Unilever and Paques began building a bio-digester at the former's Ben & Jerry ice cream factory in Hellendoorn, the Netherlands. Paques' BIOPAQ AFR bio-digester purifies wastewater and converts waste products, such as from milk and syrup production, into biogas in one step.  Unilever made the investment as part of its Sustainable Living Plan and it is one of the first companies to use this bio-digester that applies an innovative approach of treating wastewater streams that contain fat and oil together with degradable particles all in one reactor. The process relies on over 24 billiard (24*10^15) micro-organisms to digest the waste and the plant will begin operating mid-2011 and supply up to 40 percent of the factory's green energy requirements.

One seemingly small but important way organizations can embrace sustainability and make their operations greener – and more profitable – is by decreasing the use of paper, according to Ralph Reid, vice president of corporate social responsibility for Sprint. Paper is ubiquitous in today’s offices and its use is growing – by about 20 percent every year, according to one estimate. That puts heavy pressure on natural resources, particularly  forests, water and energy. One solution, Reid says, is to use paper made from post-consumer content and to make sure paper comes from sustainably managed forests. In addition, greater use of e-billing and redesign of customer statements reduces paper consumption, helps protect the environment and saves money.

Packaged Facts has published Food Flavors and Ingredients Outlook 2011, its eighth annual look at the future of the US food and beverage market. It shows that consumers’ budget and health concerns will remain major factors this year. Core trends include an increase in demand for ethnic flavors; local and organic being driven by sustainability; food as a cornerstone of health; an increased focus on fruit and vegetables; and a greater overlap between sweet and savory. It also expects honey partly to replace agave as a sweetener. Other key drivers include higher food prices, a new frugality, government pressure to improve diet, and a better lifestyle balance that enhances general well-being.

An organization that promotes fair and sustainable food, farm and trade systems in the U.S. is calling on the new leadership in Congress to make health a priority in writing the next Farm Bill. Healthy Food Action, a project involving national health leaders within the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy, has created a “Charter for a Healthy Farm Bill” calling for a food system that incorporates health into the whole lifecycle of production, processing, consumption and disposal. According to the IATP, “Such a food system must protect the environment as well as ensure farmers and workers are fairly compensated. The charter’s principles emphasize a food system that is healthy, sustainable, resilient, fair, diverse, economically balanced and transparent.” Congress is expected to begin work on the five-year Farm Bill this year.

The Sara Lee Corporation announced a five-year commitment to buy at least 350 million kilos of UTZ CERTIFIED Good Inside coffee as part of its long-term goals for sustainability. Ranked third globally in terms of volume of coffee, Sara Lee promises to have 20% of its annual coffee volume certified by 2015, putting the company first in sustainability among its competitors. In addition to the UTZ CERTIFIED Foundation, Sara Lee plans to work with other sustainable certification programs and expand the amount of sustainable tea purchased for brands such as Pickwick and Hornimans.

Retail company Target has partnered with two-year old “green company” EcoSet Consulting to make its commercial shoots environment-friendly by recycling or composting production waste, using solar power, and using bio-degradable materials. Target aims to make 90% of its commercials “green” with the help of EcoSet and claims to have cut down its broadcast shoot waste in Los Angeles by 85% or 100,016 pounds. It opted for reusable bottles instead of plastic ones, donated reusable materials, costumes and a swing set, and reused a foam watering can as an art installation.

Stonyfield and Organic Valley, two of America's leading organic suppliers, have started the Stonyfield Organic Farmers Grant-a-Wish Program to offer organic farmers grants to improve their farms. Stonyfield's goal is to help small organic farmers and raise awareness through their "organic stories initiative". The contest has been narrowed down from 72 to 6 competitors and online consumer votes will determine how to award the $31,000 in grants. Finalists' projects range from walk-through flytraps to ponds and had to be creative, environmentally friendly, and sustainable.

