Organic Valley Wants To Change The Food World

The Lempert Report
November 17, 2017

Adweek has a terrific story about a terrific company, Organic Valley, which is putting fitness trackers on its cows and setting them off on their usual daily trek.

Adweek writes that as it turns out, the bovines take more steps a day than most people, according to the spot. “Looking good, ladies,” says a voiceover, as the cattle frolics in a pasture. 

Several ads in the series, under the tagline, “Call us crazy, but it’s working,” pointedly call out the current greenwashing trend where food and beverage brands make false claims about their manufacturing (no factory farming here!) or the health benefits of their products (better for you!). 

“These days every brand is trying to seem more authentic, natural and farm-fresh, like they’re making the world a better place, even if they’re not,” said Tripp Hughes, Organic Valley’s director of brand management. “It makes things very confusing for customers trying to make better decisions about their food.”

The co-op, about 30 years old with 1 billion dollars in revenue last year, includes Amish farmers whose non-mechanized methods take more time. And its hands-on, small farmer route isn’t cheap. 

We have to agree with Hughes. In this age of transparency there is a lot more that needs to be done by all food brands.