’s why we love Niman Ranch. When they throw around words like “natural’, “sustainable”, and “humane”, it actually means something. Here’s how they back it up:

At Niman Ranch our all-natural meats are:

Raised on more than 700 small sustainable family farms and ranches
Raised according to the most humane animal handling protocols in the industry
Raised by farmers who adhere to sustainable agricultural practices.
Never given antibiotics or hormones – ever.
Never fed animal by-products – ever.

What do we mean when we say our animals are raised humanely?

All Niman Ranch livestock are humanely raised according to the strictest animal handling protocols. These protocols were written based on the recommendations of animal handling expert Dr. Temple Grandin. Our independent family farmers are required to raise their livestock outdoors or in deeply bedded pens. Their animals have continual access to food and water and spend their entire lives with their litter mates. This allows the animals to express their natural instinctive behaviors and form healthy social groups. Gestation crates and farrowing crates are strictly prohibited.

What does sustainability mean to us?

Sustainability is at the core of our Raised With Care philosophy. We believe that sustainable agriculture is best described as livestock raising and production practices which balance current resource demands without compromising the future of the resources from an environmental, economic, and human perspective. We realize that a sustainable system is not successful unless we also maintain the economic health of all our farmers and ranchers, so our sustainability practices incorporate this understanding into what we call our Top 10 Sustainability Best Practices:

Pay farmers a premium in accordance to our strict raising protocols
Establish a floor price for our farmers tied to the cost of inputs of feed and fuel
Promote agricultural biodiversity by using a wide range of breeds uniquely suited to the specific natural environments in which they are raised
Practice genetic diversity to keep breeds healthy over generations
Maintain livestock density well below conventional industry standards to prevent overburdening the land
Raise livestock in geographies where feed is locally available to reduce the carbon footprint associated with feed transport
Mitigate soil erosion and/or loss through: maintaining pasture with coverage for livestock, crop rotation, rotational grazing and responsible waste/manure management.
Prohibit the use of concentrated liquid manure systems. Manure is managed as a beneficial resource and is never allowed to negatively impact the local environment.
Use buffer strips and grassed waterways
Provide a robust and growing marketplace for our farmers and ranchers livestock

Do animals need antibiotics?

Since our animals are not raised in crowded, unsanitary or stressful conditions, the need for antibiotics to treat sick animals is very low. Our animals never receive antibiotics – ever.

What if an animal gets sick?

Occasionally, one of the animals raised for us becomes sick and cannot get well without antibiotics. Our animal welfare protocols allow for the animal to be treated, but then removed from the Niman Ranch program. It is never sold as Niman Ranch meat.

How can I be sure that all Niman Ranch farmers and ranchers adhere to the protocols?

We follow a 3-step process to ensure full compliance with our strict protocols:

All our farmers and ranchers regularly complete affidavits agreeing to follow all of our protocols.
We personally inspect each farm before it is accepted into our program, to make sure it meets our standards.
Our field agents, located throughout the country, regularly visit and inspect the farms and ranches in our network. We have more field agents than we have sales people.

The farmers and ranchers within our community are true believers in sustainable agriculture and share in our values and vision. They are practicing traditional farming methods because they understand that by raising livestock humanely and sustainably, they will leave an agricultural legacy, ultimately preserving the land for future generations.

Who are the farmers and ranchers of the Niman Ranch community?

Check out this great video below to hear from a sampling of the wonderful farmers and ranchers that are committed to raising animals the Niman Ranch way. You can also see more videos, photos, and read full bios on our webpage.

May 5, 2016

Spotlight on Burt’s Bees

We’re casting our Member Deals spotlight on Burt’s Bees this week to shed a little light on the wonderful things they’re doing to protect and maintain healthy pollinator populations through their Wild For Bees initiative. Member-owners can enjoy 30% off all Burt’s Bees products this week – just in time for Mother’s Day! Read on to learn about the history of Burt’s Bees, their products, their environmentally-friendly practices, and their efforts to save our pollinators:

It all began in the summer of ’84 when Maine artist Roxanne Quimby met Beekeeper Burt Shavitz. Roxanne was attempting to thumb a ride home and was picked up by Burt, who she immediately recognized as the bearded beekeeper who often sold honey on the roadside out of his iconic bright yellow Datsun pickup. The two hit it off, and before long, Burt was selling beeswax candles alongside his honey. Fast-forward more than 30 years, and Burt’s Bees now offers some 200 different products! Through the years of growth and evolution as a company, Burt’s Bees has remained true to a simple idea: what you put on your body should be made from the best nature has to offer.