Organic rice and rice products producer Lundberg Family Farms has opened a 37,558-foot warehouse powered completely by solar energy. The warehouse uses 1,690 solar panels at the facility in Richvale, Calif. The company says the panels will produce 500,000 kilowatts of electricity, more than enough to power the building. According to the company, 20 percent of the electricity it consumes comes from solar energy. By purchasing renewable energy credits to offset the rest, the company can claim its energy use is 100 percent green. The warehouse was built to U.S. Green Building Council’s certification standards and is designed to capture and filter storm water runoff. It features high-efficiency water conservation fixtures such as dual flush water closets, waterless urinal and electronic faucets that reduce water by 39 percent, saving 15,625 gallons annually.

Meat production is resource intensive, and the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization expects meat output to double by 2050. Researchers in Freising, Germany, have been working on finding alternatives that are healthy, sustainable, and taste just as good as the original. Specifically looking at lupin seeds and lupin protein, Dr. Eisner has developed a protein that yields a fat-like structure. The team showed, for example, that adding lupin protein to low-fat sausages improved the “fat-like impression” without adding to the fat content. A milk substitute has also been developed using the lupin proteins that is lactose and cholesterol-free and could be used in ice cream and cheese production. Dr. Eisner reports that while 2.5 acres of land allocated to meat production earns 950 Euros in income, if used to grow plants for a variety of uses it produces around 1770 Euros.

Representatives of L’Oreal and Clarins talked about their commitment to sustainable development practices, such as more organic ingredients use, product safety, and greener packaging. L’Oreal taps into renewable energy sources, such as biomethane, solar, biofuel, geothermal, and other local solutions and aims to cut GHG emissions and generated waste and water consumption per finished product to 50% by 2015. Clarins targets a 20% GHG reduction by 2011 and eschews the practice of carbon offset. It aims to promote fair trade and also plans to use more organic ingredients, but criticizes the number of different organic certifications worldwide. 

Italy has joined a growing list of countries that have banned or imposed surcharges on plastic shopping bags by retail shops for environmental reasons. Violation of Italy’s new law carries penalties, but shopkeepers in the country claim they have received no official notices or explanations except through the media. According to an environmental group, each Italian on average uses about 300 plastic bags annually. If each consumer used only ten biodegradable bags a year, 180,000 tons of gasoline would be saved, Legambiente said. Other governments that have imposed bans or surcharges on plastic bags include Mexico, China, Tanzania, India, Ireland, and cities in Australia, South Africa and Taiwan.

The drive to cut waste in Britain is gaining momentum as taxes for landfills are up almost 50% in the last two years to about $100 per ton and the European Union requirement to halve all trash sent to landfills comes close to its 2013 deadline. In 2003 and again in 2008, the British government passed legislation to curb the increasing amount of waste sent to landfills. Working with government agencies, companies have made changes to packaging such as reducing boxes and bows on candy. Consumers are also looking critically at the packages in stores as seen when the Lincolnshire County Council, which has seen annual complaints rise from 3 to 100, sued over packaging of luxury meat. The store later reduced the packaging by more than 50 percent. In contrast, the United States Environmental Protection Agency encourages waste reduction but has no federal regulations or taxes.

A multinational team of scientists who recently completed the sequencing and assembly of the chocolate tree genome suggests that the primary benefit from the initiative will go to producers of high quality chocolate and the farmers who grow the beans. The researchers sequenced the DNA of the Criollo variety of Theobroma cacao, which produces the world's finest chocolate. Growers, however, usually cultivate hybrid cacao varieties whose fruit is more abundant and disease resistant, but lower in quality. The researchers believe that their work will ultimately lead to increased productivity of the better quality cacao and help to develop a sustainable cacao economy benefiting farmers. Hidden in the genome the researchers also found genes that code for the production of cocoa butter, a substance highly prized in chocolate making, confectionary, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics.

