MATT LEVINE, FOUNDER
NaturalBusinessNews was born after Matt Levine read a story in the Grocery Manufacturer’s Smart Brief about Proctor & Gamble’s attempt to market the personality of its detergent All. In other words, he had had enough.
Matt is a freelance writer, consultant and researcher. He was one of the earliest natural product experts at SPINS, a leading innovator in providing consulting services to the natural products industry. Trudging through MS Access databases for 7 years working with a team to create a consumer products dictionary larger than he wishes to remember, Matt ascended into the world of certified grocery geek.
With nearly three decades in the natural products industry his expertise spans across most categories, including grocery, vitamins & supplements, frozen & refrigerated foods, perishables, dairy, general merchandise and body care. Prior to SPINS, he worked for Young’s Specialty Distributing as a sales representative, the job that inspired his unrealized wish to launch a website called GroceryHell.com
In addition, he has many years retail experience as well as a lifelong dream to own his own store, that various sources say was inspired by his love of Mr. Rogers and his disdain for Mr. Whipple of “please don’t squeeze the Charmin” fame.
After graduating cum laude from Hamilton College, he drove a taxicab in Manhattan , the likely reason for his father’s refusal to co-sign a loan to open a natural foods store in Stamford, Connecticut. Matt tries to make those who would listen believe that the never opened store would have sold to Whole Foods some time around 1998 for 8 to 10 million dollars. He misses the cannoli and pignoli cookies he loved so much when he lived in Brooklyn. He is also allergic to peanuts.
He is the former Wellness Guru Tom Collins (a nome de plume created in order avoiding offending clients) for the now defunct Fidget.com and is currently a regular contributor to PositiveLite.com, Canada’s Leading Online HIV Magazine. Matt mentors at risk through San Francisco based City of Dreams and is former board member of the Quan Yin Healing Arts Center, the nation’s first and oldest not for profit acupuncture clinic.
