(Note from Erin: Corrupt corporation, NESTLE, announced plans to buy Atrium Innovations at the beginning of the month. You’ll recognize that name because Atrium’s biggest product line is Garden of Life! Personally, I’ll be boycotting all the lines NESTLE bought. Sadly, Atrium also makes the supplements for many other lines which puts me in a real pickle as they make some of the very best. But I’m boycotting them, too. And because of this travesty, I’ve started my own line. It’s small, but you can find it here. The products are made in my hometown at a state of the art wheat and gluten free chocolate factory facility. Check us out!)
In the fall, Nestle S.A., Vevey, Switzerland, announced plans to drop its membership in the Grocery Manufacturers Association by the end of the year. Calls for a comment on the announcement went unanswered.
RELATED STORY:
Nestle to buy Garden of Life owner Atrium Innovations for $2.3B
Nestle is now the second large food and beverage company to withdraw from the group this year, following The Campbell Soup Co. announcement earlier this year.
In response, Roger Lowe, executive vice-president of strategic communications for the G.M.A., said:
“As the leading trade association for food, beverage and consumer products manufacturers, G.M.A. is focused on our work in the months and years ahead on industry’s behalf on product labeling, nutrition, food safety, clear science-based ingredient disclosure, trade and tax issues. With 2.1 million manufacturing jobs, our industry is a vital part of the nation’s economic engine with good jobs and products that every family (uses) every day.
Companies decide to join and leave trade associations for a variety of reasons over time. We are disappointed when a member company decides to leave our trade association and pleased when companies of all sizes join to be part of our work on consumer transparency, sustainability, product safety, nutrition and retailer collaboration.”1
He went on to say:
“Our work with the retail industry is empowering consumers with more tools and information to make informed choices. SmartLabel is being widely adopted with more than 14,500 products already providing more information than ever could fit on a package label, and our product code dating initiative will reduce consumer confusion and food waste. Nestle’s participation in G.M.A. will be missed, and we hope there will be a time when they will rejoin us.”2
When Campbell Soup announced their withdrawal from GMA, president and CEO Denise Morrison, said her company’s “beliefs have diverged from the rest of the food industry and from our trade association.”3
We aren’t sure what has prompted the exodus but will be watching closely and update you should more companies decide to leave.