An international group of scientists has sequenced the DNA of the Criollo tree, a variety of Theobroma cacao used in producing some of the world’s best chocolate. In doing so, they identified genes coding for or leading to chocolate quality, production of flavonoids, potential pest and disease resistance, and production of cocoa butter—a substance valuable in both confections and cosmetics. Low productivity and vulnerability to disease currently limit high-quality cocoa production to less than five percent of worldwide production, though market interest in superior, environmentally-friendly chocolate continues to increase. The results of this work should allow scientists to develop disease-resistant trees that produce more, better, and healthier chocolate—ultimately leading to sustainable cocoa production that benefits both the land the trees are grown on and the farmers who grow them.

Demand for certified environmentally-friendly chocolate is increasing. Consumers are more conscious about how and where their chocolate is grown, and are willing to pay a premium for it—and cocoa and chocolate producers are responding: Pastry chef François Payard imports about four tons of certified cocoa—20 percent of his total inventory—each year for his chocolate shops, and by 2020, Mars, Inc. plans to certify its entire supply of cocoa. Despite the economic downturn, certifiers saw ‘exponential growth’ over the last few years: According to the New York-based certification organization Rainforest Alliance, from 2007-2009, sales of certified cocoa more than doubled. Another certifier, Fair Trade USA, saw certified imports into the United States grow by 70 million pounds from 2006-2009.

Some of America's largest fast food franchisees have noticed and used the trend towards vegetarian meals to find success in India. Globally, non-vegetarian products still hold the majority of sales, but companies such as Domino's and Pizza Hut say their vegetarian menus for outlets in India account for about 65-70 percent of overall sales. Traditionally viewed as non-vegetarian franchisees, both KFC and McDonald's have introduced vegetarian options. New products, including vegetarian items, have helped push KFC's same store sales up by 20 percent, and some of McDonald’s vegetarian Indian innovations, like the McAloo Tikki burger, have done well in India as well as in other markets. These companies are considering opening additional stores focusing entirely on vegetarian products with Domino's already leading the way with seven locations.

The Organic Trade Association (OTA) praised the U.S. Congress for passing the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act, which is designed to strengthen the agency’s food safety oversight, and for adding provisions that protect organic farmers and producers from meeting conditions that duplicate or are counter to the requirements of the Organic Food Production Act. The legislation, which originally made its way through the Senate with strong bipartisan support, will also protect consumers from food-borne diseases, according to OTA executive director and CEO Christine Bushway. Aside from retaining the language that OTA had wanted, the legislation also comes with technical assistance resources, and amends the traceability and record-keeping provisions of the bill.

Natural product consumers do not believe “natural” product labels, according to the 2011 Organic Consumer Survey Report, a recent survey by marketing and promotions firm Mambo Sprouts Marketing. Of the 1,000 consumers who participated in the study, a third were either “not very” or “not at all” trusting of existing natural labeling systems. Around 65% were very interested in a uniform standard for certification of natural or organic products, although most preferred an independent, nonprofit or US government organization to handle certification. Results of the study also showed an increasing interest in mobile and digital coupon promotions, as consumer interest in technology and on store-based coupons continues to grow and cost-conscious consumers see coupon use as the “new normal”. There also appears to be a continued commitment to health and wellness, and store brand organics have gone mainstream, with firm favorites including Whole Foods 365 Organics, Trader Joe’s and Kroger Private Selection Organic.

The Food and Drug Administration gains a new tool with the passing of the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act. Aimed at reforming large industrial farms, the act provides the FDA authority to shut down producers that fail to meet science-based standards. This is a major change over older and poorly worded legislation that allowed companies to remain unaccountable even when facing large and reoccurring product recalls. The downside is that small farms, such as many organic farms, now fall under the same regulations for tracking produce as industrial farms if they sell to other businesses. Regulations of this type pose additional barriers to small farms attempting to expand. Corruption in the FDA is also a concern as the legislation essentially gives them control over who provides food to consumers.

