Organic Food

The Case For Organics

Simon Wright, The Organic Consultancy

UK sales of organic food and drink grew by 55% last year. Although only accounting for 2-3% of total food sales in the UK great things are forecast for organics, which is on track to be a 1bn sector by 2002. Consumer research suggests that one of the main driving forces behind organic sales in the UK to date has been fear of non-organic food. The seemingly unending stream of problems experienced by conventional UK food producers has driven at least some consumers to look for what they perceive as a safer, healthier alternative.

I have worked with organic foods for 15 years, I may even have been one of the first Food Technologists to work with processed organic foods. For the last five years I have run The Organic Consultancy (www.organic-consultancy.com), working with a variety of companies to develop their ranges of organic food and drink. I also serve on various official committees, organise organic trade shows and write for both organic consumer and trade magazines. I believe in the benefits of organic agriculture, so the commercial success of organics over the last few years has been personally very rewarding.

However there are clouds on the horizon. This rapid growth in organics has resulted in great strain on the supply chain leading to a cycle of oversupply and shortage. This in turn has encouraged one or two dishonest traders to attempt to substitute non-organic products for organics (at least one trader is in prison now as a result). Equally worrying are consumer perceptions about organics. Research shows that UK consumers think that organic food is better for them, tastes better and is completely free from both GM material and pesticide residues. The first two statements are currently unproven, although plenty of research is underway. Organic legislation all over the world clearly bans GM and artificial pesticides from organic production, but we live in an imperfect world and ensuring that organic foods are 100.00% free from such material is proving increasingly challenging. Finally there is a media backlash underway, with opening shots from The Money Programme and The Times in recent weeks and more to come.

Despite all this I remain convinced that organics is here to stay and will represent an increasingly significant sector of the food and drink industry both in the UK and elsewhere. Organic agriculture enhances biodiversity, creates rural jobs and rewards farmers for theis stewardship on the countryside. Processed organic foods meet consumer expectation of more natural, less processed products with clear traceability from fork to plate. Enhanced animal welfare standards, higher prices for farmers, reduced food miles, support of local food production… the list of positive attributes associated with organics is endless. The challenge now is to develop a more efficient distribution chain that delivers delicious affordable organic food to as many people as possible. Watch this space !

Simon Wright
(simon@organic-consultancy.com)

Organic Pioneer Profile

Simon Wright has long been a driving force in the UK organic market. Simon began his organic career in 1986 with Whole Earth Foods, where in addition to working on the pioneering Whole Earth range of organic wholefoods he helped to create and launch the successful Green & Black’s Organic Chocolate brand.

Since then Simon has gone on to found The Organic Consultancy and worked with numerous companies throughout Europe and the USA to develop and launch a number of high profile organic food and drink products. Current clients of The Organic Consultancy include Free Natural (organic liquorice and pretzels), Clipper (organic tea and coffee), The Organic Spirit Company (award winning organic gin, vodka and rum), Planet Organic (specialist organic retailer), Lyme Regis Fine Foods (organic snack bars) and Tradin NV (the worlds largest supplier of organic ingredients for further processing). Simon is also organic consultant to Sainsbury’s Supermarket Limited who are leading the development of multiple organic retailing in the UK with over 1350 organic lines on sale in their larger stores. Simon is Consultant Editor and Comment writer for the magazines organiclife and Organic Business.

Simon kindly spoke to Simply Organic about the UK organic market

What have been the main drivers of the UK organic market over the last 5 years?

One of the main drivers of recent years has been the well publicised problems with non-ogranic foods which consumers in the UK have been faced with such as BSE/GM/ Foot and Mouth disease, pesticide residues and concerns over additives. All of these have led many UK consumers to look for an alternative which they perceive to be safe and that delivers high quality food.

What would you say is motivating people to go organic?

The UK retail market for organic food is now estimated to have passed the 1billion per year mark. Supermarkets sell 80% of all organic food consumed in the UK and 75% of all UK households bought at least one organic item in the last 12 months. The main reasons to buy organic given by UK consumers (in order of priority) are:

• Taste
• Health
• No pesticides
• Animal welfare
• No hormones
• Pure and natural

It’s interesting to note that selfish reasons (taste and health) are the main motivation for buying organic by the mainstream consumer and that environmental care issues are still a secondary consideration.

