Coca-Cola Buys 40% Share of Honest Tea
When we first heard the news that Honest Tea and Coke we’re merging we thought “Oh no, Coke will ruin them.” Then we reread the release and were relieved, learning that at least for now, Coke just bought 40%. Furthermore, we thought, who wouldn’t want the opportunity to grow their business with that kind of […]
Has Whole Foods Replaced Your Wild Oats?
If so, we want to know what you think. We’ve heard nothing but good things from customers at the Westport, Connecticut store that WFM is transforming slowly but surely. News is that the major remodeling will come this summer, but in the meantime the folks we talked to are happy as a pig…err, bad analogy […]
The Myth of Useless & Dangerous Vitamins
The renowned Mayo Clinic’s online efforts include a feature called NutritionWise. The idea is to help people improve their health with improved nutrition. In the piece, from March 5 the writer/nutritionist asked: “Multivitamins — Are they the best thing for you?” After slapping our forehead with disgust, www.mayoclinic.com/health/multivitamins/NU00651 NBN wonders if the clinic has lost […]
Ethics Schmethics from Profit Hungry Pfizer Pharmaceutical
NBN’s passions run deep but even we wondered why every time we saw the Lipitor television ad with Dr. Robert Jarvik, our blood started boiling. “When diet and exercise aren’t enough, adding Lipitor significantly lowers cholesterol,” Jarvik spins is his folksy, aw shucks kind of way, while touting his credentials as the inventor of the […]
Kellogg’s Gardenburger or A Cautionary Tale For Expo Entrepreneurs
A Tale of Flying Too High in The Freezer Aisle Once upon a time, there was a product that everyone loved and its sales showed. But like many kings, they grew too proud, stopped paying attention to their kingdom, and left the business of veggie burgers to others. When they announced to the world, “we’re […]
Clorox Goes Natural with Burt’s Bees and Green Works
NBN has had more than a few friends buried deep in Excel spreadsheets at Clorox Headquarters in Oakland, California and based on their experience we think that the November 2007 addition of Burt’s Bees to their lineup will do well. Everywhere we turn, there’s another Burt’s Bees display. The bigger question is, how long can […]
It’s Time To Stop Worrying So G-D Much About Chinese Products
Lions and Tigers and Chinese Imports, OH MY! Grocery chains are lining up to state that they are examining their policies on importing foods from China, reassuring consumers that all is well. For example, as www.usatoday.com/money/industries/food/2008-02-10-trader-joes-china_N.htm , “by April 1, Trader Joe’s will phase out single-ingredient Chinese imports such as garlic, frozen organic spinach, ginger […]
CNN Money Profiles United Natural Foods’ Michael Funk
While not newsworthy to those of us in the industry, CNN pulled back the curtain back to reveal the Wizard beyond United Natural Foods Michael Funk. NBN remembers meeting Funk by the keg of Sierra Nevada ale, in the then brand new Mountain People’s Warehouse in Aurora, California. Oddly enough, Funk, as atypical as any CEO in […]
People We Love: Redwood Hill Yogurt
I first saw Jennifer Lynn Bice at the California State Fair in Sacramento. She was, as you might expect, tending her goats. It was 1991, maybe a year later, perhaps even 1990. I don’t recall if the blue ribbons displayed were from that year or ones gathered from previous competitions. But what I can recall […]
BAM! Emeril Meets Whole Foods Marke
The Discovery Channel’s Planet Green announced that Emeril Lagasse and Whole Foods Market will be teaming up for a new cooking show, called Emeril Green. According to Discovery, the show promises to be “an innovative series that will redefine food shows for the new green culture.” We imagine the unpublished recipe for the show goes […]
