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Just a quick little tidbit, based upon this finding.
I guess I never imagined that presenting a “Hacker Safe” icon on a website would increase sales. I guess it worked quite well for Homegrown Naturals, Inc (Annie’s Natural, Fantastic foods…). It is very important to make sure that you are purchasing products online from a safe, reliable source. My only idea would be that organic food is seen as less reputable and more unstable? Either way, Homegrown Naturals did not actually alter their site at all, they merely were certified hacker proof. Just that simple measure raised the conversion rate by 7.53%
In the capitalist world, companies buy and sell one another. Ultimately, there is quite a small number of corporations that own the vast majority of any given industry. Interestingly enough, the organic food industry is no different.
I have already talked about the rising popularity of organic food. Some people buy these products because they are concerned with their own bodies, and how food is effecting them. Others are concerned with supporting sustainable and earth-friendly practices. These individuals may be in for a shock.
One common brand that I love and frequently purchase at the grocery store is Boca. I liked the brand because I was a herbivore living with omnivores. Boca was a way for me to eat “normal” food that gave me good nutrition. But- Boca was bought by Kraft foods in 2000. Kraft Foods is cited as being the U.S.’s largest food and beverage company. And, just a tidbit, Kraft is owned by the larger and, perhaps less favored, Philip Morris Company (which was renamed Altria Group).
The reason why this bothers me, and could potentially bother you, is that the companies that are really selling us our products are not always represented. It is important to realize what your money is supporting.
The organic food industry is quickly growing. One source sites that in 2004, US organic sales totaled $23 billion. In 2005, the figure had already jumped to $40 billion. The growth in the organic food industry is undeniable. With this growth there have been some interesting issues.
Some are worried that the increased demand on organic farms will lead to lower quality products. Now that Walmart has added organic food offerings, other farmers feel that they might not be able to compete.
Additionally, there have recently been lawsuits over whether certain products being sold as organic really follow the organic standards. This comes as quite a surprise considering usually organic foods are sold at a price premium. The milk supplier in question, Aurora Organic, supplies milk to supermarkets such as Safeway, Target and Walmart- who then sell the milk under their own brands. Questions over the “organicness” or organic food could be detrimental to the organic food industry as a whole: which encompasses farmers, suppliers, grocery stores, and all the people who seek organic food and hope to see the industry grow.
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Organic food is becoming more and more popular in the United States culture. It is now common to see many organic items in the grocery store, and there are now even chain markets that focus on providing environmentally friendly, organic food.
This blog will address the reasons for this trend. Why is it that people are now choosing organic foods? Is organic food better for us, and how is this change impacting businesses?
