And in response to big power lobbying, Senate and House Republicans on the Agriculture appropriations inserted a provision in 2005 into the department's budget, which would allow the use of certain artificial ingredients in organic foods. Many players in the organic industry today also argue that they are willing to use some synthetics in producing organic food. Joseph Mendelson and other advocates of strict organic standards argue that these provisions will open a "Pandora's box," allowing big organic food producers to lobby for further loosening of the USDA standards (arner).

The downsides of big food producers going organic is well-illustrated by the experience of hole Foods Market. It grew out of a small vegetarian store opened by Mackay and his girlfriend in 1978 in a garage in Austin, Texas. In 1992, the company went nationwide, opening stores in several cities. Now, the company owns more than two hundred stores across…

Works Cited

Cloud, John. "Eating Better Than Organic." Time Magazine. 2 March 2007. Web. 22 March 2011.

"It's Easy Being Green: Organic vs. Conventional Foods -- the Gloves Come Off. Center for American Progress. 10 September 2008. Web. 22 March 2011.

"Organic Foods: Are They Safe? More Nutritious?" MayoClinic. Web. 22 March 2011.

"Organic Food Sales See Healthy Growth: Mainstream Food Companies Promote Natural Brands" MSNBC. 3 December 2004. Web. 22 March 2011.

From an environmental perspective this work demonstrates the fact that the growth of this movement has been reinvigorated as a result of the fact that many have come to understand how dangerous many of the chemicals used in commercial agriculture are to the earth and the body. "The last few years have seen the issues of BSE, genetically modified foods, hormone disruption and antibiotic resistance come to the fore and there is a greater recognition that what we eat is vitally important to our health." She notes that many of the pesticides and herbicides we have used in the past have been a destructive force and are no longer even considered safe, but were deemed so prior to the modern research that has more scientifically established their unwanted and pollutant effects on both the body and earth.

Organic Food Benefits. Nutiva. Organic Food Association. 2003. http://www.nutiva.com/nutrition/organic.php.

This informative article demonstrates…

Weed's extensive article demonstrates that organic food growing is much more likely than other types of agriculture to take biodynamic consideration of soil and the need for retaining minerals and other helpful chemicals in the soil in which we grow food. If this is not paid attention to then organic and non-organic foods are both equally at risk of creating health problems.

Whole Foods Magazine. Whole Foods Natural Foods Guide: What Happens to Natural Food Products from Farmer to Consumer. Berkeley, California: and/or Press, 1979.

This work is an old standard, outlining the manner in which whole foods and natural foods meet consumer needs. This work is expansive and even includes recipes with handy shopping guides as well as demonstrative reasons why organic food growth is better for the body, the environment and communities.

The ambition is to promote organic chocolate and its implied benefits outside of historically niche markets.

One year marketing objectives include a penetration of U.S. sales markets, where it is predicted that by 2011, the organic chocolate market will have experienced a 71% increase in sales over five years. It is the ambition of Everday to have accounted for every 20th bar of chocolate bought in the United States by that juncture. This would make for a market share of 5% by 2011, which would in all likelihood make Everyday the biggest organic player in the candy bar market.

orks Cited:

Knudson, .A. (2007) The organic food market. Online at http://209.85.173.104/search?q=cache:GahEBVSBncJ:www.aec.msu.edu/Product/documents/orking/organicfood1.pdf+%22health+food%22+market+growth&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=7&gl=us

Organic Nature News (ONN). (2009). Organic Chocolate. Online at http://www.organic-nature-news.com/organic-chocolate.html

Organic Trade Association (OTA). (2009). hy Choose Organic Chocolate? The O'Mama Report. Online at http://www.theorganicreport.com/pages/194_what_s_behind_organic_chocolate_.cfm

Works Cited:

Knudson, W.A. (2007) The organic food market. Online at http://209.85.173.104/search?q=cache:GahEBVSBnWcJ:www.aec.msu.edu/Product/documents/Working/organicfood1.pdf+%22health+food%22+market+growth&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=7&gl=us

Organic Nature News (ONN). (2009). Organic Chocolate. Online at  http://www.organic-nature-news.com/organic-chocolate.html 

Organic Trade Association (OTA). (2009). Why Choose Organic Chocolate? The O'Mama Report. Online at  http://www.theorganicreport.com/pages/194_what_s_behind_organic_chocolate_.cfm

Data Analysis

1. The taster determined 11 of the 14 samples correctly. Three samples were incorrectly identified. Thus, the taster received a statistical score of 88%.

2. The results failed to support the null hypothesis. There was obviously a difference between the organic and conventional food items.

3. This output indicates that while there is a difference, the margin of 10% is too small.

4. The test indicated that for greater than 50% of the time the taster was able to identify the differences between organic and conventional foods.

5. For the next test, I would most likely use one fruit and run multiple tests with a single piece tasted each time.

Works Cited

Fullion, Laurence & Arzai, Stacey (2002), Does organic food taste better? A claim substantiation approach. Nutrition & Food Science, 32(4): 153-157.

Padel, Susanne & Foster, Carolyn (2005), Exploring the gap between attitudes and behaviour: Understanding why…

Some of these nutrients are extremely valuable to humans, such as the salicylic acid that can be found in tomatoes and is the same chemical found in aspirin (orthington 990-991). Considering the benefits identified with aspirin use, who wouldn't rather get the same effects from a natural and pleasant tasting source instead of a bitter pill?

Not only can organic produce provide valuable nutrients better than traditional produce, but the absence of pesticides and other chemicals used on conventional farms is also a boon to the consumer. Synthetic chemical pesticides and herbicides have a notorious history of being dangerous carcinogens. The highest death rates in the United States of certain cancers can be found in the rural farming areas of the country. Migrant workers have also demonstrated abnormally high rates of cancer that have been shown to be linked to herbicide and pesticide use (Steingraber 64). If these substances are…

Works Cited

United States Department of Agriculture. Organic Food Standards and Labels. Brochure.

Dauncey, Guy. "Ten Reasons Why Organic Food is Better." Common Ground, April 2002: 17-19.

Worthington, Virginia. "The Effects of Agricultural Method on Nutritional Quality."

Alternative Therapies, 1998:4.

Food Choices in Australia Today

Consumers in many developed nations are experiencing a veritable epidemic of obesity, a trend that has been exacerbated both by an increasingly sedentary lifestyle as well as the types of foods that are consumed. Fast food and high fat content have also contributed to these trends, and the healthcare costs associated with treating obesity are enormous. Furthermore, unhealthy food choices during the formative years in early childhood can also result in a lifetime of weight-related problems, making the need to identify factors that influence food choices in a given setting a timely and important enterprise. To this end, this paper provides a discussion concerning three of the most important factors that have been identified by researchers as potentially influencing food choices in Australia households, which are food availability, individual preferences for flavor and taste and, increasingly, the environmentally responsible manner in which foods are produced.…

References

Bellisle, F. (2012, January 3). The determinants of food choice. EUFIC Review. Retrieved from  http://www.eufic.org/article/en/expid/review-food-choice/ .

Craig, L. (2005). The money or the care. Australian Journal of Social Issues, 40(4), 521-523.

Introduction. Contributors: Emma Costantino - author, Sian Supski - author. Journal Title: Journal of Australian Studies. Issue: 87. Publication Year: 2006. Page Number: 1+.

Grainger, C., Senauer, B. & Runge, C.F. (2007). Nutritional improvements and student food choices in a school lunch program. Journal of Consumer Affairs, 41(2), 265-267.