In addition to providing earth-friendly health, beauty, and personal care products, Burt’s Bees is also committed to supporting projects and research at the intersection of bee and human health. One such project is the Wild For Bees initiative. Here’s what Burt’s Bees has to say about this series of projects:

We all know that honeybees make a lot more than wax and that they are connected with several critical issues for human and environmental health, including biodiversity, food security, nutrition, and sustainable land use. We rely on bees for nearly 1/3 of our entire food supply. Not to mention all the fibers, spices and medicines the plants they pollinate make possible. A world without bees is unimaginable and we won’t let it happen. We support our buzzing friends with many wonderful projects that promote honeybee health and sustainable agriculture. We are also continually improving our sourcing process, so that eventually each and every one of our ingredients, pollinated or not, will be vetted and accounted for.

Our efforts to support pollinator health have spanned research, education and conservation; over the years, we’ve supported a number of community organizations working for change at the intersection of human and honeybee health, awarded over 30 pollinator health research grants, and worked to drive awareness of the plight of honeybees and how individuals can help.

Of these efforts, our recent focus has been on establishing habitat, providing bees with a much-needed feast. By 2020, Burt’s Bees aims to impact 10,000 acres of healthy honeybee forage. To date, our work and committed funds have already impacted 6,600 acres of pollinator forage. Bur there’s more to do. One campaign helping establish habitat is the Bring Back The Bees program. The goal of this program is to plant 1 billion wildflowers adjacent to farms to provide bees a nutritious and much needed feast, and they need your help to reach this goal:

In addition to their extensive work to raise awareness and support for pollinator health, Burt’s Bees has also taken some impressive steps to ensure that their products and processes are earth-friendly. Here’s what they have to say about their operational footprint:

Have you ever seen a bee’s footprint? Neither have we. All those little gals do is fly from here to there, getting pollen all over everything as they quest for the perfect building material. But they take only what they need—and they leave their environment better than the way they found it.

At Burt’s Bees, we take our cue from nature. We’ve committed ourselves to making the world a little greener, a little cleaner, by doing what bees do best: working hard on natural products that people love.

That’s why, for example, we’ve committed ourselves to a policy of sending zero waste to landfill. With over 350 employees in three facilities, not a single piece of garbage goes to the dump. Not one. Really. How? Each month, our employees diligently volunteer to check over 200 recycling, composting, and waste to energy bins, ensuring everything is sorted properly.

We also encourage you to take advantage of our Recycle on Us Mail Back Program, which keeps the tubes and containers from your favorite Burt’s Bees lip products out of landfills and back into good use.

We’re also serious about energy use. We know that our purchased electricity is the largest contributor to our carbon footprint—so we’ve outfitted our facilities with energy-efficient lighting, resource management software, and efficient production equipment. Our conscientious employees look for ways to save energy and water. And we’re focusing more on the impact of our supply chain, including contract manufacturers.

But we also know that, as our brand has grown, so has our water usage, jeopardizing our 2020 sustainability goals. That’s not good enough for us. In the face of global freshwater scarcity and limited nonrenewable energy sources, it’s more important than ever to take only what we need.

So, until we can be fossil fuel free and water neutral, we’re offsetting our environmental impact in other ways

Achieved Carbon Neutral certification from the CarbonNeutral Company
Purchased Water Restoration Certificates from the Bonneville Environmental Foundation, returning millions of gallons of water—the equivalent of our own consumption—to watersheds like the Colorado River.

There’s still much to be done, but we’re determined to get there. Because we’re not just creating a better world for ourselves—we’re also doing it for the little yellow and black pollinators who live in harmony with nature, and to whom we owe so much.

