Organic Retail and Consumer Alliance

A Project of the Organic Consumers Association

A Project of the Organic Consumers Association

  • Home
  • About ORCA
    • About the Right-to-Know Grocers Contest
  • Top 12 Grocers
  • Top Grocers by Region
  • 100% Organic Grocers
  • Grocer’s Toolkit
  • Contact

Ashland Food Co-Op, Ashland, OR

237 N. First St. Ashland, OR 97520
Store Logo
Website: http://www.ashlandfood.coop/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ashlandfoodcoop
Owner:
General Manager: Emile Amarotico
Founded in: 1972
Organic Sales: We figure this for the whole store on the basis of what we purchased rather than what we sold because every department has a variable margin. So, 52% of the dollars spent on the cost of goods was used to purchase organic products. In the produce department, 99.5% of the products carried are Certified Organic. We are also the first, and only, Certified Organic Retailer in our region. Oregon Tilth is our certifier.
Annual Sales: $29 million in 2012, on track for $30 million in 2013.

GMO Practices

Manufacturer Communication

Ashland Co-op has undertaken a vigorous audit of its products by calling and emailing those producers whose labels were non-specific on GMO content to request GMO free verification.

Product Removal Process

The store’s Product Standards Committee has identified 66 products and product lines that have been discontinued due to GMOs in the first three ingredients on the ingredient panel. Some lines have been replaced with organic versions. Fewer than 10 discontinued products have been granted exceptions due to customer demand. Those products have a Product Standards Alert sign at the shelf defining their exception to our Product Standards guidelines.

Labeling

Non GMO Project Verified products have shelf tags to identify them. Product alerts are attached to products that contain suspect ingredients (including many popular ones) and products are discontinued as sales drop. The Product Standards committee has been rewriting its policy and is waiting for the management team to approve new language. The committee is looking at ways to align with and add to AFC’s policy in light of the new National Cooperative Grocers Association’s recently announced New Product Guidelines. These require that any product considered for the New Product promotional program must be Non GMO Project Verified to be eligible. It is AFC’s ultimate goal to be 100% GMO free. We support the mandatory labeling of all GMO ingredients because everyone has the right to choose non GMO food.


Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

The Organic Consumers Association (OCA) is a grassroots non-profit 501(c)3 public interest organization campaigning for health, justice, sustainability, peace, and democracy. We represent over 850,000 members, subscribers and volunteers, including several thousand businesses in the natural foods and organic marketplace.

OCA Links

About the OCA · Subscribe · Donate · Organics  · Health · Environment · Genetic Engineering · Fair Trade · Politics · Farm Issues · Food Safety

Organic Consumers AssociationOrganic Consumers Association 6771 South Silver Hill Drive Finland, MN 55603 Contact Us · 218-226-4164 Please Donate

[footer_backtotop]

Copyright © 2023 Organic Consumers Association · Log in

Fair Use Notice: The material on this site is provided for educational and informational purposes. It may contain copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. It is being made available in an effort to advance the understanding of scientific, environmental, economic, social justice and human rights issues etc. It is believed that this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have an interest in using the included information for research and educational purposes. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission from the copyright owner. The information on this site does not constitute legal or technical advice.