Small and mid-sized organic producers and farmers transitioning to organic food production are getting financial help from the USDA to implement resource conservation practices, the agency announced. The assistance – this year totaling $50 million – was authorized in the 2008 Farm Bill to help organic farmers protect natural resources “and create conditions that help foster organic production,” according to USDA Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan. Producers eligible for the assistance include those certified through USDA's National Organic Program, those transitioning to certified organic production, and those who meet organic standards but are exempt from certification because annual organic sales are less than $5,000, the agency said. Appropriate use of the aid money would be, for example, to plant cover crops, create pest management plans or put in place organic nutrient management systems.

Germany has asked the European Commission to establish a dataset of certified organic producers to help reduce the risk fraudulent organic labeling. Several cases of conventional meat falsely labeled as organic have surfaced in Europe, and Germany believes a database would allow organic regulators to take swift action against producers who falsely label their products as organic to be able to charge higher prices. It would also ease concerns of organic consumers who want assurance that they are getting what they are paying for. Organic regulators would have to update the database immediately if they revoke a producer’s organic certification, which are at any rate often forged or passed off as current. Germany’s proposed new system would also permit supermarket chains to check whether their suppliers were still certified to deliver organic produce.

In October 2010, Walmart announced its intention to extend its locally-produced offerings by doubling the share of food produced in-state to 9 percent by 2015. The move is to meet one of the strongest current consumer demands, underlined by the growth in farmers markets, which exceeded 6,000 this year. Other supermarket chains are also addressing the trend, which is based on a perception of higher quality and a desire to support local farmers and communities. Supply, however, could be constrained by farmers’ reluctance to scale up, knowing they can often attract retail prices at farmers markets, as well as the additional formalities required to move to supplying wholesalers, such as insurance, transportation, packaging, and food safety conditions. However, with the trend powered by Walmart, there’s a good chance that it will become mainstream sometime in the future. 

With ASEAN encouraging and integrating organic production and export among its 10 member nations, Thailand stands to benefit if its farmers can focus on adopting organic production methods. Commerce Minister Porntiva Nakasai said that  Thailand could be used as a manufacturing and exporting center to countries beyond the region. Thai organic exports account for 0.21 per cent of the total global trade value of organic products, which is slated to reach $60 billion in 2010 . The country’s organic industry association expects the value of Thai organic exports will grow by 10 percent in 2011 to $119.5 million. Organic products targeted for export are rice, fruits, coffee, vegetables and garments.

With India’s organic exports hovering at an unsatisfactory $110 million a year, the organic producers in the country have formed an association that will seek, among other goals, to boost organic exports to $1 billion within four years. To accomplish that, the new Organic Trade Association of India (OTC) is calling for removal of certain trade restrictions and is asking the government to support the specific needs of different organic product categories. The OTA says it will tackle farm, certification, regulatory and international trade issues. Shri Siddharth, India’s secretary for commerce and industry, told industry representatives that his agency will try to work with other government departments to boost organic exports. The government needs to be aware that some organic niche products are expensive and meant for export, not for public distribution.

The Organic Consumers Association has published its opinions on the leading trends in organic food and agriculture for the coming year. With consumer spending likely to be constrained for a while yet and the “new frugality” possibly here to stay, organic marketers have to communicate value and added benefits. Organic food also needs to tie in with broader environmental and sustainability trends. For example, the President's Cancer Panel reported in 2010 that babies were being born with up to 300 synthetic chemicals in their systems; other studies show that schoolchildren have 10-13 pesticides in their systems that almost disappear when switched to an organic diet. Additional issues to be addressed include demand for sustainable packaging, the leeching of cancer-causing chemicals from packaging, avoiding animal testing, and the effects of pesticides and GMO. Organic farming is growing, with more acreage being given over to it, younger people entering farming by focusing on organic agriculture, and urban agriculture based around organic food. These trends are supported by non-profit Slow Money, which has invested $3 million in sustainable food businesses.