“What’s right isn’t always popular. What’s popular isn’t always right.” Wise words from one of our first catalogs, published over 20 years ago. It’s wisdom that continues to inspire us today, and it’s why we do things a little differently around here. No trash cans at our desks, for example. We like a little yoga with lunch. We speak our minds. We help our neighbors. In short, we practice what we preach.

That’s why we encourage our employees to take time off to go do something good for the world. It’s why, each year, we hold a Culture Day to promote community outreach—in the past we’ve planted urban gardens and built hive boxes for the recovering bee population. We encourage wellness through weekly onsite yoga. And through the Greater Good Team, we strive to maintain environmentally friendly practices within our company and alongside our partners.

We’re basically a bunch of hands-on, tree-hugging, greased elbow do-gooders. It’s kind of what makes our company special. We think the bees would agree.

April 21, 2016

Spotlight on Lotus Foods

We’re casting our Co-op spotlight on Lotus Foods this week to bring awareness to the amazing things they’re doing to revolutionize global rice production. Member-owners can enjoy 20% off all Lotus Foods rice products this week, so it’s a great time to try their fair trade certified, non-GMO verified, heirloom, organic, and ecologically-grown rices! Lotus Foods has been a certified B Corp since 2012, and they’re pioneering a brilliant and innovative set of farming practices that address some of the most important challenges we face this century – namely to feed several billion more people with dwindling land and water resources and without further degrading the planet’s environment. Read on to learn all about it!

Rice is a modest little grain with a super important mission – to feed over half of the world’s population. It is the most widely consumed staple food for a large part of the world’s human population, and is third only to maize and sugar cane in worldwide agricultural production. This presents a significant environmental challenge due to the fact that rice is a very water-intensive crop to grow.

Each year, one-quarter to one-third of the fresh water that is withdrawn from surface and ground water sources is used to irrigate rice. That is the most water used for any single human activity. According to the International Water Management Institute, by 2020 (in just 5 years!) one-quarter of irrigated rice areas, which produce 75% of the world’s rice, may be suffering some form of water scarcity. This is because more water is being used than can be replenished.

This means not just less water for rice and essential food security, but also for drinking, sanitation, livestock, and other crops, as well as enough water in streams and rivers to sustain fish and aquatic life. It also means women have to walk further to collect the family’s daily water supply in many parts of the world.

Depending on country and circumstances, women provide 50-90% of labor in growing the world’s rice crop, most of it unpaid or poorly paid. That’s 500 million to as many as one billion women whose productive capacity is harnessed by the ceaseless toil of producing rice to eat and sell. Imagine the creative energy that could be unleashed if they had more time!

The good news is that there are solutions! We invite you to learn about what Lotus Foods is doing to incentivize farmers to produce more rice with less water and less labor for women.

Lotus Foods utilizes and promotes a method of rice production known as the System of Rice Intensification (SRI). SRI is an innovative set of farming practices in which rice farmers fundamentally change how they manage their plants, soil and water. They increase their productivity at the same time that they reduce their use of water, seeds and agrochemical inputs, and eliminate continuously flooded conditions.This agricultural method allows rice to be grown using 90% less seed, 30-70% less water, ZERO chemical pesticides, herbicides, or chemical fertilizers, yet it still increases yields by 50-100% or more, is drought-resistant, pest-resistant, and it’s revolutionizing the way that rice is farmed. In short, it’s More Crop Per Drop. Lotus Foods estimates that in 2015 they saved the equivalent of some 528 million (yes MILLION!) gallons of water, which could instead flow back into rivers and lakes, recharge aquifers, and nourish natural habitats! SRI has been largely grassroots driven, fueled by marginalized women and men farmers and the non-profit organizations (NGOs) who advocate for their welfare, like Oxfam, Africare, WWF and many dedicated local NGOs and individuals. The reason these farmers are so excited about SRI is because it represents an opportunity for more food, more money, better health, and more options – in short, for a way out of poverty.

