Ethical Companies Make a Difference in the Food Industry

(SALEM, Ore.) - Sustainability has become a buzzword in modern society, with numerous business sectors eager to ensure that their activities are done in an environmentally friendly manner.

It is a particularly pertinent factor within the food industry, where companies strive to ensure that the goods or services they provide meet exacting quality standards.

Consumers have also become increasingly aware of sustainability, with many now refusing to spend money with firms who don’t operate ethically.

It is fair to say that businesses who buy into this ethos give themselves the very best chance of being successful. Read on as we look at some the ethical firms making a difference in the food industry.

Producing meat the natural way

With regards to beef, many cattle in the United States are grain-fed within a system that is generally known as a Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation (CAFO).

This creates a plethora of environmental issues with regards to pollutants and contaminants generated by the amount of manure produced.

One of the major problems with this type of operation is the impact it can have on local water supplies, a factor that one Tennessee business has sought to address.

The family-run Cove Creek Farm is home to a variety of animals which are allowed to grow naturally on the pastures of Cumberland Plateau. The business specializes in a variety of produce, although its grass-fed, grass-finished beef, is undoubtedly its standout item.

Cove Creek Farm raises all of its cattle in a truly natural environment, implementing rotational grazing techniques to ensure the sustainability of the pasture they utilize.

With research showing that grass-fed beef is better for you than grain-fed produce, it is easy to see why Cove Creek is flourishing.

Vermont firm turning the tide on plastic pollution

By infusing organic cotton with beeswax, organic jojoba oil and tree resin, Bee’s Wrap owner Sarah Kaeck struck on the perfect alternative to plastic wrap.

Sustainability is at the heart of the business, with all Bee’s Wrap products being washable, reusable and fully biodegradable. Kaeck’s firm uses bespoke machines to infuse organic cotton cloth with the aforementioned three products to create sustainable food storage products.

“We wanted to reduce the amount of plastic we use in the kitchen for food storage, for the health of our family and the environment,” Kaeck told Vermont Business Magazine.

“I started playing around with wax and cotton. Then I figured out a way to make a really nice waxed wrap which worked really well for storing bread, covering a bowl – it worked well for everything.

“So, I thought I would try selling it. I made a website, made the honeycomb logo, figured out some packaging and started making wraps.”

Industry leaders throws its weight behind ethical practices With more than 150,000 employees spread across over 1,500 locations, Darden Restaurants Incorporated is the world’s largest full-service restaurant company.

It owns numerous high-profile brands including Eddie V's Prime Seafood, The Capital Grille, Olive Garden and Cheddar's Scratch Kitchen.

In order to embrace sustainability, Darden has implemented an animal welfare policy to encourage ‘higher welfare outcomes for farm animals in its supply chain’.

The company has formed an external Animal Welfare Advisory Council to ensure that its program is based on the best available science and industry-wide practices.

It will also include the latest developments in outcomes measurement and reporting, in addition to ensuring better physical and mental well-being for the animals in its food chain.

Kristine Young, Manager of Sustainability for Darden, said, "Taking an outcomes-based approach fosters partnership with producers.

"By focusing on the health of the animal, we can help ensure improvements to overall welfare are achieved in line with best available science and production practices."

Putting the ethics back into chocolate production

The firm uses fully traceable cocoa sourced from West Africa, paying higher prices that is then channeled into local community projects.

During the early part of 2020, ESC launched a vegan oat milk chocolate bar line exclusively at Whole Foods Markets nationwide. Whitney Bembenick, ESC Director of Innovation, says that consumer demand for sustainable products is at the heart of everything the company does.

“We saw the growing trend of milk alternative products available and we knew we needed to respond to market demand,” she said.

“We looked at all of the options - from almond to coconut milk - but nothing compared to the smooth, creamy taste that oat milk brought to the table.

“With a taste closest to cow’s milk combined with the health benefits of oat milk, we knew we hit on something that was going to check off all the boxes for a healthier and tastier plant-based milk."