How have consumer perceptions towards organics changed as the market has developed?

Today’s consumer is more mainstream than that of even two years ago, so taste, presentation and price are paramount. Distribution is much less of an issue with all large retailers now having reasonable ranges of organic foods and some having excellent selection – Sainsbury’s now has 1,350 organic lines in their bigger stores.

Where do you see the UK organic market going in the future?

The main focus must be on delivering great tasting products at acceptable price premiums whilst explaining to consumers what organic means (and why it costs more). We are lucky in the UK, for the first time we have a sympathetic government, currently working on an Organic Action Plan (OAP), which will really boost the market. The OAP is an initiative that brings together representatives from farmers, retailers, processors, consumers and certifying bodies in order to develop plans to stimulate both organic production and demand for organic products. We are currently halfway through the initial consultation period, with the initial recommendations to go to the minister in July – a very fast track project !

For more information about Simon Wright’s company ‘The Organic Consultancy’ visit www.organic-consultancy.com

Mainstream Organics for a Healthy Planet!

Simon Wright is founder of The Organic Consultancy. Since 1986 he has specialised in the development of organic food and drink, working with companies throughout Europe and in the USA. Clients range from small manufacturers of natural foods through to one of the UK’s largest multiple retailers. Simon is editor of The Handbook of Organic Food Processing and Production, a Board Member of UKROFS (The United Kingdom Register of Organic Food Standards) and Deputy Chair of the Processors Committee of the Soil Association.

My cupboard contains only brown rice and wholemeal pasta, my freezer contains only wholemeal bread (all organic, of course). But I am in the minority. The battle for wholefoods was waged in the 70’s and we lost. White bread now outsells wholemeal by a factor of six to one. Organic consumers want to buy white pasta, white rice and white bread because that is what the majority of consumers in the UK like.

There is more to nutrition than whether a food is whole-grain or how much sugar it contains. Organic food is superior to non-organic food in many ways. The artificial additives and ingredients such as hydrogenated fat which are prevalent throughout mainstream processed food are banned by law from organic food. Organic standards prevent the use of synthetic pesticides and Genetically Modified ingredients. There is a report on the way from the Soil Association which will bring together international research on the nutritional superiority of organic food compared to its non-organic counterpart. And the first 70% cocoa solids, ultra-delicious dark chocolate to be freely available in the UK was Green & Black’s organic version!

For me, one of the major incentives to go organic is the benefits organic agriculture brings to the planet. Organic farming reduces pollution, increases biodiversity and creates jobs. These benefits are achieved irrespective of what happens to the organic crops. Take a field of organic wheat. Once harvested that wheat could be turned into white flour, wholemeal pasta or even distilled to make organic vodka. The effect on the planet is the same – highly beneficial.

Producers of organic food cannot be expected to police the shopping and eating habits of the nation. A frozen organic pizza does no harm once in while, even if in strict nutritional terms it contains more fat than is desireable for optimum health. Organic consumers, like other responsible citizens, must take personal responsibility for the foods they select and consume in order to stay healthy. Processed organic foods have a major role to play in the modern diet and if chosen appropriately they will result in healthy people and a healthy planet.

Simon Wright
www.organic-consultancy.com

Organic Food

1. SUMMARY

The last three years has seen significantly increased interest in organic food, that is food grown using those principles and techniques that predated the introduction of agro-chemicals and modern intensive farming techniques. Organic food is a small (but growing) identifiable part of the food industry with an identity defined and protected by law. It requires the same involvement of professional food scientists and technologists as the rest of the food industry, and is subject to the same requirements of good manufacturing practice and food safety. Organic food is additionally subject to specific legal requirements that cover cultivation, composition and labelling.