Foods Market Marketing Plan

Whole Foods Market, El Paso, Texas

Marketing Plan

The Whole Foods chain was founded in Austin, Texas during 1980, with just 19 employees and a single storefront. Today Whole Foods has grown to 310 stores throughout the United States and United Kingdom. The unique value proposition While Foods offers customers is the revolutionary concept of providing natural foods, locally grown and sourced from suppliers who can meet exacting requirements, free of artificial flavoring and preservatives. The mission of the company is summed up in the intersection of While Foods, Whole People and Whole Planet. The combining of these three elements is the cornerstone of the supply chain, sourcing, logistics, retailing and customer service success the company has achieved (Lewis, 2006). In defining the marketing plan for opening a While Foods Market in El Paso, Texas, the most critical success factors are to define the optimal product…

References

Beckeman, M., & Olsson, A. (2011). The role of swedish retailers in food innovations. The International Review of Retail, Distribution and Consumer Research, 21(1), 51.

LaMotta, L. (2006, Oct 30). Whole foods makes marketing move with animal-friendly labels. PRweek, 9(43), 9-9.

Lewis, H. (2006). Branding and marketing whole and natural food to 2012: Management briefing: The whole and natural food market to 2012. Bromsgrove, United Kingdom, Bromsgrove: Aroq Limited.

Fast Food Delivery

Green Bean Delivery delivers fresh produce to the door of customers who sign up for deliveries. So instead of purchasing produce (fruits, vegetables, dairies) from the grocery store (and not knowing where they come from -- Mexico, California, South America), Green Bean Delivery does all the work for you. The only question is: where do Green Bean's products come from? To find out, some investigative work was needed. This paper will show who is behind the produce that Green Bean Delivery delivers straight to the door of its customers, how it is produced, what goes into the process of growing, harvesting, transporting and preparing the items that are then sorted and shipped to customers.

The number one claim of Green Bean Delivery is that it uses organic produce and natural groceries to please its customers. This is a great claim and one that makes a lot of…

References

Claren, R. (2005). The Green Motel. Ms. Magazine.

Gottlieb, R., & Joshi, A. (2010). Food Justice. Cambridge, Mass: MIT Press.

Schlosser, E. (2012). Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal.

Boston: Mariner Books

Organics trip to the local grocery store will reveal that organic vegetables and fruits not only look better than their non-organic counterparts: they are in many cases also not that much more expensive. As a result, many mainstream supermarkets are starting to carry organic lines of produce, offering more choice to consumers. The Albertson's chain in ashington State recently started stocking shelves with organic coffee; UK food retail giant Safeway added organic meats to its shelves, all of which is locally produced. Increasing numbers of packaged foods are being made with organic ingredients and many of them don't cost more than non-organic counterparts. However, the organic food industry still has a long uphill battle to fight. Organic agriculture is a system of production that eliminates "the use of synthetic inputs, such as synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, veterinary drugs, genetically modified seeds and breeds, preservatives, additives and irradiation," replacing them with…

Works Cited

Albertsons and Equal Exchange Coffee Team Up To Please Consumers and Small Farmers." Equal Exchange. 29 Jan 2003. Online at  http://www.equalexchange.com/news_info/pr1.03.htm .

Cowley, Geoffrey. "Certified Organic." Newsweek. 30 Sept 2002.

Frequently Asked Questions About Organic Agriculture." FAO. Online at http://www.fao.org/organicag/fram11-e.htm.

Safeway Organic Meat is 100% Sourced." Eurofood. 15 Aug 2002. On FindArticles.com.  http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0DQA/is_2002_August_15/ai_90623214 .

Food

Genetically Modified Crops -- America says 'Yes' while the European Union and the Sudan says 'No!

Recently, the famine-stricken nation of the Sudan turned away an entire load of crops and seeds that could have filled the bellies of many of its hungry citizens. hy did it do so? as it madness? No, it was because of the fact that the products in question contained genetically modified crops. "Eat GM or Starve," said the United States, according to an association designed to prevent the introduction of GM crops into the international as well as the national food supply. (OCO, 2004) Proponents of these crops, however, pointed out that the genetic modifications were to make the crops more disease resistant and hardier to the harsh climates of the Sudan.

Genetically modified crops remain one of the most controversial agricultural issues today. Despite fears regarding the safety of these so-called franken-foods,…

Works Cited

Conference on Coexistence -- COC. (2004) Retrieved on September 20, 2004 at http://www.foeeurope.org/GMOs/conference/home.htm

U.S. bullying impoverished Sudan." (March 19, 2004) Organic Consumers Organization (OCO). Retrieved on September 20, 2004 at http://www.organicconsumers.org/ge/sudan031904.cfm

Food

Response

There are many different perceptions that people have towards their food. On one end of the spectrum "people live to eat" and they place a high value on the quality, taste, presentation, and the environmental factors that enhance or detract from their experience of their favorite meals. However, people on the other side of the spectrum, take more of an "eat to live" approach to their personal nutrition. People in this camp are focused more on the quantity, convenience, and potentially some of the health consequences of their meals. In my opinion, these two perspectives represent the poles of the spectrum in which there may be a variety of points that exist in between these two extremes. One article written by David Sedaris, "Tasteless," exemplifies something I believe is close to one end of the spectrum while another article written by Anthony Bourdain, "Food is Good," is in…

Works Cited

Bourdain, A. (N.d.). Food Is Good. Retrieved from The New Yorker.

Sedaris, D. (2007, September 3). Tasteless. Retrieved from The New Yorker:  http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2007/09/03/070903fa_fact_sedaris

Organic Pet Store

The legal and regulatory environment for an organic pet store is relatively straightforward, with limited regulations. All of the products must be approved by the FDA, which means that all suppliers need to go through this process (FDA, 2011). Food that is advertised as being organic must be certified as such, either through the USDA or the Oregon Tilth. No generic organic certification is allowed -- all products sold as organic in the store are subject to the regulatory process. There are few major influences in the global, economic and technological environment, although organic pet food demand may be correlated to consumer confidence and discretionary income measures. The economic environment is challenging, since the economy is presently growing slowly and consumer confidence is relatively low (Conference Board, 2011). That said, consumer spending is rising (BEA, 2011) as the result of high confidence levels among the upper 20%…

Works Cited:

BEA. (2011). Real personal consumption expenditures by type of product. Bureau of Economic Analysis. Retrieved December 1, 2011 from  http://www.bea.gov/iTable/iTable.cfm?ReqID=9&step=1&acrdn=2 

Conference Board. (2011). Consumer data. Conference Board. Retrieved December 1, 2011 from  http://www.conference-board.org/data/consumerdata.cfm 

FDA.gov. (2011). Pet food. Food & Drug Administration. Retrieved December 1, 2011 from  http://www.fda.gov/AnimalVeterinary/Products/AnimalFoodFeeds/PetFood/ucm2006475.htm 

QuickMBA. (2010). Porter's generic strategies QuickMBA.com. Retrieved December 1, 2011 from  http://www.quickmba.com/strategy/generic.shtml

Organic Pet Food

For the financial perspective, there should be targets for revenue, net income and contribution margin. Revenue is critical, because the company needs to bring in enough cash to conceivably run the business. Net income is profit, which is the objective of every business owner. Revenue target = $100,000 in the first year. Net income target = profit in the first year. Contribution margin is the amount of money that is left over after variable costs (in this case cost of goods sold) for the coverage of fixed costs. This target should be set at 20%, so as to leave some room for profit.