The Chicago metropolitan area with its demographically diverse nine million people is seeing an upsurge in growth among all shapes and sizes of food retailers, including organic and other “green” grocery stores, specialty foods stores, independents, discounters like Walmart and big chain supermarkets like Safeway. Whole Foods Market Inc. has opened 10 stores in the Chicago area, while Supervalu unit Jewel-Osco opened a “green” store that boasts eco-friendly features such as a vegetation-covered roof. Walmart plans to open several dozen stores in Chicago. And Dominick’s, part of Safeway Inc., and Jewel-Osco had a total of 248 stores, representing nearly 47 percent of the Chicago market, according to food industry researcher Shelby Publishing Co.

The largest pork producer in the U.S. – Smithfield Foods, Inc. – has joined genetically modified seed producer Monsanto in proclaiming itself a “sustainable” enterprise. New Hope 360 blogger Kelsey Blackwell says the term sustainable may soon join the ranks of other “meaningless eco claims” like “natural, green and earth smart.” Monsanto, which has been accused numerous times of environmentally unfriendly activities, including dumping toxic waste materials into rivers and landfills, recently unveiled a new motto: “The sustainable company.” It proclaims that “sustainable agriculture is at the core of Monsanto.” Smithfield recently hired a chief sustainability officer, yet the CEO said sustainability would be very difficult because of price demands of big customers like Walmart. Blackwell calls all of this “greenwashing,” a trend among firms well aware of growing consumer interest in environmentalism.

The eighth Middle East and Natural and Organic Product Expo (MENOPE 2010) is running from December 6-8 at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre. The Expo, which is the region's only niche showcase and trade platform for natural and organic products, has more than 100 exhibitors from 25 countries seeking to drum up business in the fast growing Middle East market for natural and organic products, currently estimated to be valued at over $300 million. According to Expo organizers, the regional market for organic and natural products is growing 20 percent a year, fueled by a growing interest among younger consumers in healthy and natural lifestyles. Products showcased at the Expo include herbals and spices, food and beverages, cereal products, supplements, health care products, natural cosmetics, healing products, natural remedies, etc.

In line with its commitment to environmental conservation, natural food manufacturer Kashi Company is avoiding excess waste by reducing the packaging of several of its product lines while maintaining the same food volume inside. Kashi TLC® crackers lead the package reduction with 12.4 percent less packaging, followed by TLC® Chewy Granola Bars at 10.9 percent. The company’s promotion of a healthy and natural lifestyle through products that are natural and minimally processed is reinforced by other initiatives such as the online resource Natural Nearby launched earlier this summer.

Procter & Gamble’s Auburn, Maine feminine care manufacturing plant becomes its first production facility in North America to use all of its waste, sending none to landfill: 60 percent is recycled and the rest is incinerated to generate electricity, some of which is used at the site. Surplus electricity is sold to the local power company. P&G’s Global Asset Recovery Purchases team, working with employees and suppliers, has created a solution that not only diverts thousands of tons of waste from landfill, but also saves the company millions of dollars in costs. Auburn becomes the company’s ninth plant to reach zero waste to landfill and is part of P&G’s long-term aim to achieve zero waste to landfill throughout the company, with a 2020 goal of 0.5 percent. 

Organic farmers have to be more resourceful in protecting crops from pests, because they don’t have access to the chemical pesticides used by conventional farmers. Powerful organic bug sprays just don’t exist. But organic farmers have access to a growing body of knowledge about methods, known collectively as integrated pest management, to keep bugs at bay. That knowledge is growing at least partly because the 2008 farm bill provides $20 million a year to research organic pest control technologies. The funding supports 24 current research projects. A key finding so far: natural enemies are the cornerstone of organic pest control. Wild sunflowers, for example, provide a home to lady beetles and parasitic wasps that kill bad bugs; planting alyssum among lettuce plants attracts hoverflies that kill destructive aphids.

