American Fear Their Food Supply!

[Guest guest]

Americans Fear Their Food Supply JoAnn Guest

Oct 26, 2002 10:33 PDT

" JoAnn Guest " <angelpri-;

Sat Oct 26, 2002 1:20 pm

Boom in Organic Foods and Beverages

 

 

Boom in Organic Foods and Beverages Fueled By Food Fears

and By Desire for Healthier Living;

Half of All Americans Say They Are 'Going Organic' Within Five Years

PR Newswire

 

 

Americans fear their food.

Unrelenting news of livestock afflicted

with Mad Cow or foot-and-mouth disease,

taco shells made with genetically modified corn

not approved for human consumption, or

dairy products laced with antibiotic residue

and bovine growth hormones, might be among the reasons why eight in

ten

Americans say they are unsure of how safe their food really is.

 

Organic Food Is a Major Trend in New Millennium

 

In a new national survey from Walnut Acres, America's original

organic brand, 79% of consumers say they are concerned about the

safety of their food.

 

The study, " Walnut Acres Certified Organic Future, "

shows that the majority of consumers are concerned with

bacterial contamination, use of growth hormones and antibiotics,

residues of synthetic pesticides and fertilizers, irradiation and

genetic modification.

 

When it comes to unknown ingredients hidden in

non-organic food and beverages, more than three-quarters (78%) of

those polled by Roper Starch Worldwide, Inc. agree they have no idea

what they might be eating.

By contrast, seven in ten (71%) say that

the idea of organic food is appealing to them.

Concerns about food safety, coupled with the assurances of health

benefits and high quality of certified organic products, are

strengthening consumer interest in organic foods and:

 

* Forty percent of Americans say organic food will be a bigger part

of their diet within one year;

* Fifty percent predict that organic food will be a bigger part of

their diet within the next five years;

* Six in 10 Americans (63%) buy organic foods and beverages at least

sometimes;

* Two-thirds (68%) say organics will be a major food trend in the

new millennium.

 

 

" The explosion in popularity of organic food is largely attributable

to the barrage of headlines about Mad Cow, growth hormones, foot-and-

mouth disease, and other threats to food safety, " said Olivier

Sonnois, Vice President of Strategy and Development for Acirca,

Inc.,

maker of Walnut Acres certified organic soups and salsas. Noting the

high level of consumer concern (79%), Sonnois added: " Certified

organic foods and beverages provide American consumers with peace of

mind and an assurance of safety. "

 

Women Are More Concerned Than Men

 

The Walnut Acres survey found that nearly two in three Americans

(63%) feel organic foods and beverages are both better and more

healthful for them than their non-organic counterparts. Americans

are

more than just " concerned " about the safety of their food, Sonnois

noted. " There is a palpable fear of the unknown and an increasing

belief that what you can't see might hurt you. " And, concern about

food safety cuts across every age, income, and education

demographic.

But when it comes to gender, women are more concerned. Forty-one

percent of women vs. 32% of men say they are very concerned about

the safety of today's foods.

 

Limited Availability May Be Inhibiting Growth of Organic Market

 

Interestingly, while more than six in 10 (63%) say they buy organic

foods or beverages at least sometimes when they shop, lack of

availability at conventional supermarkets and grocery stores is one

reason many people who don't regularly buy organic don't buy more.

 

In fact, 44% say organic foods are not available where they shop.

Half

of all people who rarely or never buy organics (51%), cite lack of

selection or variety of organic foods and beverages as a reason they

don't buy them more often. " We are listening carefully to what

Americans are saying. They tell us they are concerned about the

safety of their food, and they intuitively believe that organic

foods are better for them, " said Mark Koide, Vice President of

Marketing

of Acirca, Inc., maker of Walnut Acres.

 

" The quickly growing ranks of

concerned shoppers want to do the right thing for themselves and

their families by purchasing organic foods, however, they are not

finding what they want where they want it. "

Another barrier to the

purchase of organic foods and beverages is the premium price they

command. Nearly seven in ten (68%) consumers who do not regularly

buy organic products cite higher cost as the reason. Importantly,

taste,

which has always been a key driver of food preferences, has not been

a

barrier to purchase for organic foods today. In fact, nearly seven

in

ten (69%) believe organic foods taste about the same or better

than non-organic products. Realizing the added value of organic

foods, more than half of Americans who are already purchasing

organics (57%) say they'll be incorporating more of them into their

diets this year. And five years from now, roughly six in ten expect

to be consuming more organic foods (67%).

 

Acirca and Walnut Acres

 

All Walnut Acres soups and salsas meet the strict USDA's standards

to be labeled certified organic. Walnut Acres products never contain

synthetic preservatives, artificial sweeteners, sulfites, extenders,

stabilizers, MSG, artificial flavors or colorings.

Established in

1946, Walnut Acres is America's original organic brand and is owned

by Arlington, Va.-based Acirca, Inc., makers of fine certified

organic foods and beverages. The Acirca name, derived from " A Circle

of Life, " underscores the company's commitment to organic foods and

to manage products that give back to the environment,

Acirca is a

privately held company owned collectively by company employees and

independent investors. Acirca was founded on June 1, 2000, to

develop premier certified organic brands in the rapidly expanding

packaged organic food business. The company is striving to bring

convenience in packaged certified organic foods to health conscious

consumers.

The " Walnut Acres Certified Organic Future " study was conducted by

Roper Starch Worldwide via telephone, among a nationally

representative sample of 1,000 adults, age 18 or older. The sample

was collected March 1 - March 5, 2001, using Random Digit Dialing

methodology.

 

SOURCE Walnut Acres

http://www.walnutacres.com

 

CONTACT: Melissa Mauro, mma-, or Beth Corwin,

bcor-, both of PT & Co., 212-229-0500, for Walnut Acres

 

URL: http://www.prnewswire.com

 

 

Organic Consumers Association

6101 Cliff Estate Rd., Little Marais, MN 55614

Activist or Media Inquiries: (218) 226-4164, Fax: (218) 226-4157

 

 

JoAnn Guest

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