For the customer value perspective, three metrics are customer retention, customer satisfaction and brand recognition. Retention is a measure of how many customers are return customers. The target here can be 50% initially. Obviously return customers are critical for the long-term growth of the…

Food, Technology and Class

The digestive divide:

Food, technology, and class and the changing eating habits of Americans and people around the globe

Much has been written about the 'digital divide,' or the fact that poorer people tend to have less access to cutting-edge technology and are thus disenfranchised from many educational, vocational, and personal opportunities for self-improvement. However, this digital divide is also seen in the different eating habits of the social classes, only in reverse. Today, wealthier people have access to simpler, healthier food that requires less technology to produce. Once upon a time, bitter greens like arugula and fish like salmon were the foods of the poor while the rich dined on heavily spiced meats and alcohol. Today, the equation has been reversed. Wealthy people can afford to eat organic produce and wild-caught fish. But walk into any disadvantaged neighborhood and you will find a bodega that…

References

Blatt, Harvey. (2008). America's food: What you don't know about what you eat.

Cambridge, MA, USA: MIT Press, 2008.

Mintz, Stanley. (1986). Sweetness and power. Penguin.

Winne, Mark. (2008). Closing the food gap. Boston, MA, USA: Beacon Press.

Energy moves between producers and consumers/decomposers, and the nutrients from soil or air (minerals, etc.) move into the producers and the consumers. All are linked together, regardless of the biome, but food levels have tropic levels and positions. This starts with a basal species that feeds on no other living creature, then moves up to where something consumes something else in order to survive:

(Yellow line is transfer of energy; red arrow is transfer of nutrients).

Simple Biome Food Web of an Arctic shore area

1. Within our example, the primary producers are the zooplankton and phytoplankton which are consumed in part by every other animal in the food web except the top carnivore. The top consumers are the carnivores (polar bears, orca) that subsist on the top mammal and bird consumers (seals, walruses, penguins). This level also consumes the fish level, but also, at times the crustacean (D) levels.…

How Fast Food Restaurants are Reacting to the Shift to More Organic Foods:
To remain competitive, fast food restaurants have had to turn to
innovative products, often redeveloping their product lines, to meet the
changing demands of consumers for organic foods specifically, and healthier
foods in general. The demand for organic foods has been the mechanism for
industry evolution. As noted, McDonalds phased out their supersize menu
items, in response to society's growing health concerns. In addition,
they've begun to offer more healthy menu choices, such as low-fat items and
fresh salads, to their customers, as well as promoting healthy lifestyles
in their marketing campaigns. In the New England area, McDonald's even
replaced their coffee with Newman's Own Organic blend, in an attempt to
take further advantage of more organically-discriminating tastes of
consumers. This move has been well-received in the region[18]. In
addition, new fast food restaurants are being introduced…

Bibliography
Abelson, J., "An Overarching Goal: Innovation," Boston Globe (September 24,
2006): E2 (database online); available from ProQuest, ProQuest ID:
1136409491.
Brunning, R. "Organic Fast-Food Restaurant to Open in Boulder," Knight
Ridder Tribune (October 12, 2006): 1 (database online); available from
ProQuest, ProQuest ID: 1157712541.
"Fast Food in the United States." Market Line (August 2005) Database
online. Available from Datamonitor.

A report by Elliot (2009) also refers to other positive aspects of organically grown food. "…research found higher level of antioxidants -- which help the body to combat cancer and cardiovascular disease -- in organic foods" (Elliot, 2009).

In the final analysis it seems from the literature that there is overwhelming evidence to link pesticides in food with serious health issues and problems in children. This is especially critical with regard to very young children who may suffer from cancer and developmental problems as a result of exposure to food that has been contaminated by chemical pesticides. This leads to the recommendation that more should be done by the health authorities to ensure that young children in particular are not exposed to food that may be detrimental to their health.

eferences

Bunin G. ( 2000) What Causes Childhood Brain Tumors? Limited Knowledge, Many

Clues. Pediatric Neurosurgery, 32, pp. 321-326

Cancer…

References

Bunin G. ( 2000) What Causes Childhood Brain Tumors? Limited Knowledge, Many

Clues. Pediatric Neurosurgery, 32, pp. 321-326

Cancer Patients found to have Higher Pesticide Residues in Body. Retrieved from  http://www.chem-tox.com/cancerchildren/#residues 

Elliott, V. (2009) Organic food 'no better for health than factory-farmed food' says report.

USDA Certified in Organic Beef on a Family Owned anch

Becoming a certified organic farmer is an expensive and time-intensive process, and, accordingly, a significant decision for any small farmer. The problem is to understand the process by which a family owned ranch could become USDA certified for organic beef. What are the necessary steps and important factors to consider from beginning the process to marketing to retailers?

Understanding USDA Organic

The government-managed organic food certification program is USDA Organic. Within this certification system, organic food production follows guidelines laid out in the Organic Foods Production-Act of 1990 and amended according to Public Law 109-97, Nov. 10, 2005. These regulations take into consideration site-specific conditions "integrating cultural, biological, and mechanical practices that foster cycling of resources, promote ecological balance, and conserve biodiversity." (USDA Agricultural Marketing Service, 2011) Included in OFPA are rules for farm planning, livestock handling, use of pesticides…

References

Certified Naturally Grown. (2011). Retrieved 5-17, 2011, from CNG:  http://www.naturallygrown.org/ 

MOSES. (2008). Local and Organic, Not an Either/Or Issue Fact Sheet.

MOSES. (2008). Transitioning to Organic Beef Production Fact Sheet.

Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education. (2010). Grants Information / Grants / SARE Nationwide. (USDA, Producer) Retrieved 5-17, 2011, from SARE Grant Information:  http://www.sare.org/Grants/Grants-Information

Even if not organic, they have the sustainability marketing advantage of being positioned as more 'local'

Competition

Internationally, there is a great deal of competition in the international organic wine market. Germany has made a substantial investment in growing its product, and the German government was one of the first to invest in organic wine production, followed by France, Spain, and the United Kingdom (Worldwide organic wine consumption on increase, 2010, Wines from Spain).

Product offering

Kudler's wines are known for their accessibility, as are most California wines, in general. A New World wine source that is now in competition with many European wines for quality and diversity, "international demand for California wines continues to grow rapidly. In almost 20 years, exports have increased from $35 million in 1985 to a record $808 million in 2004. This is an average increase of almost 20% per year (Welcome to the Golden…

References

Eco-friendly. (2005). California Wines. Retrieved November 26, 2010 at http://www.california-wine.org/webfront/base.asp?pageid=15

Going organic: Growing demand, tougher regulations. But is it better for you? (2009, June 29).

Canadian Broadcasting Company (CBC). Retrieved November 26, 2010 at  http://www.cbc.ca/consumer/story/2008/05/07/f-food-organic.html#ixzz16QpIoxhS 

O'Dell, Susan. (2009, January). Wine Strategy. National Export Working Group and Foreign

Another important factor for Italy is the fact that, although the food and beverage market is shrinking, certain geographic areas in the country are experiencing a lack of this service. This can be used to perpetuate the public perception of scarcity, which can then be mitigated by Kudler's products. In creating a communications strategy for Italy, the two main factors to focus on are therefore nice markets, specific brands and specific geographic areas where the perception of scarcity can be used to sell products (Aruvian 2010).

Advertising and Promotion Programs

Three distinct channels that can be used by marketers for maximum effect include the sales channel, the product channel, and the service channel (Kwik 2009). Specifically, what

Kudler needs to do in its target countries is to differentiate its products in the target markets. In Canada, for example, it needs to specifically differentiate its wines. Although there is an underserved…

References

Alvin, E. (2010). Italy may run out of grocery stores. Accessed 5 December 2010.  http://ffog.net/italy-may-run-out-of-grocery-stores-in-2016-20105742.html 

Aruvian, R. (2010). Food retail industry in Italy. Accessed 5 December 2010.  http://www.reportlinker.com/p0199296/Food-Retail-Industry-in-Italy-PEST-Framework-Analysis.html 

Datamonitor. (2010). Food and Grocery Sales via Key Retail Formats in Italy to 2013.  http://www.just-drinks.com/market-research/food-and-grocery-sales-via-key-retail-formats-in-italy-to-2013_id91649.aspx 

Kwik, H. (2009). Channel strategy. http://responsiblemarketing.com/blog/2009/10/27/channel-strategy-new-product-marketin

sustainability foods eaten humans impact environment. hich foods highest impact environment? hich foods smallest? hy? How, individuals, make decisions-based data? Should information shape public policy? If, ?.