Marketsmonitor has released a report on the organic food market in the US (“US Organic Food Market Analysis”). It is being driven by a population that has growing incomes and is increasingly aware of issues such as personal health, the environment, food safety and animal welfare. The research found that the US organic food market grew annually at between 16 and 21 percent in the period 2000 to 2008, and managed to survive the economic slowdown, with positive growth in 2009. The industry is expected to benefit further from government support as well as from the growing acceptance of organic food, and the authors forecast a CAGR of 13 percent in the 2010-2014 period. The picture in the US differs between regions, with interest in organic food stronger in states such as California, Wyoming, Texas, New Mexico, Wisconsin, and South Dakota.  

Whole Foods said that starting in January 1, 2011, the company will stop selling products that contain high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) in its stores in northern California. Whole Foods regional grocery buyer Parrish Placencia has admitted in an email that the company has “historically sold only a few products that contain HFCS.” This confirms some customers’ complaint that the company has been selling HFCS-containing products for some time. Whole Foods’ practice of using HFCS as an ingredient in its own pastries and cookies means the organic food retailer has no basis for selling these products at premium prices. The company indicates it  has no interest in removing HFCS-containing products from its stores nationwide.

Hoping to update and make more fair its Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) of subsidies for farmers, the European Commission has proposed a restructuring plan. The proposal calls for increasing subsidies to smaller East European farmers, but linking payments to environmental and food security goals. The EU several Central and East European countries in 2004, but the subsidy amounts are calculated based on production volumes of EU members in 2000-2002. Payments between old and new member states vary from €500 per hectare in Greece to less than €100 in Latvia. Debate on the new plan will start next July when the Commission proposes its budget for 2014-2020. The Commission said its other major priority is to promote the diversity of European agriculture with a rural policy that features "a green component".

The Organic Trade Association (OTA), responding to a Fox Business News report that purportedly said chemically-grown produce is safer, said the only way consumers can minimize dietary exposure to pesticides is to purchase organic products. The OTA cited research by a Harvard assistant professor who has found that pesticide residues detected in the urine of children who eat conventionally produced fruits and vegetables disappear when children eat organic produce. Exposure to pesticides has been linked with higher risk of birth defects, the OTA said, as well as the onset of autism,  neurodevelopment problems in vulnerable fetuses and young children. “Consumers should know that organic foods have the least chemicals applied in their production and the least residues in the final products,” an OTA official said.

Two Danish bakery chains – Lagkagehuset  (“The Cake House) and Emmerys – with distinctly opposite points of view about baking are flourishing  despite harsh economic conditions. Lagkagehuset, whose12 stores offer various traditional pastries and fresh-baked breads, is expected to show a $31 million profit this year, nearly double last year’s earnings. Emmerys, which is focused on organic baked goods, has 23 outlets, each offering breads and desserts and imported gourmet organic products, including wines and coffees. Both companies charge a lot for their loaves, about $6. A British chef says the rise of the two bakery chains is “an amazing plus for the people of Copenhagen,” because they have given Danes “a new-found interest for one of the most fundamental elements of daily life.”

A study of the current federal system for defining and regulating organic foods, especially the review process used to add or remove nonorganic substances from the “National List,” finds it flawed. According to the study, the review and petition process does not support development of organic alternatives and may actually be a hindrance. The study recommends a simpler, more efficient process for approving substances for use in organic foods. It’s an urgent situation: as the multi-ingredient organic food sector continues to grow, USDA’s National Organic Program will be faced with more complex issues. According to the researchers, it might be better if the NOP, for example, were to “incentivize the development of organic ingredients and processes by setting clear guidelines and deadlines and providing development support to food manufacturers.”

British retailer Marks & Spencer’s entire Swiss chocolate range will be sold this Christmas in biodegradable plastic trays developed by Australian company Plantic Technologies. The innovative bioplastic, also called plantic, is manufactured using starch, is 100 percent compostable and dissolves completely in running water. Plantic, founded in 2003, has sales offices in Germany, Britain and the U.S., and employs about 50 people worldwide. The global biodegradable plastic packaging market is estimated by a British analyst to be worth $1.6 billion this year. However, the recession and falling oil prices have left the plastics market in a shambles. Plantic's shares on London's tech-oriented AIM exchange dropped sharply, from 80 pence to seven, but a plan is now underway to take the company’s stock private.