Here’s a little more about the overall mission of Lotus Foods in their own words:

Since 1995, Lotus Foods has pioneered the introduction of exotic rice handcrafted on small family farms in remote areas of the world. Each rice varietal is distinguished by its terroir and treasured for its distinctive cooking quality, taste, texture, aroma, color, and nutritional value. Lotus Foods was founded with the intent and vision to support sustainable global agriculture by promoting production of traditional heirloom rice varieties, many of which may otherwise be extinct, while enabling the small family rice farmer to earn an honorable living.

We believe that sustainability is premised on an ethical framework that includes respect and care for the community of life, ecological integrity, universal human rights, respect for diversity, economic justice, and a culture of peace. We believe that eradicating poverty and promoting social and economic justice has to start with agriculture and has to be accomplished in a way that protects and restores the natural resources on which all life depends. At the crux of this challenge is rice, which provides a source of living to two billion people, most earning less than $200 a year.

Most of our rices are already certified organic, while others are in the process of becoming certified, and still others we are working to develop a certifying program in its country of origin. These organic and transitional rices are grown without the use of pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, GMOs, or ionizing radiation. All of our rices are fair trade certified and non-GMO verified.

We hope you will help us “Do the Rice Thing with More Crop Per Drop™, a Water Smart, Woman Strong way to grow rice.”

Lotus foods owners in Cambodia with More Crop Per Drop™ farmers 2

April 13, 2016

Spotlight on King Arthur Flour

King Arthur Flour is America’s oldest flour company, founded in Boston in 1790 to provide pure, high-quality flour for residents of the newly formed United States. More than 220 years later, they’re still going strong, thanks to the passion and commitment of their dedicated employee-owners. In 1984, then-owners Frank and Brinna Sands moved the company from Massachusetts, where it had been based for 194 years, to Norwich, Vermont, where the company is headquartered today.

We’re casting our spotlight on King Arthur Flour this week as part of our Member Deals program, which means that member-owners can enjoy 20% their full line of baking products! Choose from their time-tested Patent Flour, available in 50# bags, to gluten-free baking mixes available in both our bulk department and in the grocery baking aisle. Then tie on the apron, break out the rolling pin, and have a bake-a-thon!

Want to know more about King Arthur Flour? Here are some historical highlights from their webpage:
1790 Henry Wood began importing European flour to Long Wharf in Boston, Massachusetts. His goal was to provide high-quality flour for bakers in the fledgling United States

1896 More than 100 years later, the company Wood founded gave its product a new brand name: King Arthur Flour. Their new, exceptional, U.S.-grown flour was introduced at the Boston Food Fair.

1984 Then-owners Frank and Brinna Sands moved the company from Massachusetts, where it had been based for 194 years, to Norwich, Vermont, where the company is headquartered today

1992 The Baker’s Store was opened in Norwich at the urging of local catalogue customers. The same year, our Life Skills Bread Baking Program began visiting schools to share the joys of baking and giving.
1995 King Arthur Flour built new headquarters in Norwich, a 12-sided post-and-beam building appropriately named Camelot. Camelot now houses The Baker’s Store and Vermont Public Radio.

1996 With thoughts of retiring, Frank and Brinna Sands decided to sell the company to their employees and began an Employee Stock Ownership Plan; the company also launched its first website.

1998 King Arthur Flour established a second location, Avalon, in nearby Hartford, Vermont, for its customer service, fulfillment, and product development functions. Avalon underwent expansion in 2004 to accommodate the company’s growing workforce

2004 The King Arthur Flour Baker’s Companion won the James Beard Foundation’s Cookbook of the Year Award; King Arthur Flour also completed its ownership transfer and became 100% employee-owned.
2006 Received the Outstanding Vermont Business Award and the Better Business Bureau Local Torch Award for Excellence.

2007 King Arthur Flour became a founding B (Beneficial) Corporation, changing its bylaws to reflect its commitment to all stakeholders— including shareholders, business partners, the community, and the environment

2010 King Arthur Flour launched its award-winning line of gluten-free baking mixes; its Life Skills Bread Baking Program taught its 120,000th student; and Baking Education Center classes reached more than 4,600 bakers.