2. INTRODUCTION AND DEFINITIONS

Organic food can be defined as “the product of a farming system which avoids the use of man-made fertilisers, pesticides, growth regulators and livestock feed additives. Instead the system relies on crop rotation, animal and plant manures, some hand weeding and biological pest control”. This definition serves to distinguish the use of the word ‘organic’ in this context from its more traditional scientific meaning as a description of a carbon-containing molecule. ‘Organic’ is the description used only in English-speaking countries; in other markets ‘Bio’ , ‘Oko’ or ‘Eco’ are the more usual descriptions.

Organic food can never be defined as pesticide-free. Organic certification schemes specify that land must be free from chemical inputs for a number of years prior to organic production. However the possible presence of pesticide residues from previous land use means that low levels of pesticides can occasionally be found in certified organic food. The presence of pesticides in this way does not necessarily preclude the food being described as organic providing all other certification requirements have been fulfilled.

3. BACKGROUND

3.1 Brief History

In the UK Sir Albert Howard published An Agricultural Testament (1940), advocating that Britain preserve the ‘cycle of life’ and adopt ‘permanent agriculture’ systems, using urban food waste and sewage to build soil fertility. The first person to apply the term ‘organic’ to food production was J.I.Rodale in his 1942 publication Organic Gardening and Farming. In 1946 the young Lady Eve Balfour was inspired by Howard to set up the Soil Association, a pioneering organic farming charity that today is the major organic certification organisation in the UK. In 1960 the Soil Association opened the first shop in the UK selling organic produce. Interest in organic farming grew throughout Europe and the USA during the environmentally aware 1960’s. In 1974 the Soil Association established the UK’s first set of Organic Food Standards, which formed the basis of the EU regulation 2092/91 (See Section 4).

3.2 The Contemporary Organic Consumer

In the UK MORI found that “six out of ten people would chose organic food if it was easily available and cost no more than conventional food”. Among the reasons for buying organic food “health” was by far the most important, 46% of those buying organic food gave it as their primary concern… 40% claimed that organic food “tastes better.” (See Section 5.5). The MORI report gives a profile of the typical organic food consumer as being social grouping AB, age 25-34, and shopping at Sainsbury’s or Waitrose.

3.3 Market Growth

The Leatherhead Food RA have estimated that sales of organic food in the EU tripled over the period 1990 and 1997 and currently amount to over 2.8 billion per year. In 1992 there was 0.5 million hectares under organic cultivation but by 1997 this had reached 1.7 million hectares. The most developed market is Denmark where organic food accounts for 10-13% of all food sales (in the UK it is about 1%). The largest market for organic food is Germany (1.2 billion in 1997), twice the size of the second biggest market (France). In Germany the current annual growth rate of the organic food market exceeds 10%.

As markets mature the percentage share of organic processed food is increasing at the expense of organic fruit and vegetables, traditionally the biggest part of the sector. In Germany organic baby food accounts for more than 60% of the market. Other signs of market maturation are the development of supermarket own-label organic foods which include chilled ready meals, dairy products and soups (UK) and high quality chocolate and biscuits (France). In the UK 70% of all organic food is imported.

4. LEGISLATION

4.1 EU Legislation

In 1991 the EU passed Regulation 2092/91 which lays down in detail how food must be produced, processed and packaged to qualify for the description ‘organic’ . The regulation also specifies detailed criteria for the inspection and subsequent certification of food producers and processors.

The regulation is enforced in the UK by the Organic Products Regulations 1992 as amended. Originally Food From Britain was designated as the control body for these regulations: today the relevant Minister acts in consultation with the board of UKROFS, the United Kingdom Register of Organic Food Standards). UKROFS are a subsidiary of MAFF (Room 323B, Nobel House, 17 Smith Square, London SW1P 3JR). Producers, importers and processors involved with the distribution of organic products covered by the Regulation are subject to this inspection system. For the purpose of enforcing Articles 9.9 and 10.3 of the Regulation (irregularities and infringements of the rules on labelling and production of organic products) the Minister must give the relevant local authority the means to enforce the organic labelling provisions in Article 5 of the Regulation.