There is presently much controversy regarding sustainability and the diverse strategies people could use with the purpose of getting actively involved in helping the environment. The modern society has seven billion individuals and it is important for the authorities to be able to provide for the needs of these people. A great deal of crops and livestock are raised around the world and dominate most rural landscapes. However, the masses know very little regarding how these resources damage the environment as a result of synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides and methane gas.

Traditional agriculture has developed into industrial agriculture as society started to express more and more interest in experiencing progress when considering food production. Scientists have started to introduce additives as a means…

Works cited:

Koch, Bernhard A., and Askeland, Bjarte, "Damage Caused by Genetically Modified Organisms: Comparative Survey of Redress Options for Harm to Persons, Property, Or the Environment," (Walter de Gruyter, 14.10.2010)

"the issues," Retrieved October 15, 2012, from the Sustainable Table Website: http://www.sustainabletable.org/issues/

" (Guelph Food Technology Centre, 2008) This report additionally relates four "meta trends" in the packing industry which are those of:

1) Convenience;

2) Health and wellness;

3) Upscale experiences; and 4) Sustainability. (Guelph Food Technology Centre, 2008)

The work entitled: "Generational Change and Marketing Indicators" states that five decades ago "when supermarkets were 'stores of the future' retailers and manufacturers pretty much knew where to find their customers. Food came from food stores; drugs from drug stores and cooked meals were consumed at drive-in or sit-down restaurants." (Mogelonsky, nd) it is important to know where shoppers intend to buy their food today. Generation Y, at a total population of 72 million, is an important consideration for marketers. Potato chip shopping including tortilla chips and pretzels are stated to "round out the top three snack categories, with household penetration rates of 76 and 62% respectively." (Mogelonsky, nd)) Also noted is…

Bibliography

Ramierz, Andrea (2008)Leveraging Consumer Megatrends National Association of College & University Food Services. Online available at  http://www.nacufs.org/i4a/pages/Index.cfm?pageID=4425 

Sloan, a. Elizabeth (2005) Top 10 Global Food Trends. Food Technology April 2005 Vol. 59 No. 4.

How to Connect with Generation Y (2007) Times Online. 20 May 2007. Online available at  http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/career_and_jobs/recruiter_forum/article1813031.ece 

Generation Y: Graduates Who Dare to Demand More (2008) University of Liverpool. Online available at  http://www.liv.ac.uk/news/features/generation-y.htm

American Food Uses and Abuses

The uses and abuses of food in America are becoming clearer everyday mostly because we can no longer avoid the obvious concerns about the public's poor dietary health and obesity. This concern is leading us as a nation to take a closer look at our love of fast foods and the alternative ways for us to gain access to easy and convenient food that may or may not be healthier. It turns out that even as we look to organic or locally produced food, we cannot get away from safety and health considerations. The fact is that America's food preferences are tied closely to what it means to be an American and this often means they are tied to us using ingredients that are often first about simplicity and profits (Corporate Accountability, 2011).

We know that a good deal of what we eat is processed…

REFERENCES

CDC (2011). Listeriosis. Timeline of Events: Multistate Outbreak of Listeriosis Linked to Whole Cantaloupes from Jensen Farms, Colorado. Viewable at  http://www.cdc.gov/listeria/outbreaks/cantaloupes-jensen-farms/120811/timeline.html .

Corporate Accountability International (2011). Health Effects of Fast Food. Viewable at  http://www.stopcorporateabuse.org/health-effects-fast-food .

Honey (2011). Honey.com. National Honey Board. Viewable at  http://www.honey.com/nhb/technical/ .

Let's Move (2011). America's Move to Raise a Healthier Generation of Kids. Viewable at http://www.letsmove.gov/eat-healthy.

98 million farmers. It is reported that in a review of sustainable agriculture projects findings show that "average food production per household increased by 1.71 tons per year (up 73%) for 4.42 million farmers on 3.58 million hectares, bringing food security and health benefits to local communities. Increasing agricultural productivity has been shown to also increase food supplies and raise incomes, thereby reducing poverty, increasing access to food, reducing malnutrition and improving health and livelihoods." (Independent Science Panel, 2003) Sustainable agriculture results in low-cost and readily available food resources being gained by consumers since organic food is safer. Specifically it is reported that: "Sustainable agricultural approaches draw extensively on traditional and indigenous knowledge, and place emphasis on the farmers' experience and innovation. This thereby utilizes appropriate, low-cost and readily available local resources as well as improves farmers' status and autonomy, enhancing social and cultural relations within local communities." (Independent Science…

Bibliography

What Are Transgenic Plants? (2010) Transgenic Crops: An Introduction and Resource Guide.

Department of Soil and Crop Sciences, Colorado State University 1999-2004. Online available at' http://www.cls.casa.colostate.edu/TransgenicCrops/what.html

Melton, Margaret and Rissler, Jane (2009) Environmental Effects of Genetically Modified Food Crops -- Recent Experiences. Union of Concerned Scientists: Food and Agriculture. Online available at:  http://www.ucsusa.org/food_and_agriculture/science_and_impacts/impacts_genetic_engineering/environmental-effects-of.html 

Raney, Terri ( 2006) Economic Impact of Transgenic Crops in Developing Countries. Opinion in Biotechnology 2006, 17:1-5. Online available at:  http://www.agbioworld.org/pdf/raney.pdf

Purchase of Organic Food in Germany and Italy

Descriptive Statistics

Answering the esearch

Understanding the Term Organic

The Impact of Understanding on Purchase Decisions

Education and the Purchase Decision

Education and Attitudes

Culture and the Purchase of Organic Food

Culture and the Attitude to Organic Food

Evaluation

The research was conducted with a sample of 50 respondents; 20 in Germany and 30 in Italy. Only questionnaires which were fully completed included in the findings analysis. All respondents were either solely or jointly responsible for the purchase of groceries was in their household. This binding section starts with a presentation of the descriptive statistics for the samples in both countries, before moving on to an examination of the various questions which guided the research, and a testing of the hypotheses assessing the impact of education on attitudes towards organic food and intention to purchase, and cultural differences between those residing in…

References

Curwin, J., & Slater, R. (2006). Quantitative Methods for Business Decisions. London: Thompson Business Press.

de Vaus, D. (2013). Surveys In Social Research. Abingdon: Routledge.

Hofstede, G. (2005). Culture's Consequences: Comparing Values, Behaviors, Institutions and Organizations Across Nations. London: Sage.

Russell Sage Foundation. (2016). Percentage of Population of Select Countries with a Batchelors Degree. Retrieved from  http://www.russellsage.org/sites/default/files/Fig10_Comparative_hires_0.png

Whole Foods Market

Significant key points

Key financial indicators

Graph of sales growth from year 2002 until 2011.

Opportunities

Threats

Strengths

Weakness

SWOT and TWOS analysis

TOWS Strategic Alternatives Matrix

Pros and Cons

Implementation

Evaluation and control

The Whole Foods Market is a progressive and focused corporation with presence in three developed markets including U.S., United Kingdom, and Canada. The company has achieved growth since its inception. The increasing market share of the company has enabled it to expand in international markets. The company envisions becoming global leader in organic and natural foods market. The competitors in the sector are large stores, supermarkets, and retail outlets with increased presence. The product range of these companies includes a number of related products along with the natural and organic foods.

