FYI: is there milk in your silk??

September 3, 2001

I couldnt believe this when I read it! Now thinking back at what it has been tasting like...I CAN! Yuck! what do you think about this article???

Jo-Ann

Vegan-Talk!!

Vegan-Talk

THERE MILK IN YOUR SILK?

YOU'LL NEVER KNOW FOR SURE!

Fool me once, shame on you.

Fool me twice, shame on me.

Vegetarians have a lot in common

with elephants. We both have higher

levels of intelligence than most of

the creatures living in our

respective jungles. Neither of us eat

our fellow animals, preferring

fruits, nuts, and plants. Our muscles

are well-defined and powerful, and

we have very long memories.

We never forget.

The people who manufacture SILK

chocolate milk should be taken to

task for their betrayals and recognize that we have learned

their secrets. Take note that

we never forget.

The parent company of SILK is

White Wave, and a major White Wave investor is SUIZA, one of

America's largest milk and dairy

processors. That would not be as

offensive as what SILK has done on

at least one occasion. Ready for this?

They've used cow's MILK to manufacture

their soy beverage.

Good for vegans? No way.

Alternative to dairy products? No way.

Last year, there was a recall of SILK

chocolate milk in Canada because the

product contained undeclared

allergins: milk and dairy products.

Just what kind of manufacturing

standards does White Wave utilize?

I the Occupational Safety and Health

Administration (OSHA). I learned

that White Wave was cited for two

willful and 10 serious safety

violations last year and fined

over $100,00 for their offenses.

As for the recall of their unlabeled

milk/soy beverage, I left a message

for the Canadian regulator in charge

of that recall, Ken Marcynuk, but

was not called back.

(Pager: 613 364-2058)

THE PROOF:

http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/corpaffr/recarapp/20000721e.shtml

American consumers have been

BILKED by SILK.

It gets worse.

SILK claims to be an environmentally

and politically correct company.

If that is the case, why do they

purchase chocolate that might have

been grown on slave plantations?

I spoke to Lily Thomson of White Wave (SILK's parent company, tel: 800-488-9283, ext. 827) and was told that their supplier has assured

her that they do not buy cocoa beans from

the Ivory Coast.

Here is a word-for-word message that Lily

left on my telephone answering machine:

"Our supplier has assured us that

the cocoa that we purchase does not

come from the Ivory Coast.

We do not support such kinds of

behaviors and will monitor the

situation very closely so that

we do not contribute to it."

I called Lily back and asked the name of

her supplier, but her response was that

the name of their supplier will not be

released. "It's a secret," she explained.

What nonsense. SILK is hiding something, and they are attempting to hide behind

a protective veil by citing "trade secret."

How dare they not reveal the name of their

supplier so that their representation can

be confirmed?

At the very minimum, I have challenged

SILK to publish a press release on the NEWSWIRE condemming slavery in the Ivory

Coast and pledging never to knowingly

buy chocolate or chocolate beans from

suppliers doing business with nations

that contiunue the practice of slavery.

They have not yet done so.

Most chocolate manufacturers honestly admit

that their chocolates are a "blend" of

different beans, and that they have no

control over the origin of their product.

A blend? Chocolate beans are mixed, then processed into chocolate. Chances are great

that the chocolate beans used to produce

their milk were grown as a result of child slave labor on an Ivory Coast plantation.

Without the name of the supplier, this

remains an unresolved issue.

It's not that I don't trust White Wave,

but real milk proteins were found to be

contained within their soy chocolate milk.

Actually, it IS that I don't trust White

Wave.

They have lost credibility with me.

I have been threatened with litigation

if I write this column. Well, White Wavers,

here's your opportunity. Take your best shot.

I've been looking forward to putting dairy

companies such as you on trial.

White Wave/Silk purchases their chocolate

from a major manufacturer.

Could Silk be using be Hershey or Nestle's

syrup? Could their flavoring be milk

chocolate?

Should White Wave sue, I'll find out the

answers to my questions during the legally mandated process of discovery.

I cannot wait for those who speak with

SILK tongues to answer my written

interrogatories. The oral depositions

will be a pleaure to perform.

Can we ever believe White Wave or Silk

again?

They respect neither vegans

nor those who are deathly allergic

to allergenic milk proteins.

They claim to abhor slavery, but they

refuse to reveal the name of their chocolate supplier. For goodness sakes,

what kind of secret could they be

hiding?

Vegetarians of the world, unite in

joining me as I wave goodbye to

White Wave.

Robert Cohen

http://www.notmilk.com

September 3, 2001

how come several times on this list in particular, i've either sent info or said something, everyone ignores it, then a few days later, someone posts it as if i never did.

=\

September 4, 2001

I for one didn't ignore it, just didn't post a reply. I noticed that you posted it first. Either way though, I don't buy silk, so I didn't spend too much thought on it.