By harmonising organic legislation throughout Europe the EU Regulation has established a level playing-field for manufacturers. This in turn has led to easier transfer of organic ingredients and finished organic foods within the EU. The Regulation also ensures that ingredients entering the EU must have been produced to the same standards as ingredients produced within the EU. After some initial difficulties the Regulation has been welcomed by the Organic Food industry as it has enabled consumers to buy organic produce with confidence, and has reassured producers and processors that their market will not be contaminated by fraud.

A major amendment to the original EU Regulation was made in 1995. This amendment divides organic processed foods into two categories, depending on the proportion of organic ingredients present;

Category 1. Organic
Product contains a minimum of 95% organic ingredients by weight. Product can be labelled ‘Organic’ eg Organic Cornflakes

Category 2. Special Emphasis
Product contains 70 – 95% organic ingredients by weight. Product can be labelled ‘Made with Organic Ingredients’ eg Tomato Ketchup made with Organic Tomatoes.

Regulation 2092/91 and its subsequent amendment places some unusual restrictions on the ingredients that a manufacturer of organic foods can use. Annex VI of the Regulation contains a list of the only non-organic ingredients which can be included in an otherwise organic food – for example water, salt, permitted food additives, processing aids, carrier solvents and flavourings. Organic regulations also specifically exclude the use of irradiated or Genetically Modified (GM) ingredients in organic food

4.2 USA Legislation

In the USA organic regulations have been developed on a state-by-state basis – currently there is no national organic legislation. The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) attempted to bring in national organic standards in 1998. These standards would have permitted the use of GM ingredients, sewage sludge and irradiation in food labelled as ‘organic’. The USDA received over 220,000 negative responses to these proposed standards, which have now been withdrawn for redrafting. It is possible the new USDA proposals will be based on the international standards drawn up by IFOAM, the International Federation of Organic Agricultural Movements.

4.3 Certification Procedures

Throughout the EU each member state has a national Control Body: in the UK it is UKROFS. UKROFS regulates the activities of six UK Certification Bodies, who are the organisations charged with inspecting and regulating UK organic producers and manufacturers. The largest Certification Body is the Soil Association, who currently undertake 80% of all certification in the UK. The other UK Certification Bodies are Organic Farmers & Growers, Scottish Organic Producers Association, Demeter, Organic Food Federation (OFF) and Irish Organic Farmers & Growers Association. Other prominent EU certification bodies include Ecocert (France), Naturland (Germany) and Skal (Holland), whilst OCIA, OGBA, QAI and FVO are the prominent certification bodies in the USA.

5. PRODUCTION, QUALITY AND SAFETY

5.1 Guiding Principles for Organic Food Manufacture

The OFF website quotes the following guidelines:

• Organic products cannot be sold without a valid Certificate of Compliance issued by a registered Organic Certification Body
• When a Certificate is issued it applies only to the products listed thereon
• Records must be kept of all organic material purchased and all organic units produced
• All organic ingredients must be produced by an organically certified supplier
• Organic ingredients must be used unless a non-organic version is permitted by the Regulation
• Organic raw materials and products must be clearly labelled and physically separated from non-organic products

5.2 Quality and Safety in Production

Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) is as important in organic food manufacture as in non-organic food manufacture. Current food safety regulations apply to organic food production and it is essential that all appropriate food safety procedures are established and monitored by the food scientists and technologist involved and diligently operated by the manufacturers.

5. 3 Microbiological safety

Concerns have been raised in the past about possible contamination of agricultural produce with pathogens (especially E.Coli O157 ) resulting from use of animal waste as organic fertiliser. These issues are addressed in the Soil Association Organic Standards, where Manure Management and Application is defined and regulated to prevent problems of this type from occurring. Section 3.607 requires that a compost temperature of 60C be reached to facilitate the destruction of vegetative pathogens and that the compost heap be maintained for at least three months. Manure treatment, storage systems and applications are expected to conform to the Statutory Code of Good Practice for the Protection of Water under Section 116 of the Water Act 1989. It is mandatory for every producer licensed by the Soil Association to follow these standards.

The system is subject to regular inspection . Every organic producer or processor is inspected at least once a year by the Certification Body with which they are registered. A further 10% are additionally inspected by UKROFS, to ensure that the organic inspection carried out by the Certification Body has been done to the appropriate standard.