The company requires maintaining its double digit growth strategy and aims to expand in global market. However the cost of natural and…

References:

Form 10-K. United States Securities and Exchange Commission, (2011). Form 10-k annual report pursuant to section 13 or 15(d) of the securities exchange act of 1934. Retrieved from Whole Foods Market website:  http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com /sites/default/files/media/Global/Company Info/PDFs/2011_10K.pdf

Hitt, M.A., Ireland, R.D., & Hoskisson, R.E. (2012). Strategic Management Cases: Competitiveness and Globalization. USA: South-Western Pub.

Lederer, M., Schott, P., Huber, S., & Kurz, M. (2013). Strategic Business Process Analysis: A Procedure Model to Align Business Strategy with Business Process Analysis Methods. In S-BPM ONE-Running Processes (pp. 247-263). New York: Springer.

Ngai, E. (2009). RFID in operations and supply chain management: research and applications, edited by T. Blecker and GQ Huang.

he new organic smoothie can be made out of the same fruits as regular smoothies commercialized by Orange Julius.

he objectives of the marketing plan and marketing strategies include: increasing the market share by 10%, increasing sales by 12%, developing the image for the new organic smoothie, and expanding the company's overall image.

As mentioned above, more and more people turn to organic food, which means the company must take advantage of this market expansion period. Even more, after the new organic smoothie will be strongly established in customers' buying preferences, it is recommended that the company develops other types of organic food.

When launching a new product, the marketing mix is very i8mportant, as well as controlling the launch and the immediate period. he target market for the new organic smoothie is consisted of individuals aged 14-60, with medium income, medium to high education, health oriented. It is recommended…

The Morning Berry Smoothie (2008). Organic Eating Daily. Retrieved July 26, 2008 at  http://organiceatingdaily.com/organic-beverages/morning-berry-smoothie/ .

Smoothies - Your Best Fast Food Alternative (2008). Retrieved July 26, 2008 at http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/Smoothies-Your-Best--Fast-Food -- Alternative/107809.

Yogurt and smoothie opportunities are booming, says Dairy Innovation Forum 2005 speaker (2005). Dairy Management Inc. Retrieved July 26, 2008 at http://www.innovatewithdairy.com/InnovateWithDairy/Articles/Articles_DBV2_081505.htm.

One food blogger, comparing the price of organic crackers noted that "Carr's crackers were only $3.79 at Whole Foods" but "$4.39 at Haight Street Market, $4.25 at Say Cheese" in her area (Levin 2011).

This seems to be a wise strategy for Whole Foods, given that it cannot compete on price without sacrificing its core values. "There has been much consolidation in the supermarket industry in recent years. The surviving players have realized that they cannot be all things to all people. Instead, they are attempting to do the things they do best better than their competition" (Inlay 2006). In contrast, SuperValu's strategy has been to expand as swiftly as possible and offer value-based savings on a wide variety of goods, including fuel and pharmaceutical items as well as foods. It acquired the Albertson's grocery chain (another mega-store), further increasing its outreach across the nation.

One of the dangers of…

References

Hughlett, Mike. (2011, January 6). SuperValu to close stores. Star Tribune. Retrieved March 25,

2011 at  http://www.startribune.com/business/113050249.html?elr=KArks:DCiU1OiP:DiiUiacyKUnciaec8O7EyUr 

Imlay, Thom. (2006, May). Challenges in today's U.S. supermarket industry.

Microsoft retail and hospitality. Retrieved March 25, 2011 at  http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa479076.aspx#chlussprmrkt_topic1

Strategic eview

Whole Foods Market is one of the top retail stores dealing with organic and natural foods in the United States. The company operates and owns a chain of organic and natural foods supermarkets across the United States and Canada. In essence, the company has been able to reach large number of customer by operating through several subsidiaries, and Whole Foods is the first company in the United States to be awarded the first "Certified Organic" grocer. Whole Foods Market was incorporated in 1978 and started the organic and natural foods business in 1980. Within the last 35 years of its operations, the company has become the largest retailer in the organic and natural foods. The success that the company has enjoyed over the years makes the Whole Foods and ABC Company considering integrating their business portfolios.

Objective of this report is to provide a top-notch advice to the…

Reference

Annual Report (2013). Whole Foods 2013 Annual Report. USA

Morning Star (2014). Whole Foods Financial Ratios. USA.

Kudler Marketing

esource: Kudler Fine Foods Virtual Organization

The importance of marketing: Kudler Fine Foods

The food business is a very volatile industry. ecently, there have been several favorable trends that could possibly work in Kudler Fine Foods' favor: a trend towards buying more organic food, and an interest in exotic and imported goods. Consumers are more concerned than ever with the ingredients and history of what they consume. "Organic food retail sales reached an estimated $10.3 billion in 2003, up from $3.5 billion in 1997" (Dimitri & Oberholzer). However, because prices of organic foods tend to be higher than those of standard-grown products, demand can be volatile, particularly during an economic downturn. When people are concerned about affording basic necessities, buying organic is less important to them. Kudler must use marketing research to determine if demand for organics is continuing to grow at a rapid pace, or is leveling…

References

Demand for ethnic and international foods reflects a changing America. (2005). Frozen Food

Digest. Retrieved:  http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Demand+for+ethnic+and+international+foods+reflects+a+changing+America.-a0134387845 

Dimitri, Carolyn & Lydia Oberholzer. (2005). Organic price premiums remain high.

Amber Waves. Retrieved:  http://www.ers.usda.gov /' target='_blank' REL='NOFOLLOW'>

In the case of Wal-Mart, Kellogg, and other companies that have introduced organic versions of processed foods, organic often seems more like a marketing technique, not a seal of health.

No matter how carefully I avoided using the word 'organic' when I spoke to groups of food enthusiasts about how to eat better, someone in the audience would inevitably ask, What if I can't afford to buy organic food? It seems to have become the magic cure-all, synonymous with eating well, healthfully, sanely, even ethically, he complains (Bittman 2009). Organic food has become synynonmous with health and a high price, and so health and high prices have become interrelated in the public's mind. Rather than enhance the public's desire to purchase healthy food, not being able to afford organic produce has become kind of an excuse -- 'I can't afford to buy organic, so why bother.'

Organic food is not…

"No matter how carefully I avoided using the word 'organic' when I spoke to groups of food enthusiasts about how to eat better, someone in the audience would inevitably ask, "What if I can't afford to buy organic food?" It seems to have become the magic cure-all, synonymous with eating well, healthfully, sanely, even ethically," he complains (Bittman 2009). Organic food has become synynonmous with health and a high price, and so health and high prices have become interrelated in the public's mind. Rather than enhance the public's desire to purchase healthy food, not being able to afford organic produce has become kind of an excuse -- 'I can't afford to buy organic, so why bother.'

Organic food is not inherently 'bad' -- but nor is it inherently, automatically good. "The truth is that most Americans eat so badly -- we get 7% of our calories from soft drinks, more than we do from vegetables; the top food group by caloric intake is 'sweets'; and one-third of nation's adults are now obese -- that the organic question is a secondary one. it's not unimportant, but it's not the primary issue in the way Americans eat," says Bittman (Bittman 2009). Calorie and energy balance is more important in the question of what is making Americans obese than whether the food individuals are eating is organic. Americans are eating too much, and eating too much processed food and sugar. Focusing on whether an apple is organic is a side issue. Americans each consume an average of nearly two pounds a day of animal products, and were we to switch to two pounds of organic, grass-fed beef; it is hard to believe that we would be any healthier, given such levels of overconsumption (Bittman 2009).