Eco-friendly packaging has become a major trend among packaging manufacturers, consumer products manufacturers and retailers who are working together to promote cost-effective sustainability, even in a sagging economy. For example, the customers of a company that distributes organic foods like Silk soy milk are keenly aware of fair labor and trade practices, food miles, the environmental impact of products, and package recyclability, so the company keeps this criteria in mind when making procurement decisions. Even troubled companies like Winn-Dixie have kept sustainability a priority, relying on suppliers to maintain green standards. An executive at Winn-Dixie says financial condition shouldn’t stand in the way of principles: “It is finding the niche in which, relative to your space, you can play a role in sustainability, that makes the right sense for a business model.”

U.S. organic food producer Fig Food Company says it is now offering its organic soups in the U.S. via Whole Foods Markets and other natural food stores. Ingredients for the soups, which are certified organic and kosher, come primarily from North American farms, the company says. The company offers four shelf-stable ready-to-eat varieties (Tuscan White Bean, Umbrian Lentil, Yucatan Black Bean, Gran Farro e Fagioli) and three condensed varieties (Tomato, Wheatberry and Split Pea). The company’s mission is to provide healthy plant-based foods that contribute to fossil fuel independence and a reduction of greenhouse gases. The company plans to expand beyond soups to other ready-to-eat meals in the future.

A report, “US Organic Food Market Analysis,” says that the U.S. organic food market has been one of the fastest growing industries, with average annual growth of 16%-21% in 2000-2008. As the world’s biggest economy, with one of the highest per capita incomes, the U.S. has the ingredients for the organic food market to expand and flourish, with compound annual growth rate forecast at 13% in 2010-2014. Rising awareness about environmental protection, food safety, health, and animal welfare are some of the factors that drive market growth. Government support and the growing demand for organic and natural products are pushing further the growth of the organic niche for the food and beverages industry.

Construction of a 31,000-square-foot commercial greenhouse atop a two-story office building in Montreal, Canada, is almost finished. Developers of the project say planting could begin in January and the first harvest reaped six weeks after that. Urban farming, including rooftop gardening, are not a new phenomenon, but the large scale of the Montreal project sets it apart from previous efforts. The idea is to provide fresh produce for the community all year long, regardless of weather conditions. One of the entrepreneurs working on the project says food shipped thousands of miles is handled at many stages. The shipping affects taste and freshness. "Our goal simply is to be a neighborhood food source and raise the bar on the issue of traceability,” he says.

Retailer organic private labels are growing faster than organic brands in the international organic food market, perhaps indicating the future for organic food. In the US, for example, Safeway’s private label, O Organics, launched in 2005, looks set to become the leading brand of organic foods. O Organics has over 300 organic products with sales in excess of $400 million. While in Germany, a drugstore’s private label is the leading brand of organic & natural cosmetics.  Retailers are pushing a price advantage and often their organic products are cheaper than conventional ones.  As private labels increase their share of the organic market organic brands must revise their branding strategies. Green & Black for instance, has positioned itself as an ethical brand, while Organic Valley, in the US, increasingly positions itself as a supporter of family farms and a proponent of sustainability.

As U.S. food producers turn more to certified organic farming systems for a variety of reasons, they need better methods of ensuring the safety and post-harvest quality of organic leafy greens, including spinach, lettuce, arugula, cabbage and radicchio. The USDA is expediting the search for better safety methods with a $2.9 million grant to a University of Arizona researcher whose  comprehensive project will examine every step in the process, from field to fork. Since the late 1990s, U.S. organic production has grown steadily, the USDA says: more than two-thirds of U.S. consumers now buy organic products at least occasionally; 28 percent buy organic products weekly. The researchers will look at ways to eliminate bacterial – especially E. coli and salmonella – contamination in bagged leafy greens using organic methods.

