JACK ACREE, EVP, SAFFRON ROAD: Non-GMO should not be considered the ‘New Natural’
Next we caught up with Jack Acree, executive vice president at premium world cuisine brand Saffron Road, which has been generating enviable growth in both the conventional and natural channel since its national launch in 2011.
What cues is the consumer looking for to determine if a food is ‘natural’?
It all depends on the location. In Whole Foods or Sprouts, consumers already know that the products are ‘natural’ to the extent that those stores have defined it. In the larger grocery channel, it still has meaning to consumers, especially those that continue to learn about how factory-like our food ecosystem has become, and in some cases how dangerous/harmful it can be to them, farm animals, and the world we all live in.
Otherwise, there is a split between organic, gluten free, non-GMO, humanely raised, raised without antibiotics, No rBST. What is very important is that when such claims are made, they need to be backed up by 3rd party verification. We are quite strict in this area, as transparency is a key tenet within Saffron Road. We find that most of our consumers are concerned about at least one of these issues.
Has the threat of being sued made firms more cautious about making ‘natural’ claims?
Cautious would be a good word. It hasn’t stopped them, but it makes them much more cognizant of what is in their products. This is clearly an area where the government needs to step in and set a meaningful definition. This is not a matter that should be determined in the courts, by stores, or manufacturers.
Is the Non-GMO Project verified stamp serving as a perceived marker of ‘naturalness’ to some consumers?
There is certainly some confusion around GMOs. Those against labeling initiatives have gone a long way to help foster this confusion. Non-GMO should not be considered the ‘New Natural’. It is just another indication of what’s in the food. In the long run, this debate will be a helpful step in getting more consumers to pay attention to what is actually in their food.
Do shoppers know the difference between natural and organic?
Outside of natural store shoppers, my guess is that less than 50% of consumers could give a concise answer on the differences. There are still some stores that seemingly can’t as they will label their natural frozen section ‘Organic’.