Shocking News: Supermodel Admits Using Cocaine
Okay, so maybe we’re cynical, but we doubt it. More likely, we’re realists. We’ve lived long enough to know that people do things that don’t always make sense, at least to us. The recent decision by European retailer H&M to cancel a contract with supermodel Kate Moss after her admitted cocaine use isn’t really our […]
Kill The Precedent: Fair Trade from Alter Ec
Okay we stole that edgy headline. It’s from Nate Mezmer’s new soul-ish, hip hop-ish album but NBN thinks that the title applies to the line of terrific fair trade products from the folks at Alter Eco. Fair trade seeks to guarantee workers decent working conditions and revenues and to facilitate the development and steady growth […]
They’ll Take Staten Island? Brooklyn Turns Back Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart is batting 0 for 2 in its quest to finally open a location in New York City. Plans this spring to open a store in the Rego Park section of Queens failed and recent efforts to open a store in Brooklyn were rebuffed by the same combination of union, civic and small business activists […]
Memo To GW: It Isn’t A Blame Game It’s About Responsibility STOOPID
Please note: the following is not directly related to natural business. It is however very well written. Additionally, given the fact that the increasingly pathetic state of American politics is threatening my own sanity, it had to be written. To paraphrase that unforgettable line from the great movie ‘Network’, “I’m mad as hell and not […]
What’s Good for Monsanto Is Good For Iraq?
We recently spoke with Rob Mitchell, one of San Francisco’s natural food pioneers (but who still looks great, and much younger than his years) and he told us that under the new rules of privatization in Iraq’s proposed constitution, farmers would be required to buy seeds, from Monsanto. Those seeds from Monsanto are, of course,GMO […]
Thoughts on Katrina
NBN is quiet today. Seeing a palette of Gatorade loaded onto a helicopter flying to the Astrodome, we realized that our normal attitude of snarking at corporate America’s attempt to make food cheaper and profits better doesn’t inspire us today. In other words, while we realize that battle for sustainability isn’t separate from creating a […]
Wild Oats Stop and Shop Store Gets Maternal Thumbs Up. Mother Knows Best!
Those of you who read NBN regularly (as you should) know that our mother ship, also known as Levine’s Mom, was given the task of checking out the grand opening of Wild Oat’s second lifestyle boutique in a Stop & Shop store. Well, the initial word from Mom is that the boutique within a store […]
Wild Oats Unveils Second Store in Stop & Shop NBN’s Mother Ship Sent to Investigate
While the new Wild Oats lifestyle boutique that is celebrating its grand opening today isn’t in my mother’s Stop & Shop store, it is in one just a few more miles from her house. The conversation below took place this morning: “Mom, I need you to be a stringer, to do some research for me.” […]
Buyer’s Remorse: Why Bigger Natural Companies Often Aren’t Better
Lest anyone get us wrong, big companies buying small ones isn’t necessarily a problem for NBN. Usually yes, but if Organic Valley for some reason were to buy up, say, Mozzarella Fresca, well, we wouldn’t really care about that one. But the difference is simple. Most buyouts are efforts to maximize profits and have about […]