So eat unprocessed food -- but your spinach and potatoes don't have to be bought at Whole Foods, or be unnecessarily costly. These are the personal choices all of us should be making, not obsessing about an organic label. Additionally, for personal and organizational advocates of improving the American diet, shifting the stress from organic food to real food is important. People should not feel as if eating better requires them to 'break their banks.' Eating healthfully and in an environmentally sustainable way requires relying upon good common sense, not looking for a government seal.

1. Introduction

Whole Food Market Inc. (WFM) is one of America’s largest food products supermarket chain. The company refers to itself as “America’s healthiest grocery store” and submits that its food products are “the finest natural and organic foods available” (WFM, 2017). The foods the company stocks are largely devoid of hydrogenated fats, artificial preservatives, sweeteners, and flavors.

2. Current Strategic Position

2.1 Mission, Vision, and Values

The company’s culture is founded on eight core values. These include:
a. Sale of high quality natural and organic products
b. Satisfaction, delightment, and nourishment of customers
c. Support for team member excellence and happiness
d. Creation of wealth through profits and growth
e. Service and support for the local and global communities
f. Practice and advancement of environmental stewardship
g. Creation of ongoing win-win partnerships with suppliers
h. Promotion of the health of stakeholders through healthy eating education

2.2 Performance

Over the…

Strategic Review -- Whole Foods

Organizational diagnosis of Whole Foods, Inc. involved environmental and institutional analyses. The environmental analysis involved categories of political, economic, social, technological, geographical, community relation and informal sector network, seeking to discern opportunities and threats. The institutional analysis involved categories of organizational role & profile; membership; programs and services; resources and capabilities; management systems; and external links, seeking to discern strengths and weaknesses. The combined environmental and institutional analysis and their charted results the Company's nature and interactions for more fluid integration of Whole Foods, Inc. into ABC Company.

Body

Environmental Analysis

Analyzing the external forces affecting Whole Foods to see the options open to the Company (ffw.org.ph, n.d.), one can see significant opportunities and threats to the Company.

Political

Whole Foods arket, IP.LP is a U.S. based supermarket specializing in natural and organic foods and having 300+ stores in the United States, Canada and the…

Membership and other beneficiaries of Whole Food's activities (ffw.org.ph, n.d.) are extensive. Whole Foods employs more than 80,000 people in its 300+ stores and supporting businesses (Whole Foods Market, IP.LP, 2014). In addition, Whole Foods' involvement in local and global communities, with suppliers and distributors and with its customers in the U.S., Canada and the United Kingdom give Whole Foods considerable impact as the largest retailer of fresh organic food (Whole Foods Market, IP.LP, 2014). Simultaneously, interacting with that large a "membership" causes considerable headaches for the Company: some of its members have reacted with criticisms, boycotts and lawsuits due to the Company's heavy-handed treatment of smaller competitors (Shaywitz, 2013), its unabashed pro-business conservative stance (Berman, 2013), it anti-unionism (Shaywitz, 2013), its knowing illegal sale of products high in carcinogens (Baldas, 2008) and for overcharging California customers (Li, 2014).

3) Programs and Services

Whole Foods engages in unique and notable objectives and activities to assist its constituencies (ffw.org.ph, n.d.). The Company practices "conscious capitalism," intent on maximizing profits, while engaging in: "community giving" by donating food and money to local and global communities; "Whole Planet Foundation" which seeks to create economic partnerships in developing countries with micro-credit loans and other tangible support for community partnership projects;

profiled for this exercise are Whole Foods and Trader Joe's. Whole Foods is based in Texas and has spread across the country as a retailer of organic, gourmet and natural foods. The company has expanded into Canada and the United Kingdom. Whole Foods also made a major move in the United States when it acquired Wild Oats, which was its major competitor at the time. The deal ran into trouble with the Federal Trade Commission but was ultimately allowed to go through, since there is nothing stopping other grocery stores from selling the same type of foods (Gogoi, 2007).

Trader Joe's is a competitor to Whole Foods, but one that remains only in the United States and it has typically expanded by building new stores. The company does not just have natural foods but it competes for roughly the same customer base as Whole Foods, and most customers of one…

References

CBC. (2013). Trader Joe's loses fight with Vancouver's Pirate Joe's. Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved June 3, 2014 from  http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/trader-joe-s-loses-fight-with-vancouver-s-pirate-joe-s-1.1912400 

Gogoi, P. (2007). No Wild Oats for Whole Foods? Business Week. Retrieved June 3, 2014 from  http://www.business week.com/stories/2007-06-06/no-wild-oats-for-whole-foods-businessweek-business-news-stock-market-and-financial-advice

Loeb, W. (2012). Aldi's Trader Joe's is a winner. Forbes. Retrieved June 3, 2014 from  http://www.forbes.com/sites/walterloeb/2012/05/17/aldis-trader-joes-is-a-winner/ 

Moore, A. (2007). Whole Foods to acquire rival Wild Oats. MarketWatch. Retrieved June 3, 2014 from  http://www.marketwatch.com/story/correct-whole-foods-to-acquire-rival-wild-oats-for-565-million

Situation Analysis

Marketing to Millennials is important. The problem has been that they have been ignored and instead, their parents were the ones that were a market to for many years. This is significant since parenthood is altering the way millennials have been interacting with products and how they pick the products. Before they had children, millennials were particularly more likely to purchase brands that they looked at as having amazing quality. This was regardless of the value. They now put a greater stress on convenience and price in comparison to other features when ordering for themselves. Kraft Canada wants to come up with a way to not just market to the parents, but also to their children in a way that is effective and that can be traded in a way that is appealing (Kraft Foods Canada:Targeting The Millennials 2014). It is evident to the company that such transitions…

Segmentation

Whole Foods is a grocery retailer. They operate in a single operating segment according to their Form 10-K, which is "natural and organic food supermarkets." Within this single business, there are multiple customer segments that Whole Foods seeks to serve. Using different segmentation methods, such as demographic, psychographic, geographic and behavioral, this paper will seek to better understand how Whole Foods is segmenting the grocery market. The company's positioning can be understood in the context of its mission statement: "…devoted to the promotion of organically grown foods, healthy eating and the sustainability of our entire ecosystem." There are hints in there about the nature of Whole Foods' business. Implicit in this is also the reality that natural and organic foods are often more expensive to produce, and as a result cost more at the retail level.

Geographic

Probably the easiest of Whole Foods' segmentation to tackle is the geographic…

References

Jargon, J. (2013). Whole Foods' battle for the organic shopper. Wall Street Journal. Retrieved May 23, 2014 from  http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424127887323455104579015162135676136 

NMI. (2005). Whole Foods Market Price/Value study. Natural Marketing Institute. Retrieved May 23, 2014 from  http://andeeknutson.com/studies/Shoppers%20and%20Products/7_NMIWFMWholePaycheckValuePriceReport_2006.ppt 

Whole Foods 10-K. 2012. Retrieved May 23, 2014 from  http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com /sites/default/files/media/Global/Company%20Info/PDFs/WFM_2012_10K.pdf' target='_blank' REL='NOFOLLOW'>

Consume Behavio: Puchasing Local Baby Food vs. Impoted Baby Food in Ethiopia

Liteatue Review Desciption

A systematic eview of the liteatue is povided in this chapte in ode to develop infomed and timely answes to the study's guiding eseach questions and to confim o efute its guiding hypothesis. In this egad, Faenkel and Wallen (2001, p. 48) advise that, "Reseaches find out what has aleady been witten about the topic they ae inteested in [by] investigating the opinions of expets in the field and othe eseach studies. Such eading is efeed to as a eview of the liteatue." Likewise, Gatton and Jones (2003) epot that a well-conducted eview of the liteatue epesents an essential pat of vitually any type of scholaly eseach poject today. Fo example, Gatton and Jones (2003, p. 51) note that, "No matte how oiginal you think the eseach question may be, it is almost cetain that…

references for foreign and domestic products." Journal of Consumer Marketing, Vol. 16, No. 2, pp. 151-162.