5.4 Nutrition

Lampkin (1990) has pointed out that organic crops are likely to contain lower levels of pesticide residues than conventionally grown crops. He goes onto review eight separate studies which suggest crops grown conventionally contain “not only higher nitrate levels but also higher levels of free amino acids, oxalates and other undesirable compounds, as well as lower levels of Vitamin C”. However Lampkin also notes that so many factors play a role in determining the overall physiological value of food that it is often difficult to isolate those which result directly from the production system.

5.5 Flavour

Lampkin (ibid) has reviewed taste trials that sought to compare organic and non-organic products. A German study found that found that an untrained panel of 30-50 consumers found that organic vegetables tasted better . The test was carried out under carefully controlled experimental conditions but these results were not achieved by a panel of trained tasters, who found no significant difference.

Research at the Edinburgh School of Agriculture showed that a panel of nearly 200 consumers showed a significant preference for organically produced steaks in terms of overall appearance and eating quality. These results are contradicted by a study from the North of Scotland College of Agriculture which found no differences in flavour or eating quality in organic beef from 18-month Hereford x Fresian steers. The UK Potato Marketing Board found that organically produced potatoes had fewer off-flavours, but that they tended to disintegrate during cooking.

It would appear that further work is required to investigate whether the flavour of organic products differs from their non-organic counterparts. However to do so requires all other things to be equal. There is so much flavour variation between different varieties, differing degrees of ripeness or freshness and differing lengths of storage that it is very difficult to ensure valid comparisons are made. It should also be noted that comparisons in individual instances cannot provide a valid generalisation.

6. FUTURE PROSPECTS

6.1 Market Development

The close regulation of organic food production within the EU has resulted in an increase in consumer confidence and a clear set of standards that can be adhered to by new companies entering the organic food industry. Raw material availability may well restrict the continued growth of the market but the amount of land being cultivated organically is also increasing rapidly. According to Mintel the total UK organic market will expand by 88% in real terms between 1997 and 2001 to reach a value of 490m at 1997 prices. Similar growth is anticipated throughout the EU.

6.2 Can Organic Farming Feed The World ?

Woodward (1996) reviewed this question and noted that “whilst technically there would be no overwhelming problems in feeding the UK, Europe and even the USA organically, the structure of agriculture would have to change significantly with massive implications for land access, investment, labour and skills…the question of feeding the world organically has less to do with the technical ability of organic farming to produce adequate nutrients and is more about systems of distribution, markets, finance and political structure”

6.3 Implications For The Mainstream Food Industry

It is possible to see the current interest in organic foods as a reaction to consumer unease over pesticide use, recent UK food scares and a resultant lack of trust in the mainstream (non-organic) food industry. It is possible that further food scares would generate further rapid market growth for organic foods. Interviews with consumers in health-food trade magazines suggest that another factor driving sales is a wish to avoid foods containing GM ingredients. Therefore the way these issues are handled by the mainstream food industry may influence the rate at which this market develops.

7. CONCLUSIONS

In the EU organic food has become established as an identifiable part of the food industry with an identity defined and protected by law. Whilst currently a small part of the food supply in most markets there is potential for significant future growth in the market for organic food.

8. FURTHER INFORMATION

8.1 Print References

Council Regulation (EEC) 2092/91, Official Journal L198 22.7.91

Amendment to Council Regulation (EEC) 2092/91 1995

Leatherhead Food RA (1998) “The European Organic Foods Market”

The Soil Association (1997) “Standards For Organic Food And Farming”

Wright S – Editor (1994) “Handbook Of Organic Food Processing and Production” (Blackie Academic, London)

Wright S (1997) “Europe Goes Organic”, Food Ingredients Europe, 3 , 39-43.

Woodward L (1996) “Can Organic Farming Feed The World?”, Elm Farm Research Centre Discussion Paper.

Lampkin N (1990) Organic Farming, 557 – 575, Farming Press, Ipswich.