April 7, 2016

Spotlight on Seventh Generation

As we countdown to the celebration of Earth Day’s 50th Anniversary, we’re highlighting businesses that prioritize environmental stewardship in both their products and processes. This week’s spotlight is on Seventh Generation of Burlington, Vermont! From April 7th – 13th member-owners can enjoy 20% off our full line of Seventh Generation products, so it’s a great time to stock up and save, while also greening your spring cleaning routine! Read on to learn more about Seventh Generation and their commitment to environmental well-being in their own words:

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From our very first days as a company back in 1988, we have been driven to consider the effects of our actions on the well-being of our next seven generations. Our aspirations are to nurture nature; transform commerce with honesty, responsibility, and radical transparency; enhance health through education, activism, and innovation; and to build communities advancing social justice and equality to unleash human potential.

To travel with purpose, we need a vision of where we are headed. Our Path to 2020 began with examining our impacts as a business and considering the principles that matter to us as a company: responsible sourcing; using materials from plants not petroleum; ensuring the health of our planet and the people on it; having an engaged, motivated workforce; and caring for our community. To track our progress toward these goals, we publish an annual Corporate Consciousness Report, which we invite you to check out. We’re excited to reach our goals and to have you along with us on the journey.

In 2013 the American Sustainable Business Council partnered with us to co-found the Companies for Safer Chemicals Coalition. The Coalition represents over 200 leading businesses united in the belief that meaningful reform can unleash economic and job growth while protecting the consumers we serve and and the communities they live in. The Coalition is calling for reform to improve transparency, safety, and innovation, fostering solutions that lead to sustainable, safer products and technologies.

We firmly believe that you have the right to know what is in the products you buy, which is why we’ve launched the #comeclean campaign. Through this campaign, we aim to air the cleaning industry’s dirty laundry. We support legislation to require manufacturers of both consumer household and industrial cleaning products to disclose all intentionally-added ingredients, including fragrance components, on their product labels and on their websites. Food and personal care products are currently required to have content labels, but there are no regulations in place for the ingredient labeling of household cleaning products – especially for the fragrances that scent those products. Chemicals of concern can hide behind the term “fragrance” in ingredient lists on your cleaning products – chemicals that have been linked to serious health effects including allergies, asthma, cancer, and reproductive harm.

We are also members of the Vermont Businesses for Social Responsibility (VBSR) and we are a certified B-Corp. To learn more about us and our products, please visit our website.

March 9, 2016

Co-op Spotlight on Henry & Lisa’s Natural Seafood

Henry & Lisa’s Natural Seafood, based in Seattle, Washington is our Member Deals Producer of the Week from March 31st – April 6th. During this time, member-owners can enjoy 20% their full line of sustainable seafood products!

Henry & Lisa Lovejoy launched their company in 1999 with the belief that there are many concerned people just like them who care about where their food comes from, care for the environment, and desire a source of all natural premium quality seafood from environmentally sustainable fisheries. Having spent 10 years in the seafood industry traveling around the globe and visiting seafood exchanges from Tokyo to Paris, Beijing to Madrid, they witnessed the astounding volume of seafood being sold each day on these exchanges, and noticed the size of many of the fish decreasing. Simultaneously, there was more and more news that numerous species were being fished to the point of commercial extinction. It became very evident that the world is harvesting our oceans faster than they can replenish themselves, and these resources need better management.
Henry & Lisa both have a deep respect for and great appreciation of the oceans. As a youngster, Henry was inspired by Jacques Cousteau, spent time volunteering at the New England Aquarium, and learned to scuba dive. Now as avid scuba divers and sea kayakers, whenever they have a chance, they are out exploring the ocean and feeling their love and respect for it grow.
Much has changed since Henry first sat down to write the EcoFish business plan. Today you can find EcoFish/Henry & Lisa’s in over 3,500 grocery/natural food stores and many restaurants nationwide. But, a lot has stayed the same. They continue to source the finest seafood available from both well managed wild fisheries and state of the art eco-friendly aquaculture operations.
From how they purchase their seafood, to their 100% recycled packaging, to the renewable energy that powers their office, to the many marine & conservation causes they support, each purchase of Henry & Lisa’s Natural Seafood helps them further their mission.

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