de-commoditizing farmed food through sustainability

De-Commoditizing Products Through Sustainability

Samantha CabalunaEarthbound Farm

1984: Learning on the JobEarthbound Farm started

24 years ago, with 2½acres and a roadside stand

in the beautiful CarmelValley.

Earthbound Farm Today• Largest grower of organic produce in

the world

• Producing more than 150 millionpounds of specialty salad annually

• Products available in 8 out of 10grocery stores in the US and in all 50states

• More than 100 organic salads, fruits,vegetables, dried fruit and juices

• Earthbound Farm’s organic produce is grownon 40,000 crop acres, comprising 150 organicfarmers.

• Our smallest farm is a 5-acre radicchio farmin San Benito County.

• Our largest farm is a 680 acre farm in southMonterey County that's growing celery,romaine, broccoli and spring mix.

• We have been able to provide profitableaccess to a wide variety of markets for ourorganic growers of all sizes and we're proudof that accomplishment.

• In 2008 alone, Earthbound Farm’s organicfarming on 40,000 acres will:– Avoid the use of 12.8 million pounds of

conventional agricultural chemicals

– Conserve 2,000,000 gallons of petroleum bynot using synthetic fertilizers

– Sequester enough CO2 to equal taking morethan 7,700 cars off the road

We Know Organic is Not Enough

• Biodiesel plant produces American-made fuelfor our growers’ trucks and farm equipment

• Tree planting• Energy & water conservation• Working on reducing use of virgin materials by

using post-consumer waste in retail packaging,shipping materials, and biofuels.

Under-Promise & Over-Deliver• 83% of consumers say they’re

more likely to buy productsthat are promoted as green

• Just 2% say it doesn’t make adifference

• The Six Sins of Greenwashing1. Sin of the Hidden Trade-Off2. Sin of No Proof3. Sin of Vagueness4. Sin of Irrelevance5. Sin of Fibbing6. Sin of Lesser of Two Evils

Sustainability is a practice,not an achievement

Thank youSamantha Cabaluna

samantha@ebfarm.com