8.2 Websites

www.organic.dircon.co.uk

www.organicfood.co.uk/off/index.html

www.aber.ac.uk/~wirwww/organic

SW 17.11.98

Eat Chocolate and Save The Planet!
Organic and Fairtrade Products

by Simon Wright

This article is based on a presentation made by Simon Wright to the London 1998 Technology Conference of the Biscuit, Cake, Chocolate & Confectionery Alliance (BCCCA). It subsequently appeared in the May 1998 edition of Chocolate and Confectionery International and is reproduced here by permission of the Editor, whose contact details are

• telephone +44 1639 887498
• fax +44 1639 899830
• email cci@isjuk.demon.co.uk

Introduction

Organic food and fairtraded foods have existed in many markets for some years, mainly being sold through specialist natural food shops and charity shops. Increasingly consumers wish to know more about the foods they buy: how the ingredients were grown and processed (organic), and whether the farmers who grew the original crops received a reasonable price for their efforts (fairtrade). The last five years have seen these products move into the mainstream and many European supermarkets now stock organic and fairtraded foods. The purpose of this article is to provide an introduction to these two areas from a manufacturers perspective, with special emphasis on the chocolate and confectionery industry.

What is Organic Food?

A common definition might be “food grown without chemicals”. A more technical definition is “the product of a farming system which avoids the use of man-made fertilisers, pesticides, growth regulators and livestock feed additives. Instead the system relies on crop rotation, animal and plant manures, some hand weeding and biological pest control”.

EU legislation was introduced in 1991 as Council Regulation 2092/91 to control the production and description of organic food. In the UK the law was implemented by UKROFS (the United Kingdom Register of Organic Food Standards, now part of MAFF). In turn UKROFS regulates six UK certifying bodies of whom the Soil Association are the biggest and the best known; the others comprise Organic Farmers and Growers, Organic Food Federation, Scottish Organic Producers Association, Bio-Dynamic Agricultural Association and Irish Organic Farmers and Growers. It is the job of the Certifying Bodies to set the standards for organic food production, the law being enforced by Trading Standards Officers.

A similar situation exists elsewhere with major European certifying bodies such as Skal/Eco (Holland), Eco Cert, Natur et Progres and AB (France), Naturland (Germany) and OCIA, FVO, QAI and OGBA (the USA). Only in English speaking markets is the word organic used – elsewhere Bio, Oko or Eco are more familiar.

What is Fairtrade Food?

No legal definition of fairtrade exists. A working definition would be “a guarantee that producers are paid above world price according to criteria laid down by the Fairtrade Labelling Organisation (FLO)”. The FLO currently has fairtrade criteria for cocoa, coffee, tea and sugar. A floor price is set for these commodities and a premium is paid over and above the commercial price so long as world market prices remain above the floor price.

Fairtrade marks such as those used by the Fairtrade Foundation (UK), Transfair (Germany) and Max Havelaar (Holland) exist, but they are voluntary schemes only. To sell cocoa as fairtrade the producing scheme must be on the FLO International Cocoa Register. The qualifying criteria are that the scheme be owned by and accountable to small farmers, that the scheme possess the necessary infrastructure to export produce and that the quality of their produce is appropriate for its intended market.

Market Information

It is estimated that less than 1% of food currently eaten in the UK is organic and of this around 70% is thought to be imported. There is thus considerable scope for growth in the market.

Availability of Key Ingredients

The vast majority of ingredients used by the chocolate and confectionery industries are now available in organic and/or fairtrade versions:

• Cocoa – mass, powder, butter
• Sweeteners – granulated sugar, icing sugar, glucose syrups, grain-based syrups, concentrated fruit juices
• Dairy products – skimmed milk powder, full cream milk powder, butter, pasteurised liquid egg
• Vegetable fats – palm stearine and olein, coconut oil
• Flours – wheat, rice, soya, cornstarch
• Dried nuts – almonds, hazelnuts, peanuts, coconut, walnuts in all formats
• Fruit – unsulphured dried apricots, apple, pineapple, mango, dates and figs plus IQF frozen fruit
• Other ingredients – essential oils, vanilla, etc

NB Certain processing techniques are specifically prohibited by EU organic legislation. These include irradiation, hydrogenation, fumigation and genetic modification. Alternative approaches are therefore used in the production of organic ingredients.

