Industry Leaders Highlight Brand and Mission, Protect Geese
Actions speak louder than words. The food industry has been making headlines for more than its profits this month as brands and retailers work to focus their missions and better exemplify their values.
This week’s Press Clips highlights companies who are doing just that by standing up for their brand, their consumers and, yes, even a goose.
DanoneWave Named Biggest Benefit Corporation in the U.S.
Since the merger of Danone’s North American dairy business and WhiteWave was approved earlier this month, DanoneWave is now the largest company in the U.S. to receive the status of “public benefit corporation,” according to Fortune.
A public benefit corporation is mandated to balance the interests of all stakeholders, rather than prioritize ones that may make the company more profitable. It’ also required to create a positive impact on society.
To receive the status, DanoneWave established an external advisory committee, which will be led by Rose Marcario, the CEO of Patagonia, Fortune reports. The top food and beverage company is also working toward getting its B Corp certification by 2019.
“In 10 years time, people will say it’s inconceivable that business was done any other way,” Lorna Davis, CEO of DanoneWave, told Fortune. “The notion that a company can only care about profit will be seen as old-fashioned and irresponsible.”
DanoneWave is not the only food business prioritizing purpose over pure profit. Plum Organics and King Arthur Flour also hold benefit corporation status, and a growing number of brands are committing to mission-driven goals.
Tyson Acquires AdvancePierre Foods, Looks to Sell 3 Non-Protein Brands
Tyson is bulking up its protein portfolio. The largest U.S. meat producer announced Tuesday it plans to acquire Blue Ash-based AdvancePierre Foods Holdings in a $4.2 billion deal, according to Cincinnati.com.
Tyson CEO Tom Hayes told the site that the growing manufacturer of ready-to-eat lunch and dinner sandwiches will allow the company to further expand into prepared food items. AdvancePierre CEO Christopher Sliva told Cincinnati.com that he thinks the deal will allow the company to continue to grow as a subsidiary of Tyson. The site also reported Sliva is eligible for a $8.3 million payout if the deal goes through.
The acquisition announcement comes days after the Tyson released a statement about its plans to sell three of its brands — Sara Lee Frozen Bakery, Kettle and Van’s — to better focus on growing its protein and meat portfolio.
“The businesses we’re exploring to sell include well-respected brands, operations and product lines,” Hayes said in a statement. “With our protein-focused strategy, we believe other companies may be better positioned to unlock their value over time.”
This is the first major strategic shift made by Hayes, previously of Hillshire brands, since taking over as CEO at the start of the year.
CVS Devoting More Store Space to Healthy Food
CVS shoppers may soon be switching out their impulse chocolate bar buy with something a little healthier.
The nation’s largest drugstore chain announced last week its plans to reduce the amount of space it devotes to junk food and general merchandise, and give that in turn to nutritious food and health products, according to USA Today. The change comes three years after the retailer announced it would no longer sell tobacco.
“We’re doing this because this is actually what customers want. This is what they’re buying,” Judy Sansone, senior vice president for the front store business and chief merchant, told USA Today.
For the redesign, CVS said it plans to reorient 100 feet of aisle space per store with products like nutrition bars, natural supplements and chemical-free makeup. The company expects to switch over several hundred of its stores by the end of 2018, and has already started the redesign in 800 of its 9,700 stores.
A Mother Goose Is Calling A Colorado Whole Foods Home
It looks like even Mother Goose buys at Whole Foods. The bird is making headlines in Colorado for laying her four eggs at the retailer’s Littleton location’s front door, according to KUSA.
Instead of removing the animal, the Whole Foods team is caring for the goose, lining the meridian with caution tape to protect her from the parking lot’s notorious chaos and filling a kiddie pool for her to swim in every day. Customers have reportedly been bringing out corn and greens –both organic and not — for her to eat.
KUSA reports the chicks will be born around May 5. The store is expected to help redirect the family to a nearby creek.
“I’m pretty excited to see the baby goose running around the parking lot. We’re hoping they’ll be safe. We have the police and animal control on call,” Tony Nemec, the store’s team leader, told KUSA.
The mother goose may become a repeat customer. Geese are known to come back to the same nesting spot for decades if they’re comfortable.
