Costco Connection - July 2007

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GREIG CRANNA

The Goodmans have moved from spending Sunday afternoons washing lettuce in their living room to operating two plants that processed 22 million servings of salad per week last year. Earthbound Farm’s couple of acres in Carmel Valley has expanded to 34,000 certified-organic acres in four states—California, Washington, Colorado and Arizona—and four other countries: Canada, New Zealand, Chile and Mexico. Earthbound Farm is also transitioning a little more than 13,000 acres, mostly in California and Arizona, that are lying fallow while they’re converted to organic land. What’s most exciting is that, as the company’s capacity for growing expands, so does consumers’ interest in organics.

The word “organic” has long since been returned to their packages for Costco. Myra remembers making a presentation on the benefits of organic foods to Costco a few years ago. After the daylong presentation, she recalls, the buyers told her that they felt pursuing organic was something they should do. “I’ve never seen another company that wants to

understand the issues,” she says. “Having someone go organic for the right reasons is exciting.”

People around the United States can buy Earthbound Farm’s produce, while shoppers in Carmel Valley can also stop by the farm stand for fresh flowers and other specialty items.

Taking care of bodies and the planet What motivates consumers to eat organic food?

Myra believes that knowing someone who has become ill often propels people to make the switch. Another reason is the birth of a child: She says she became more commited to organic food after having two children. And, similar to her own experience, she says, “I think for a lot of people it’s a gut instinct. It just makes sense to them: ‘If I eat something without chemicals, wouldn’t that be better for me?’ ”

She adds that when you start educating yourself about all of the chemicals used in conventional farming, it’s a little scary, because you never know what effect they will have down the road. “Eating organic is a way people can take control, and it’s not hard to do,” she says. “It tastes good, and you’re helping take care of the environment too.”

Drew believes environmental reasons for choosing organic food are often more obvious than health reasons. And environmental stewardship is an aspect of the business that’s always on the Goodmans’ minds. In 2007, through farming their 34,000 acres organically, they will avoid using more than 12 million pounds of synthetic chemicals and conserve an estimated 1.89 million gallons of petroleum by finding alternatives to petroleum-based pesticides and fertilizers.

Additionally, they have planted more than 400,000 trees throughout the United States and annually purchase renewable-energy credits. Earthbound Farm also uses biodiesel for as much farming equipment as possible. “I’m personally and professionally very passionate about this,” says Drew, who oversees the program. “It’s a very ecological step in the right direction.”

PATRICK TRAGENZA

Earthbound Farm’s famous Maple Almond Granola (from Food to Live By, Workman Publishing) 4 ¹/2 cups ( 18 ounces) old-fashioned rolled oats (not instant) ¾ cup ( 3 ounces) shelled, raw, unsalted sunflower seeds 1 ¹/2 cups slivered or coarsely chopped raw almonds 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon 1 ¹/4 cups pure maple syrup, preferably grade A ¹/3 cup canola oil 1 cup raisins

1. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 325˚F. 2. Place the oats, sunflower seeds, almonds and cinnamon in a large bowl and stir to combine. Add the maple syrup and oil, and stir together until all the dry ingredients are moistened. 3. Spread the granola on a roughly 12 x 17-inch rimmed baking sheet. Bake the granola until it begins to brown, about 25 minutes, then stir it with a flat spatula. Let the granola continue to bake until it is light golden brown, dry and fragrant, 15 to 20 minutes longer. Stir the granola at least once more as it bakes, and watch it carefully during the final minutes because it can burn quickly. 4. Place the baking sheet on a cooling rack, add the raisins and stir to combine. Let the granola cool completely. Transfer the granola to an airtight container. It can be stored for up to 1 month or frozen for up to 6 months. You can serve the granola straight from the freezer. It doesn’t get hard and it thaws almost immediately—just pour on some milk. Makes about 8 cups.