A Natural Question

The buzz is all about “natural” products these days, and demand for natural foods and beverages appears to be soaring. A longtime associate and fellow blogger, Gary Augustine, vice president, Jones and Thomas, Inc., is looking for the answer to a simple question when it comes to products carrying a “natural” label.

-Lynn A. Kuntz

Isn’t Natural Supposed To Be Simple?

I’m a marketing guy. OK, I said it. So you can immediately choose to be skeptical and try to determine the “spin” in reading the rest of my comments. Marketing is supposed to be about focusing on meeting consumer needs... and wants. Consumers are quite complicated. They want consumption and conservation and health and indulgence. Food processors are constantly looking for ways to meet the consumer’s insatiable ever-changing demands, and yes, improve sales, by differentiating themselves from competition. There should be no apologies made for this when it is done in an ethical and appropriate manner. I do, however, find it humorous when I see a product, for example, promoted as fat-free when it is loaded with sugar and calories. Many a person, product and company have fallen to the latest trend, and we will let the greatness of a free market resolve the outcome of their claims. But companies and consumers alike have benefited through a desire to eat healthier and treat our planet more responsibly. I am proud to be a part of this movement.

Even with the complexity of the consumer, they do appear to be looking for simpler and more responsible choices. There have been a lot of discussions lately over natural claims, carbon foot prints, sustainability and the like. For example, Mintel’s Global New Products Database ranks “All Natural” as the third most frequent claim on U.S. products in 2007. The issue becomes as to what is defined as “natural”? Webster’s definition of a natural food is a food that has undergone minimal processing and contains no preservatives or additives. By this definition, I am not sure I even qualify as “All Natural” based on upon our advancements in modern medicine and the foods I consume. There is an implication of trust, however, that consumers have with the natural claim. For example, 86% of consumers believe that “natural” products are safe, according to a survey by the National Consumer League. After all, a purchase by consumers is a statement of confidence in a manufacturer’s product. The manufacturer has to maintain that trust every time the consumer walks into the store to purchase products. Even if natural labeling guidelines are established, the debate as to what constitutes “natural” will continue. I am all for labeling consistent with food safety and nutrition. Natural labeling guidelines will likely not address either of these issues. In the end, the long-term course for all manufacturers continues to be balancing taste with nutrition, production with sustainability, and profit with loss. The debate will continue to be settled every time the consumer “weighs” these decisions walking down the grocery or convenience store aisle.

No trees were sacrificed during the writing of this article (unless you consider the packaging from the bag of chips I consumed).

-Gary Augustine