Recently my friend Jenny and I were waxing poetic about cooking from scratch. We covered the joys of self-reliance and creativity, frugality and reduced waste, and then she reminded me that many health food brands are owned by corporate food companies. So I added “act of protest” to my list of reasons why the Lost Kitchen Arts matter so much to me.
Curious to know more, I did a quick search and found this interesting chart that breaks down ownership of brands that would be familiar to anyone who shops at health food stores. Hmm. Food for thought, indeed. I’m not going to try to interpret this information. Just putting it out there in case you, like me, want to know just what you are supporting with your grocery money.
I will say, though, that I now have one more reason to celebrate the beauty of mixing a few simple ingredients into as pure a form of edible love as I might ever find, all the while reclaiming my role as a provider of true sustenance.
And no, that’s not for sale.
Kyce Bello 
Well Put!!!!! I appreciate your direction! Thank you!
Yup – corporatization seems almost inescapable! The only guarantee is if it’s from your garden or your neighbors garden, or your animal or your neighbors animal, or your hands or your neighbors hands….Thanks for the informative link as well! The merger that I found out recently, which bummed me out, was that Tom’s of Maine is owned by Colgate 😦 I learned this and other things on this topic from a recently broadcast Bioneers radio program “Business for the common good”. If you’re interested you can listen to it here: http://www.bioneers.org/radio/2009-series/episode-7-business-for-the-common-good
Thanks so much for the Bioneers link, Claire. Judy Wicks says it all so well.
I suppose just another one of the myriad of reasons to know your food….and farmer. I’m simultaneously not surprised and a little disappointed by this list. I knew about Hershey’s and Kellogg’s and Coca-Cola’s takeover of so many organic products, but gosh that’s just the start.
I praise your tenacity in this journey, and your dedication to your core values.
hhhmmmnn. thanks for that link. Isn’t it always the way?
i came across this quandary last year as we were trying not to buy anything new and that opened the door into all sorts of other mass produced protesting on my part.
nicola
http://whichname.blogspot.com
i ran into a similar chart when i was working at a food co-op a few years ago. it’s a constant reminder to buy as local as possible.