Kucukemiroglu, O. (1997, March). "Market segmentation by using consumer lifestyle dimensions and ethnocentrism: An empirical study." European Journal of Marketing, Vol. 33, No. 5-6, pp. 470-491.

"Lifestyle definition." (2016). Business Dictionary. [online] available:  http://www.business  dictionary.com/definition/lifestyle.html.

"Lifestyle definition." (2016). Dictionary.com. [online] available:  http://www.dictionary.com/browse/lifestyle .

"Lifestyle definition." (2016). Merriam-Webster. [online] available:  http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lifestyle .

Take trail mix... It is an energetic, "idealized" snack food. This comes primarily from the target populations the manufacturer focuses it is marketing. Other channels for influence include consumers looking for "quick" fixes, such as families looking for fast and fun food. It would be interesting to explore the link marketing of "fast" snack products such as this have on families with young children, and compare this with the influence the product had on the political and behavioral habits and beliefs of the college students consuming it.

Lastly, symbolic systems help us better understand how products are systematically introduced and marketed to consumers. This helps shapes attitudes and beliefs. Also important to note however, as learned in class, is whether societies tend to accept or reject certain items even if marketed well. For example, oark (2007) noted that in many cultures certain foods or animals are taboo. Consider for a…

References

Chex Mix Peanut Lovers" Taquitos.Net (2007), Reviewed 7, June, 2007:

 http://www.taquitos.net/snacks.php?snack_code=1759 .

Coen Flynn, Karen. Food, Culture, and Survival in an African City, New York,

NY: Palgrave MacMillan, 2005.

Culture

Food History of North America Cuisine

What is the geographical location of North America and why it would have an effect on the North America cuisine? (i.e., what is the weather condition in North America and does that play an affect as to why they eat the foods they eat and what foods do they eat mostly).

North America is a vast area that has many different geographical areas and so, they have an amazing affect on the food that North Americans eat. The long shorelines provide every kind of seafood from Alaskan king crab to Maine Lobster. The interior of North America is made up of prairie, both in the U.S. And Canada, and it is fertile, flat soil that is easily farmed. The area provides food to the entire world.

Because the area is so vast, the weather is different throughout North America, and influences the foods…

References

Jones, Oakah L. "5 / Hacia El Norte! The Spanish Entrada into North America, 1513-1549." North American Exploration: A New World Disclosed. Ed. John Logan Allen. Vol. 1. Lincoln, NE: University of Nebraska Press, 1997. 241-291.

Kupperman, Karen Ordahl. "7 / A Continent Revealed: Assimilation of the Shape and Possibilities of North America's East Coast, 1524-1610." North American Exploration: A New World Disclosed. Ed. John Logan Allen. Vol. 1. Lincoln, NE: University of Nebraska Press, 1997. 344-399.

Sutherland, Amy. Cookoff: Recipe Fever in America. New York: Penguin Books, 2003.

Tannahill, Reay. Food in History. New York, Crown Publishers, 1988.

In terms of product line the similarities are only identified in terms of a large business segment namely food production industry. The business line of Dean Foods is milk and dairy and Kellogg is focused on cereals and related processed foods. Seaboard and Tyson has similarities in their business segment in relation to meet processing of pork. However Seaboard is pursuing a diversified portfolio in relation to wheat, sugar, and citrus. Whereas the business diversification of Tyson is in meat chicken, poultry, and other portion-based food segments. The overall industry holds a large number of businesses and all four companies have a different business segment. Hence the similarities for business line are not advisable.

The Industry however faces similar political, economic, social, legal, environmental, and technological environments to certain degree. The micro and macro environmental effects of economy are experienced in the industry thorough out the corporations. The companies are…

References:

Dean Foods. (2012, February 27). Recap: 2011 Annual Report. Retrieved from deanfoods.com:  http://www.deanfoods.com/media/55677/df_2011_annualreport.pdf 

 http://www.seaboardcorp.com/wp-content/uploads/downloads/2013/03/2012-CLEAN-Printer-version.pdf 

Kellogg Co. (2012). About Kellogg Company. Retrieved 04-01, 2013, from Kelloggs.com:  http://www.kelloggcompany.com/en_US/our-heritage.html 

Seaboard Corporation. (2012). Seaboard Corporation 2012 Annual Report.Retrieved March 29, 2013.

Organic Agriculture, Gardening and Retail

Organic Gardening

Global Emerging Industry

The purpose of this work is to explore the feasibility of entering into the industry of either retail of organic food or perhaps the possible agricultural realm of the organic food industry. This work will examine all aspects of the organic food industry in brief as well as exploring the marketing possibilities as well as the financial report of a sampling of those doing business within this industry.

Organic food products are growing in terms of customer demand and that is good news for those in the business and indeed for those who desire to see this industry expand which will offer more choices in health wise consumption to consumers as well as providing employment for those who may be otherwise considered non-employable due to educational limitations and finally this industry may very well provide at least some of the…

Bibliography:

10 Reasons to Buy Local Food (2004) [Online] available at:  http://www.mariquita.com/articles/10reasons.local.htm 

Whole Food Market Investor Relations [Online] located at:  http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com /investor/fiscal04highlights.html

United States Department of Agriculture (2004) (USDA) News Release No. 0423.04[Online] available at:  http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/p/s.70a/7010B?contentidonly=true& ; contentid=

Whole Foods Market: Our History [Online] available at:

This is very important because it proves how the company has achieved organizational effectiveness through very simple, yet very effective motivational tools, such as the constant promotion of organic and healthy foods in a variety of forms and from a variety of companies.

Of course, with specific respect to its employees the company also utilizes tools such as benefits and rewards or recognition. One of the benefits of working at Whole Foods is that a person will be trained from the beginning of his or her career. Due to the environment of the store, all people are friendly, and it is truly a joy to go there, as it is bright, well-organized, and pleasant. On a more technical aspect, however, the company provides employee benefits as well.

The company provides a full page on its website (detailed below), as to what it does exactly to make its employees happy. f…

In order to do this, it is imperative for one to go to the store and observe the interactions. Often times, the management is not present for example, and employees have no guidance. One must note such instances, as well as instances when the customer was being helped properly or otherwise. Furthermore, studies upon this topic must also be conducted, especially due to the fact that Whole Foods is such a great entity. It is imperative to see whether its products are truly organic and safe for consumers to buy and whether Whole Foods could benefit from more oversight. These are all ideas for future studies.

List taken from: Whole Foods Market: Company History (2011). Retrieved from:  http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com /company/history.php

Whole Foods Market: Whole Foods Market Benefits (2011). Retrieved from:

Fast food is a phenomenon that has become part of the American way of life during the past few decades. However the convenience of fast foods has resulted in major health issues in the country, as well as in the rest of the world. The prevalence of fast food in American society is evident from the fact that "Americans now spend more money on fast food than they do on higher education, personal computers, software or new cars. They spend more on fast food than on movies, books, magazines, newspapers, videos and recorded music ? combined." (Schlosser Eric. 1998)

It is now become common news that obesity has become a major health concern in both developed "Westernized" and less developed countries around the world. One of the major factors that have been blamed for this increase in obesity and obesity related diseases is fast food -- often termed 'junk food."…

Bibliography

Adams. M. The real reason why processed meats are so dangerous to your health. 2005. Accessed August 25, 2005.  http://www.newstarget.com/011148.html 

(This is an extremely useful article as it covers some of the main reasons why fast food products are detrimental to health. The article was particularly good at outlining the negative aspects of processed foods.)