Manufacturing Procedures

Very few factories exist which are totally dedicated to organic food production, and none exist totally dedicated to fairtrade food production. The key to successful manufacture is the segregation of organic and fairtrade production from the other products manufactured. Physical segregation must extend from goods-in through to finished product in the warehouse whilst the manufacturing control system employed must demonstrate full traceability. Recent developments in good manufacturing practice are very helpful here and in general a well-run manufacturing facility can easily be adapted to organic or fairtrade manufacture.

Certification of every factory producing organic foods is mandatory, and is carried out by an independent inspector appointed by the certifying body. Most factories elect to manufacture organic food as the first production after a full clean-down. This ensures that if any cross-over of product occurs it is from organic to non-organic (acceptable) rather then from non-organic to organic (unacceptable). Similar approaches are taken in the manufacture of fairtraded foods, but here the guidelines are voluntary rather than mandatory.

Product Labelling

EU legislation specifies three categories of organic product:

Organic (Typical Product Title – Organic Chocolate) A minimum of 95% of ingredients by weight organically grown and produced. The remaining non-organic ingredients come from a permitted list and comprise no more than 5% of the product by weight.

Special Emphasis (Typical Product Title – Chocolate made with Organic Cocoa Beans and Organic Sugar) Between 70 and 95% organic ingredients.

Limited Organic Claim (Typical Product Title – Chocolate) Below 70% organic ingredients it is only permitted to refer to the word organic in the ingredients list.

The situation in the USA is that currently organic food is controlled by state legislation rather than by national legislation. However the USDA is currently developing national organic legislation which will be consistent throughout the USA.

Fairtrade labelling is not specified by law. However voluntary agreements exist which specify how a product will qualify for a given fairtrade mark, and how that mark must be displayed.

Future Trends

Currently both organic and fairtrade foods sell at a premium over conventional foods. Partly this is due to the ingredients being more expensive, but it also reflects the relatively modest manufacturing runs of most organic and fairtrade products. As consumer demand increases and production runs become longer efficiencies of scale should result in reduced product costs.

The major supermarket groups throughout Europe are becoming increasingly enthusiastic about these products and examples can now be found in Tesco, Waitrose and Sainsbury’s (UK) as well as in Albert Hejn (Holland) and supermarkets throughout France and Belgium. The situation is slightly different in the USA, where the greater strength of the natural food industry has made it more difficult for supermarkets to enter the market. However this is beginning to change.

Together with this move has been a change from branded products to supermarket own-label and private-label items. Most UK supermarkets now carry organic own-label milk, bread, fruit and vegetables : other product sectors will undoubtedly be added as the organic and fairtrade markets mature. It is likely that this move towards organic and fairtrade own-label products will encourage some of the larger food manufacturers to enter the market.

Case History: Green & Black’s Chocolate

The first Green & Black’s chocolate bar was launched in the UK in 1991 as a 100g moulded bar made from 70% organic cocoa. Success was immediate, with the product moving quickly from natural food stores onto the shelves of major UK supermarkets. An organic milk chocolate bar was followed by the launch of Maya Gold, the first product to be certified as both organic and fairtraded.

Today there is an extensive range of Green & Black’s Organic Chocolate Bars in different flavours and product formats. The products sell strongly through natural food stores, supermarkets and speciality food-stores throughout Europe and the USA. A bulk couverture has been developed to allow The Village Bakery to launch a range of dual-branded Organic Chocolate Almond Cake, Chocolate Brownies, Pain au Chocolat and Florentines. Most recently the Green & Black’s range has been extended to cover Organic Chocolate Ice Cream and an Organic Hot Chocolate Drink and even an Organic Easter Egg, again with great commercial success.

The success of the Green & Black’s brand shows that to be organic or fairtraded alone is not enough. To generate repeat purchases products must taste good, be attractively packaged and presented to consumers in an appropriate and recognisable format. Some price premium is inevitable but as sales increase production costs can be reduced through economies of sale. The success of the Green & Black’s product range indicates strong potential for foods made from organic and fairtraded ingredients.