A new, large egg recall may push consumers toward organic eggs to avoid contamination, but the Cornucopia Institute is warning consumers that what they see on the egg carton – the “USDA organic” label – may not be what they get. According to the Institute, many cartons so labeled come from big agribusiness farms that distribute mass produced eggs from warehoused chickens. The Institute says the hen houses of fraudulent producers are packed with birds. A door at the end of the facility is not useable by the chickens, but the companies sell their products as "free range," skirting USDA guidelines. “The chickens are never let out to graze or be in sunlight,” the Institute said. The birds are force-fed commercial chicken feed and injected with antibiotics or vaccines with toxins, violating organic rules.

In a sign of the growing eco-awareness in advertising, U.K.-based natural advertising media vendor Curb has launched its DesignGrass, a natural grass that can be used as an indoor advertising medium. The grass is flexible and can be formed into various shapes, patterns, brands, or words. Good for creating indoor green spaces, users can install DesignGrass on surfaces including walls and ceilings. Another product, the FlexiGrass offers functionality as a soilless living carpet for both indoor and outdoor environments. Requiring minimal, FlexiGrass can be molded, shaped, and colored based on users’ requirements.

The Fairtrade Labeling Organizations International has issued a rebuttal to a report by the Institute of Economic Affairs that FLO feels was incorrect on several points. The IEA, for example, was wrong to imply that Fairtrade offers no long-term strategy for development. Certified organic cotton farmers in Mali earn 50 percent more than conventional farmers, allowing almost all (95 percent) of their children to attend school, which contributes to long-term growth. Fairtrade does focus on the poorest countries: forty-seven percent of the 870,000 small scale farmers in the system are in East Africa. FLO acknowledged that certification costs money – about $1,570 for 50 farmers – but cost is not a barrier to certification. The Producer Certification Fund covers up to 75 percent of the fee for eligible organizations.

Dynamic Fuels LLC, an equal-share joint venture of Syntroleum Corporation and Tyson Foods, Inc., began commercial operations at its plant, which uses Syntroleum’s Bio-Synfining technology to convert non-food grade animal fats and greases into renewable fuels. The new facility produces 2,500 barrels of fuels per day from animal fats produced or acquired by Tyson Foods. Designed to manufacture as much as 75 million gallons of renewable fuels per year, the plant employs 44 full-time workers on site and 13 start-up support staff. The plant started shipping renewable diesel that meets ASTM D975 specifications in October, and has begun producing jet fuel for testing by the Air Force Research Laboratory. Dynamic Fuels hopes that Congress will restore tax credits, which could help improve the plant’s financial feasibility.

Industry analysts are warning that the chocolate industry faces a cocoa shortage and much steeper prices as chocolate consumption increases faster than cocoa production, which faces serious headwinds. African cocoa farmers are abandoning their farms due to negligible returns, a problem compounded by soil depletion. Meanwhile, a change in weather systems has hit crops in Indonesia, the world’s third-largest cocoa producer.  As cocoa supplies declined, prices have risen, doubling in the last six years, a trend set to continue. John Mason, executive director and founder of the Ghana-based Nature Conservation Research Council, forecasts that “In 20 years chocolate will be like caviar. It will become so rare and so expensive that the average Joe just won't be able to afford it."

The market worldwide for sustainable packaging is growing much faster than the rest of the packaging industry. A recent report by Pike Research forecasts the environment-friendly packaging market to double in size from $88 billion in 2009 to $170 billion in 2014, while Global Industry Analysts predicts the market to reach $142 billion by 2015 despite the economic slowdown. Factors driving the market include growing awareness about environmental impact of packaging wastes and government rules and initiatives seeking to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Europe and the U.S. account for over 70% of the world sustainable packaging market, with recycled material as its largest category; and biodegradables, the fastest-growing segment. EL Insights forecasts sustainable packaging will be used in 37% of products sold by big U.S. retailers by 2015.