Berlau, John. "Big Food Fight: When Big Tobacco Was Taken Down by a Rash of Lawsuits, Consumers Were Assured That Other 'Bad' Products Wouldn't Be Targeted. But the Fast-Food Industry Appears to Be Next." Insight on the News 15 July 2002: 12+. Questia. 27 Aug. 2005 .

(An important article that deals not only with the health issues facing the fast food industry but also with the legal aspects and the comparison between the tobacco and fast food industries.)

Whole Foods is a far more experiential store than Trader Joe's, as the smells from the freshly-made foods permeate the store and delight the customer's senses. It encourages consumers to linger and to buy more. Yet, despite the fact that Trader Joe's is cheaper, Whole Foods is also more individualistic. Consumers are given a wide array of choices, to allow themselves to customize their buying experience to their needs. If they wish to buy organic and earthy-friendly products they may, but they can also select expensive imported goods like tinned caviar and various imported olive oils. Whole Foods customers can custom-order cakes and pastries for an occasion, as well as various hot as well as cold foods. Trader Joe's has many prepared goods, but they are all pre-fabricated. A customer seeking to buy nuts in bulk from Trader Joe's cannot even select precisely how much food he or she wishes…

There is some hope within some countries but maybe no hope between countries. As long as there are disparities within the economic balances of different countries there will always be food being used as a political weapon. Those countries that do have adequate supplies of food though, have a hope to balance their food politics out within themselves. There is the possibility of providing more food for the poor within countries in order to better balance the accessibility across the nation.

eferences

Food Security and Political Stability in the Asia-Pacific. (n.d.). etrieved July 29, 2010, from Web site: http://www.apcss.org/Publications/eport_Food_Security_98.html

Kassem, Yara. (2005). Food: A Political or Nutritional Tool? etrieved July 29, 2010, from Panorama Web site:

http://www.tigweb.org/express/panorama/article.html?ContentID=5697

Political Economy of Food. (2010). etrieved July 29, 2010, from Answers Web site:

http://www.answers.com/topic/political-economy-of-food

Smyth, Paul. (2009). Michael Pollan Makes Food Political. etrieved July 29, 2010, from City

Beat Web site: http://www.citybeat.com/cincinnati/article-18861-michael-pollan-makes-food-political.html

Williams,…

References

Food Security and Political Stability in the Asia-Pacific. (n.d.). Retrieved July 29, 2010, from Web site:  http://www.apcss.org/Publications/Report_Food_Security_98.html 

Kassem, Yara. (2005). Food: A Political or Nutritional Tool? Retrieved July 29, 2010, from Panorama Web site:

 http://www.tigweb.org/express/panorama/article.html?ContentID=5697 

Political Economy of Food. (2010). Retrieved July 29, 2010, from Answers Web site:

(Schmidt, 2012)

A good example of this can be seen with Whole Foods discussing how they are meeting these long-term objectives with the firm stating, "We believe that companies, like individuals, must assume their share of responsibility as tenants of Planet Earth. We actively support organic farming, the best methods for promoting sustainable agriculture and protecting farm workers / the environment. We also aim to protect the environment by supporting alternative sources of energy and recycling or compositing our waste. We are actively involved in our communities by supporting food banks, sponsoring neighborhood events and contributing at least 5% of the total net profits to charities. Our vision of a sustainable future means our children and grandchildren will be living in a world that values human creativity, diversity and individual choice." This is illustrating how Whole Foods Markets is dedicated towards specific groups that share similar performance goals and standards.…

References

Our Mission and Culture. (2013). Whole Foods Market. Retrieved from:  http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com /careers/our-mission-and-culture

The Congruence Model. (2013). Mind Tools. Retrieved from:  http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newSTR_95.htm 

Whole Foods. (2013). Yahoo Finance. Retrieved from:  http://finance.yahoo.com/q/ae?s=WFM+Analyst+Estimates 

Why Work Here? (2013). Whole Foods Market. Retrieved from:

More objectivity is however expected from scientists, but their opinions also vary. Specifically, the opinions of those who support growth hormones and those who reject them are all derived from scientific evidence. This in turn means that the results of scientific research could be manipulated and influenced so that the findings are indicative of the desires of those who initiated the study. In this particular sense, the most pertinent situation is revealed by the beef and dairy producers, who hire their own scientists to lead the research process in the direction desired by them.

Aside from these situations however, the scientists who have conducted studies tend to link various health problems with the growth hormones. Some of the side effects to consuming products with residual matters from growth hormones include the onset of early puberty in girls, an increase in the risk of breast cancer, an increase in the risk…

References:

Leonard, a., the story of stuff, the Story of Stuff Project,  http://www.storyofstuff.org  / last accessed on February 21, 2012

McLaughlin, a. 2011, the effects of growth hormones in food, Live Strong,  http://www.livestrong.com/article/98816-effects-growth-hormones  / last accessed on February 21, 2012

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Jollibee

Fast food case study: Jollibee Foods Corporation

Define the problem

The Philippine-based hamburger chain Jollibee Foods Corporation is currently contemplating international expansion. The first question it must answer is where: should it expand into America, Hong Kong, or the developing world market of Papua New Guinea? If it decides to expand into America it faces another choice: should it focus on mainstream America consumers or recent immigrants and Philippine expatriates? (Bartlett & O'Connell 2001: 34)

Outside concepts that can be applied: The challenges of globalization

egionalization was vital in Jollibee's original success: it offered larger spicy hamburger patties more attuned to local diners' palates vs. McDonald's more generic offerings. Political instability in the region resulted in reluctance for foreign companies to make incursions into the fast food landscape and enabled Jollibee to establish a secure foothold in its home nation. However, poor initial selection of partners abroad, poor quality…

References

Bartlett, C & O'Connell. (2001). Jollibee Foods Corporation. Harvard Business School

Case Study.

Fernholtz, T. (2013). The Big Mac mirage. QZ. Retrieved:

 http://qz.com/59506/the-big-mac-mirage-america-is-actually-terrible-at-globalization/

However, as coffee creamer and margarine have demonstrated, there is risk of substitution even with long-established consumer staples.

The intensity of rivalry is becoming greater. Firms in both dairy and soy are fighting for market share, one because of market contraction and the other because of market expansion. Firms compete for shelf space at major retailers and because the products lack differentiation, firms in the industry tend to compete strictly on brand name, rather than product attributes. Overall, this leaves the industry moderately unfavorable. Soy is more favorable that milk generally, but milk is the much larger industry and for a sizeable, established player with strong distribution networks it is still a good industry to be in.

The regulatory environment is important to Dean. The federal government has a stake in agricultural industries because of the impact on the nation's food security. There are variety of programs and subsidies available…

The United States would most likely survive without global food trade because it exports more agricultural products (9.2%) than it imports (4.9%). (CIA - the world factbook) However, the country would be worse off because it would not be trading with the countries that have comparative advantage in producing certain agricultural products and certain products could become scarce and more costly or unavailable.

Food trade has important economic implications because it impacts Gross Domestic Product (GDP), the total market value of all final goods and services produced with a country. One of the components for calculating GDP is exports minus imports. Thus, when a country exports more food than it imports, it increases its GDP and when a country exports less than it imports GDP goes down.

The United States currently imports more than it exports. Estimates for 2007 show imports to be $1.987 trillion while exports were $1.14 trillion…

Bibliography

CIA - the world factbook. Retrieved from  https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/us.html#Econ 

State fact sheets: Florida.U.S.Department of Agriculture. Retrieved at  http://www.ers.usda.gov /' target='_blank' REL='NOFOLLOW'>